Asbury Park getting private beach club; will it limit beach access?

ASBURY PARK - iStar announced part of its new Asbury Ocean Club, Surfside Resort and Residences at 1101 Ocean Avenue project will include a private beach club.

City Manager Michael Capabianco said a private beach club is permitted under the city's waterfront development plan with iStar.

iStar, a real estate investment firm, is the city's master waterfront developer. The Asbury Ocean Club is across the street from the boardwalk and waterfront. The waterfront plan also calls for development of a public beach club. At present, there are no private beach clubs at the waterfront. Check out the video in the above to see what Asbury Park looked like on the waterfront nearly a century ago.

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The Asbury Ocean Club site stood destitute for decades, most recently known as the Esperanza. Now it's become a symbol of Asbury's rebirth and one the most anticipated projects in the city. But as details about the project continue to surface, some locals questioned whether a private beach club would limit portions of beach access.

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Asbury Park Mayor John Moor said the waterfront agreement doesn't allow for any stretch of the beach to be made private.

"The city owns the boardwalk, the city owns the beach, we’re not giving up part of our beach," Moor said.

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Asbury Park's waterfront development plan, which sets guidelines and parameters for development, according to city historian Werner Baumgartner, calls for a private beach club between Sixth and Seventh avenues and notes that the club should not "impede pedestrian mobility along the boardwalk."

“Any beach club constructed will be consistent within the existing waterfront redevelopment plan, as previously approved, and located on private property," said Brian Cheripka, senior vice president of land and development for iStar, in an email to the Press.

Cheripka said the goal is to "bring an unparalleled resort style experience" to Asbury.

The luxury 16-story building is expected to be the most expensive in Asbury Park. It will include 130 condominiums, a 54-room boutique hotel, retail space and a 411-space parking garage. The promotional website for the project asks interested users to indicate their preference between a price range from under $1 million to more than $5 million.

Austin Bogues 732-643-4009; abogues@gannettnj.com

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