Would it be too much to ask that the political discussions please stop on this board? There is now a group devoted to AP politics... the discussions should be had over there now. I, and I'm sure many other people here are just sick of reading the political discussions here... we all dont agree on politics, no two people ever really do, but cant we all agree that this group is about Asbury Park???
Anyway, here's an article about Asbury Park for once... stores setting winter hours... parking might be suspended for the winter season... shore fitness is gone and the first ave pavilion will be opening soon... http://www.app.com/article/20081003/NEWS01/810030362/1004 Full text: Asbury Park shops set winter hours More than 25 shops, restaurants and night spots on the city's new boardwalk and beachfront are set to keep going into the fall and winter after agreeing with landlord Madison Marquette to be open from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Thursday through Monday, closing on Tuesday and Wednesday. Madison Marquette rebuilt the boardwalk this year with the intention of making the beachfront an attraction with enough venues and excitement to draw people into the winter as well. Courtney Johnson, director of marketing, said 27 of the businesses are going to stay open through the cooler weather with longer hours planned for the holiday season. That number includes the last of the new restaurants and businesses now set to open by the end of October in the First Avenue Pavilion, one of three that underwent significant renovation last spring and summer. "The tenants were pretty relieved that the landlord actually kind of met us in the middle (on hours to be open)," said Eddie Catalano, who owns Eddie Confetti ice cream near Convention Hall and is opening Boardwalk Bagels and a second ice cream store in a few weeks close to the Carousel at the city's south end. "I think the winter schedule is going to be a good thing," said Steven Ranuro, whose father is a downtown developer, and whose family opened Biggie's Clam Bar in Convention Hall the past summer. "This will give our customers a chance to feel that we're here, and it will build a foundation for this boardwalk to be year-round," Ranuro said. At the same time the boardwalk is going forward, several beachfront owners asked city officials Wednesday night if they could suspend the new paid parking that began in August on the waterfront. City Councilman Ed Johnson said the city is open to everyone's participation and said a parking subcommittee meeting was planned for Thursday to decide what to do. "We are going to solve our current problems, not extend our problems," he said. Helen Doyle, project manager for McCloone's Supper Club and Salt Water Beach Cafe in the former Howard Johnson's building, praised the city's help in making the two McCloone restaurants a success so far. But she also asked that the city suspend the paid parking for the winter months because people are coming in with parking tickets that have transformed patrons into irate customers. "I think our customers' patience is running out," Doyle said. "Hopefully it will be decided no more metered parking on the boardwalk for the winter months." Paid parking is a source of revenue, along with beach fees and taxes, that allows the city to benefit from the waterfront's success. The city has collected about $43,000 since it began in mid-August, with the collection rate dropping off as expected after schools opened, Gregory Mayers, the city financial officer, said Thursday. When the city began enforcing paid parking with new pay stations in August, the posted signs explaining where people should pay (at machines at intersections) were not large or clear enough to alert the public that a new system was in place. The city has ordered new signs and is taking other steps to smooth out the parking. Marilyn Schlossbach, who has the new Langosta Lounge restaurant along with her husband's new surf shop in the Third Avenue Pavilion, said the "people getting tickets has been tremendously negative for this city." Several other owners spoke at the City Council meeting and most offered to serve on a city parking committee. Courtney Johnson said Madison Marquette wants to keep the parking lots free for the winter. And, she said one tenant that won't be on the boardwalk for the winter is Shore Fitness, whose instructors were from Brooklyn and came to work at the Shore just for the summer. "We've been showing the space," she said. "There's a lot of interest." ------------------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/AsburyPark/ <*> Your email settings: Individual Email | Traditional <*> To change settings online go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/AsburyPark/join (Yahoo! ID required) <*> To change settings via email: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
