Madison Marquette and Asbury Partners, as part of its limited
liability company, showed their plans to the planning board Monday
night for renovating the boardwalk pavilions from 1st to 5th Avenues.
The plan is for retail space to be completed by Memorial Day. That's
just fine except the plans also call for ripping out the sewers lines
that are already in the pavilions. The city should refuse to grant
any permits for removing bathrooms in the pavilions.
MM's argument is that retailers don't want the hassles that
accompany the traffic that passes by their shops enroute to the
public restrooms. However Planning Board members didn't buy it,
saying it was obvious that the design was trying to maximize the
retail space.
In conceding to protests about eliminating bathrooms, the
architect and reps from MM, including John Lanham, first offered to
include bathrooms in the Second Avenue pavilion if Green Acres (CAFRA
the coastal landuse department of the State Dept. of Environmental
Protection has already given its approval) refuses their request to
put public bathrooms as part of pop up retail kiosks on the Green
Acres properties between the pavilions. (What an environmental insult
this is - putting toilets on Green Acres?) By the way, the pop up
alternatives won't be there year round, because they wouldn't be
heated.
Finally, it appeared that MM had vowed to keep the public
restrooms in the Second Ave pavilion, regardless of the Green Acres
reaction to its plan. This is quite a concession considering that the
public swim club - which has to be built before a public swim club
can be erected - is going to be placed in the Second Ave.
pavilion.
The public club plans call for a pool 18" deep, with "fluffy
pillows" scattered about, in addition to about 50 lounges, and
attendants walking among clubbers, who will pay $5 a day, spritzing
them with "lavender water" and handing out "fluffy white towels". A
scene out of a W Hotel ad, no?
Seriously folks, here's another cheap trade off under the
rationale of rushing to meet a deadline. Sewer lines, as every
homeowner or property owner knows, are a huge investment. Why would
we would we rip them out? And temporary toilets send a huge negative
message to visitors wondering if Asbury's rebirth is permanent. "Yeah
lady, it's as permanent as that toilet seat there."
The council doesn't want to see the bathrooms go. Most of the
planning board didn't buy it. But they need to know how residents
feel, too, to give them more ammo in fighting this one. So please
send an email, pick up the phone - open the window and SCREAM!!!
Maureen
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