Once upon a time there was a Redevelopment Plan. It was the product
of public process and professional input. A mixed use plan that both
respected history and allowed for progress into to future.
A Plan were people could develop their own property and continue to
be a part of Asbury Park. A plan where the City would be restored and
be made whole again.
- Along Wesley Lake, Corporate Conference and Exibition uses because
the downtown needed to attract big business.
- From the St. James Place to the Casino, Entertainment and Amusement
uses because families like to have fun and remembered the Palace.
- Between Asbury Ave and Fifth Ave, Resort Commercial uses because
the beachfront is our heritage and economic engine.
- North of Sunset Ave, High Density Residential uses because the
largest and tallest buildings would fit right in.
- West of Kingsley St, Medium and Low Density Residential uses
because the existing neighborhoods need to be respected.
Then along came a new Council and a Deal was made to give the rights
and obligations to this plan to a new developer. There was no City
Planner, no Economist and no City Historian involved by the Council.
But the new developer was not a developer at all. He cared nothing of
the downtown, families, heritage or existing neighboorhoods. The one
word that made him smile was - Condo.
Condos along Wesley Lake, condos along the beachfront, condos next to
our neighboorhoods, condos as far as the eye could see. Not enough he
said, 'I want to be the only one that can Condo'. And so the Council
said no problem, we can take everyones land and give it to you.
'Where will my Condo Dwellers park?' he said. No problem replied the
Council we can give you the street parking spaces and we'll throw in
our parkland for good measure. Mr. Bradley will just have to move.
'I'll do you a favor and buy all your public beachfront too' he said.
That's great replied the Council, we have no idea how to manage it
anyway. But the State said no, you can't sell Green Acres space just
like that.
Oh, the Council said, that was a mistake to list the beachfront as
public green acres property. Won't you please change it so we can
sell it to our new friend. So it is asked, so be it, said our State.
How was this possible you ask. How could the Plan be violated? How
could the rights and obligations devised by public process and
professional input be ignored and all turned into Condos and parking
lots? How could our public beachfront be sold without asking us?
A contract was written called the Memorandum of Understanding just so
the Council and their new friend would nave no mis-understanding. The
Plan was then changed to fit the Contract.
The Deal was done, it was held up and all declared that the train had
left the station and you'd better get on or be left behind.
W. Baumgartner
City Historian in Exile
PS: we did get back Bradley Park because the State said it was Green
Acres space. Ironic isn't it?
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