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Post by JerseyDigger29 on Jun 29, 2006 21:18:23 GMT -5
We keep talking about how we needed more hotel/motel rooms, and how a big place like the Nouveu Wave would help, but with so many rooms being condos, wouldn't a handful of smaller places sized like the Bal Harbour, etc. that were strictly hotels get almost the same amount of rooms as 1 in my opinion way to big skyscraper? I don't think there are going to be any strictly hotel room buildings built anymore, at least not in the forseeable future. There apparently has to be private ownership to make them profitable now days or something. I guess part condo and part hotel is just all the rage. And the Nouveau Wave having part condos and part hotels is kind of misleading. The owners of those condos are able to put their unit into the rental pool IF THEY WANT when they are out of town. Many would do this almost all the time except when they wanted to use it for a vacation. Some people buy these condos strictly for rental income. So the number of traditional hotel rooms in a giant condotel would most likely always be higher if you include the vacant condos that will be used for hotel pool rentals. Thom
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Post by choochoochuck on Jun 30, 2006 10:28:16 GMT -5
I don't know if I'm happpy or sad, i mean, the Rio was destroyed for nothing, now more condos will probably up, and any hotel/motel is better than condos. But this is amazing, this might stem the construction of these hotels which could lower the destruction of the motels. They recognized they are historic, which is a big step. Plus, it just takes away from the feel. I had lost my faith in government until this
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Post by Rob Ascough on Jul 17, 2006 12:45:16 GMT -5
Hey all,
I'm new to the boards (FANTASTIC boards, by the way) and I don't want to come across as someone trying to pick an argument, but I have to say I think this is great news.
I realize that motel & hotel rooms are one of the Wildwood's biggest needs right now but I don't think high-rise towers are the answer. When you drive over the Rio Grande bridge, you're supposed to see the boardwalk rides in the background, not a bunch of towers like the ones in Atlantic City.
The new towers that have been proposed are completely out-of-character for the area, no matter how the architects "Doo Wop" them up with weird angles and neon lighting. Aside from the Ferris wheel, roller coasters and water towers, are there any structures on the island that are more than six or seven stories tall? I think hotel and condo towers would look entirely wrong.
It'd be nice to see a lot of empty lots replaced with smaller motels and hotels. There aren't that many, but there are a few. It would also be nice to see the city give incentives to older motels to stay in business. I know that businesses are sometimes offered low-interest loans if they are part of redevelopment districts- maybe the city could arrange to give low-interest loans to motel owners looking to upgrade their facilities? Instead of replacing old motels, why not do as the Cape Cod Inn and Shalimar have done and add rooms by building up another story or two? If a dozen or so motels added a dozen or so rooms, you're already looking at the hotel capacity of a small tower. Give incentives to people to build new motels and the city would be well on it's way to replacing those lost rooms.
Just my thoughts...
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Post by MMM on Jul 17, 2006 20:59:29 GMT -5
Ocean Towers is 10 floors, IIRC. Not the most attractive 10 floors either. The Reges is 8 floors, but it's much better looking than Ocean Towers, IMO...
BTW - I believe the Reges was originally 6 floors - I think the top two floors were added 2 years later...
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Post by Rob Ascough on Jul 18, 2006 9:46:41 GMT -5
I always forget about Ocean Towers. You're right, they are pretty ugly. At least they're located on a part of the boardwalk where there's no view to block.
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Post by JerseyDigger29 on Jul 18, 2006 10:40:30 GMT -5
Ocean Towers is 10 floors, IIRC. Not the most attractive 10 floors either. The Reges is 8 floors, but it's much better looking than Ocean Towers, IMO... BTW - I believe the Reges was originally 6 floors - I think the top two floors were added 2 years later... I think the Beach Terrace at Oak and Atlantic is close to 9 floors. I mentioned this week (somewhere! All my writing tends to blend together in my memory sometimes) that the Beach Terrace is applying to add another floor soon. So adding floors is a good idea - for those owners who love their property and don't want to sell out, Thom
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Post by Al Alven on Jul 18, 2006 10:49:05 GMT -5
And don't forget the Bolero, next to the Beach Terrace, which is 8 stories tall.
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Post by fuzzyscorpio on Jul 18, 2006 12:19:43 GMT -5
WOW. I just caught up with this thread. The news makes me want to cry--for the Rio, of course. But probably the right way to look at this is that the Rio did NOT die in vain.
Seems to me there were/are much less distinguished motels near the convention center that could have been torn down to make way for a companion high-rise, and the only thing more obscene than the sacrifice of the Rio was the idea of the nasty incongruous thing that would replace it. But the very obscenity of it all got a lot of people's attention including, eventually, some at the higher levels of government. This is a case of "better late than never." I say bravo, NJDEP, you kicked that developer's @ss. Now keep on kicking.
