Long Branch seeks $5.5M in federal money to double size of senior center
LONG BRANCH - To complete the overhaul of the senior center, the city is seeking $5.5 million in federal grant money to go with the $2 million it will receive in redevelopment fees from the developer of the 290 Ocean residential high-rise.
Long Branch is looking to double the size of its 1950s-era senior center in a “beachy” style design keeping with new architecture across the street at the Bungalow Hotel and Wave Resort.
The city introduced an ordinance to use $5.5 million from the budget on Wednesday, which it expects will be reimbursed by the Federal American Rescue Plan Act of 2021. The City Council will vote on it Aug. 10.
Mayor John Pallone said there have been some new additions to the plan in the last year since the city announced it was embarking on the renovation to the facility, which is currently used by 900 seniors.
He also said they anticipate prices to be more than initially planned due to inflation and supply issues. Still, the city’s plan is to pull this off without any local taxes.
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The city opened the project to public bids on July 1. The bids are due Sept. 1.
The center is 6,550 square feet now, but the renovations will double the space to 13,450 square feet. Along with the new exterior look, technology room and multipurpose room, the work includes a new open lobby area, health screening rooms, a fitness room, bigger classrooms, a new garden area and more space for storage.
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The city will also look to address some minor flooding by resurfacing the parking lot coupled with a drainage upgrade. The work also includes an entire new HVAC system.
To tie the senior center into the new architecture at the beachfront, the renovations for the building will follow a nautical design with sweeping rooflines.
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The $2 million would come from 290 Ocean LLC, which is looking to build build a 10-story, 109-unit oceanfront high rise on a two-acre site on Ocean Avenue.
But that $2 million in redevelopment fees is still wrapped up in litigation, as 290 Ocean is being sued by its neighbor Blackridge Realty. The city is also being sued.
Blackridge Realty owns 345 Ocean Blvd., a new six-story luxury apartment building on the beachfront.
Both properties are in the Beachfront South Redevelopment Zone, a zone created in 1996 to stimulate new development at the beach. Blackridge claims the city gave 290 Ocean an unfair advantage in 2020 when it amended the zone's guidelines to change the permissible building heights from 80 feet to 100 feet, increase the allowable building coverage from 35% to 50% and eliminate the density limits.
The lawsuit is also trying to nullify the Redeveloper's Agreement made between the city and 290 Ocean just after the zone was amended. If successful, it would wipe out the one-time $2 million redevelopment fee from 290 Ocean for impacts on the city caused by the construction of its luxury high rise at the beach.
When Jersey Shore native Dan Radel is not reporting the news, you can find him in a college classroom where he is a history professor. Reach him @danielradelapp; 732-643-4072; dradel@gannettnj.com.
This article originally appeared on Asbury Park Press: Long Branch NJ seeks federal money to double senior center
