The Remaking of a Beach Town

LONG BRANCH - Being dubbed the next Hamptons, the following is an excerpt from the NY Times about the redevelopment of this seaside community.

''TOO cool,'' cooed a svelte young woman in black as she entered the glitzy new McLoone's Pier House restaurant right on the beach in Long Branch, N.J., for an arts benefit one recent evening. ''But,'' the woman said, looking around in surprise, ''didn't Long Branch used to be sort of dumpy?''

Actually, yes. There are less snarky ways to describe the city's image and general condition before the start of redevelopment about five years ago. But even those who have loved Long Branch a long time -- take City Councilman Anthony Giordano, a fourth-generation resident, for example -- allow that ''sort of dumpy'' isn't really a cruel or unusual remark.

About $20 million in public grants and low-interest loans were used to build subsidized and market-rate housing in town, reconstruct a section of Ocean Boulevard, replenish the beach, rebuild sections of the boardwalk, create public parks and restore public access to the beach in the area. That, in turn, spurred private developers led by the Applied Development Company and Matzel & Mumford to begin remaking the city's once-derelict oceanfront into a residential oasis a few years ago.

Redevelopment work along the Long Branch shoreline is now more than half complete. Meanwhile, property values of existing housing have roughly doubled at every price point over the last five years, according to Mr. Giordano's wife, Elizabeth, who is a real estate agent with Re/Max Champions Ocean Township.
The new housing going up along the beachfront -- including the Beachfront North and Pier Village developments along the boardwalk -- is a mix of town homes, low-rise condos and rental apartments.

Beachfront North, a town house and condo development with 233 units, is about 90 percent sold. Pier Village, home to McLoone's Pier House, will eventually include 420 apartments, street-level retail, a beach club, fitness center, community park and performance stage.

The city is negotiating with a developer to put up 350 midrise condominiums at the southern end of the beach. And across Ocean Boulevard, two more midrise condominium projects are under construction.

What You'll Pay
Only five years ago, the average home price in Long Branch was below $200,000. Now, brokers say the average has risen to somewhere in the $400,000 range.
Multiple listings show several one-bedroom condos available in the low $200,000's, quite a few single-family homes in the $400,000's, and a five-bedroom beachfront house in Elberon with an asking price of just under $5 million.

At Beachfront North, town house and condo prices range from the high $500,000's to $1.5 million. At Pier Village, which is under construction beside the new McLoone's, yearly leases are available at monthly rates of $1,200 to $3,000, depending on size and location.

What to Do
The present entertainment possibilities in Long Branch pale beside the future, when Applied Development promises a sort of social nirvana centered on Pier Village: year-round concerts, fitness classes on the beach, elegant rental cabanas with food-and-beverage service, boutique shopping, a surfside pool, etc., etc.

At Beachfront North, a four-acre public park that will provide public access to the beach is under construction. A band shell for public concerts is planned for the open green space between the boardwalk and Ocean Avenue.

Plans are also in place for creation of an arts district centered around an old theater building on Broadway that would be restored for use by the New Jersey Repertory Company.

But even before those dreams are realized, there is plenty of opportunity for people seeking more than sun and sand. An array of events and exhibits are held throughout the year at Monmouth University, a mere 10 minutes from the beach. Monmouth Park Racetrack is also minutes away. And this summer, a series of Sunday evening jazz band concerts is set for the West End Park at Brighton and Ocean Avenues. Contact Danielle now to view the latest property listings in Long Branch!

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