SEASIDE HEIGHTS, NJ – George Gilmore, a consultant for a hi-rise developer, SSH Boulevard LLC, and the Ocean County GOP Chairman celebrated victory today after being approved by the state of New Jersey to build a new 10-story tower in Seaside Heights.
The site for the new tower will be the former site of Baby O’s and Yakety Yak Cafe, two popular 1980s nightclubs on the boulevard. Those clubs were razed and replaced with a steel structure that sat vacant for years before being torn down.
Now, Gilmore, who is also active in development projects in Toms River, said he would submit a formal site plan to the Seaside Heights Planning Board.
In an interview today with the Asbury Park Press, Gilmore said, “That’s great news!”
The building will become the first hi-rise building on the barrier island.
Gilmore is also backing the political campaign of Gerri Ambrosio for Mayor in Toms River. In that race, the topic of the 10-story twin towers has become a heated election issue. Gilmore, a lobbyist with close ties to commercial developers, has been rumored to be the driving force behind Ambrosio’s run for office.
Hi-rise structures have become a political debate in Ocean County in recent years after Toms River Mayor Maurice Hil proposed a 10-story twin tower structure on the site of the former Red Carpet Inn in Toms River. The township purchased the land for $3.5 million and raised the troubled motel known as a drug den and house of ill repute. Hill and the township council agreed to sell that property for just $1 to Capodaglia Inc to build the massive twin towers project instead, offering the building a PILOT program in which the new owner would pay no school taxes for ten years.
Councilman Dan Rodrick, who is challenging Hill in the June 6 GOP Primary Election, voted against the sale.
After running multiple polls, Hill realized public sentiment was against his proposed 10-story twin tower. Last week, Hill announced the project would be lowered, but the builder has yet to file a formal site plan or request a hearing for the changes before the township planning board.
A search of the Toms River Township website and the NJPA public notice records came up empty for an application to change the ten-story twin-towers project.
Councilman Justin Lamb, who also opposes Hill’s 10-story twin towers, said the news released by Hill’s campaign is nothing more than an election stunt to sway voters and called for a complete halt on the project.
Rodrick agreed and said the township council was never briefed about the alleged changes to the site announced by Hill, calling it a desperate attempt for an unpopular mayor in the final days of a political campaign.
Hill said the future of Toms River will still include buildings up to 12-stories tall after approving an ordinance that raised the downtown building height limits, saying every redeveloping city has gone vertical.
Hi-rise buildings have also become the topic of debate in Lakewood, where developers want to build taller in the industrial park zone. Officials there want to begin allowing high-rise buildings.
In Toms River, Hill said the developer who purchased the $3.5 million lot from Toms River for just $1 will instead lower the project height to six stories but greatly expand the footprint of the building. The unit count in the apartment building remains unchanged.
No formal plan for the proposal exists on record, however.