Welcome Rob, I agree with all that you've said.
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Post by fuzzyscorpio on Jul 18, 2006 13:06:50 GMT -5
Do you actually believe the state gives two sh_ts about preserving Wildwood Hotels or shadows on houses? Mmmm... maybe? is it possible things are changing under Corzine?
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Post by fuzzyscorpio on Jul 18, 2006 13:16:32 GMT -5
As Al said, it doesn't do any good to deny a permit for development because it's replacing a "historic" structure, when that historic structure has already been demolised. I'm hoping this was what's known as firing a warning shot, i.e., "our bad, we weren't watching when they destroyed the Rio, but we're watching now." Though I confess I have no idea how much power the various state agencies have or don't have to stop future demolitions.
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Post by Crippled_Visions on Jul 19, 2006 0:23:29 GMT -5
Do you actually believe the state gives two sh_ts about preserving Wildwood Hotels or shadows on houses? Mmmm... maybe? is it possible things are changing under Corzine? Erik Estrada has some swamp land in Texas to sell you Fuzzy. Do you want me to get you his number?
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Post by Al Alven on Jul 19, 2006 8:40:21 GMT -5
I haven't heard much on the Nouveau Wave situation lately, but my best guess is that this project is far from dead.
I don't know what the NJDEP's exact motivations were for denying the initial CAFRA permit, but I'm sure the developers have gone back to the drawing board, and this thing will get done one way or another. Money talks, plain and simple, and something substantial is going to be built on that lot sooner or later.
As far as I'm concerned, I don't think the state could care less about "historic preservation" in the Wildwoods. Again, the only time interest has been shown has been in situations when it has been convenient. It wasn't like the Rio was closed and bulldozed overnight. Word of its impending demise was out there for, what, at least a solid year before it was gutted?
Even then, it sat there for how long before it was eventually demoed?
If the Nouveau Wave project is eventually given the green light to proceed, the best thing in my opinion would be a for a scaled-down version that would suit everyone's needs. Well, you certainly can't please everyone, but something "in the middle" could work.
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Post by Rob Ascough on Jul 19, 2006 8:55:52 GMT -5
Right. Maybe a ten story building would work instead. It would fit in a lot better and it would still serve some kind of purpose.
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Post by JerseyDigger29 on Jul 19, 2006 10:16:13 GMT -5
I haven't heard much on the Nouveau Wave situation lately, but my best guess is that this project is far from dead. I don't know what the NJDEP's exact motivations were for denying the initial CAFRA permit, but I'm sure the developers have gone back to the drawing board, and this thing will get done one way or another. Money talks, plain and simple, and something substantial is going to be built on that lot sooner or later. As far as I'm concerned, I don't think the state could care less about "historic preservation" in the Wildwoods. Again, the only time interest has been shown has been in situations when it has been convenient. It wasn't like the Rio was closed and bulldozed overnight. Word of its impending demise was out there for, what, at least a solid year before it was gutted? Even then, it sat there for how long before it was eventually demoed? If the Nouveau Wave project is eventually given the green light to proceed, the best thing in my opinion would be a for a scaled-down version that would suit everyone's needs. Well, you certainly can't please everyone, but something "in the middle" could work. Al, The lady from the DEP was scheduled to come to Wildwood tomorrow for a tour of the island and a "Discussion" of the city's plans. Maybe a migratory bird will crash into HER! ;D Either way, the meeting is supposed to be tomorrow. Officials here don't seem to be too worried. There is also local legislation coming up that supposedly will make 25 stories a lot easier to approve. Maybe that's why they aren't worried. Thom
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Post by Al Alven on Jul 19, 2006 10:26:23 GMT -5
Al, The lady from the DEP was scheduled to come to Wildwood tomorrow for a tour of the island and a "Discussion" of the city's plans. Maybe a migratory bird will crash into HER! ;D Either way, the meeting is supposed to be tomorrow. Officials here don't seem to be too worried. There is also local legislation coming up that supposedly will make 25 stories a lot easier to approve. Maybe that's why they aren't worried. Thom Hmmm… I’ll be in Wildwood tomorrow as well, so I’ll be on the lookout for both her and the birds. Could make for a great photo op! (This is all reminding me of the time Fabio was riding some roller coaster as past of a promotional campaign and some bird smashed into his face… not to change the subject, but does anyone remember that? Always cracks me up when I think about it.) Thanks for the info, Thom. For sure, there must be some solid contingency plan if the local officials don’t seem too worried about this. I still have no doubt it will get done… just wondering what modifications might have to take place first.
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