The Atlantic City Boardwalk used to be a tremendous showpiece for the city. The coming of casino resorts designed as insular, all-in-one destinations has translated into a steady decline for the boards. Now, the Casino Reinvestment Development Authority has a plan for its renewal.
From the AC Press:
One of the great ironies of Atlantic City’s transformation from the “Queen of Resorts” to East Coast casino capital was the seemingly willful neglect of its signature attraction – the world-famous Boardwalk.
Now, nearly 135 years after the granddaddy of all boardwalks was first built, a $100 million redevelopment plan is under way to enliven the pedestrian promenade and restore its historic structures.
In a first step, the state Casino Reinvestment Development Authority approved new design guidelines Tuesday that will serve as a blueprint for the Boardwalk’s future growth.
Casinos, business owners and developers that want to share in the CRDA’s Boardwalk fund will have to conform to detailed design standards for facade improvements, historical renovation and new signage.
CRDA officials hope the plan will restore the Boardwalk’s legendary reputation and give the city another showplace attraction to broaden its appeal beyond casino gambling. They also want the Boardwalk’s revitalization to mirror the city’s new wave of casino expansion projects, retail development and entertainment spots.
“We think this is a comprehensive package of tools that is going to elevate the town’s image,” CRDA Executive Director Curtis Bashaw said.
Bashaw promised the redevelopment plan will span the Boardwalk from the neighboring city of Ventnor to Atlantic City’s northeastern tip, the Inlet section.
“The collective image of the buildings that front the Boardwalk today … disappoints,” a design report prepared for the CRDA by the consulting firm Historic Building Architects LLC of Trenton says in the introduction.
“The memory of great hotels demolished in the last several decades remains powerful, while new construction fails to communicate an equivalent image,” the report continues.
The CRDA’s development plan will focus on both the Boardwalk’s land side and oceanfront. It will be funded through a combination of casino parking revenues and casino donations made to the CRDA, a state agency that oversees the spending of gaming revenue for housing projects and economic development.
To get the program started, the CRDA’s board of directors approved $185,000 on Tuesday for architectural services, property appraisals and other preliminary work. Bashaw said the authority will begin selecting specific projects next year to share in the $100 million development fund.
Architectural flourishes such as loggias, terraces, decorative facades and courtyards will be encouraged for both renovation projects and new construction on the Boardwalk. The program also promotes the use of brick, stone, terra cotta and other traditional building materials.
Guided by the design standards, the Showboat Casino Hotel will incorporate stone in the construction of its Boardwalk facade improvements, including a new House of Blues music club. Bashaw said this will be the first time in 50 years that new construction on the Boardwalk will use stone.
Showboat is participating in the CRDA’s design standards as a “guinea pig,” although its facade project will not be funded by the Boardwalk program, Bashaw said. However, Showboat will receive funding assistance from other construction pools controlled by the CRDA.
The details here are a bit fuzzy. What I’m getting out of this is that if you use stone, you can get money from CRDA. Seems like a good deal for quarries.