When constructed started at the site of the former Baby O, Club X/S and Yakkity Yak Cafe it was supposed to be the entertainment jewel of the northern Jersey Shore. For the next twelve years, it sat dormant as its rusting metal-framed hulk became known as one of the shore’s worst eyesores.
On Monday, demolition of the steel structure that has sat vacant for over a decade on The Boulevard, a once vibrant sport for nightlife is scheduled to begin.
Seaside Heights Mayor Anthony Vaz and the borough council referred to the structure as a blight on their town, but soon it will be redeveloped into an eight-story mixed-used commercial and residential center if all goes according to plan.
The once-bustling boulevard was until recently, home to one of the wildest locations at the Jersey Shore as nightclubs like Bamboo and Karma dominated the nights in Seaside Heights. Now, most of the clubs have gone out of business and their properties are also available for redevelopment.
The Seaside Heights clubs grew in popularity during the heyday of the MTV show Jersey Shore, which was brought in by borough leaders, but now, those same leaders are trying to clean up their town’s image. The removal of the steel hulk on the Boulevard is just one step they’re taking.
Last week, the town took aim at motel owners and landlords known to attract drugs and crime in the community as the borough grapples with redefining itself as a family-friendly destination after decades of riding the lucrative wave of being the unadulterated seaside Sin City north of Atlantic City.