New Mini Golf Course Approved For 34th Street (Details!)

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In the email today:

📆 Upcoming events

⛳️ New mini golf course approved for 34th Street

🐋 Wind project gets another go-ahead from the State

🔗 News links

👚 New store alert: Ashore Fit

🏠 Real estate update

🏢 Seaspray condos on 34th Street shuttered because they’re unsafe

🔥 Agent hot takes on new listings

🎠 New Jersey coaster guy makes video about new Playland coaster

🎟 Tickets and discounts

🌊 Weather and tides

📆 Upcoming Events in (and around) Ocean City

• May 5th

  • Martin Z. Mollusk Day

    • When: 11:00 a.m.

    • Where: 9th Street Beach

    • Description: Come and find out if summer is coming early. Guest host, local weather personality, “Nor’Easter” Nick.

• May 6th

  • Spring Block Party

    • When: 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

    • Where: 5th to 14th Street on Asbury Ave

    • Description: Over 350 crafters, food vendors, music and more. For more information, call 1-800-BeachNJ

Other events to look forward to: New Jersey Bronco Invasion (May 13-14, Boardwalk), SUMMER! (All summer long)

🤳 News Bits

New Mini Golf Course Approved For 34th Street ⛳️

Patrick O’Hara, the owner of Uncle Bill’s locations in Ocean City, was approved for his proposal to build an open-air, 18-hole mini golf course on 34th Street at the former location of Blitz’s Market. 9 of the holes will be handicap accessible, according to the plan.

Per the proposal, the course will have:

• water features— waterfall and grotto

• open from 9 a.m. until 10 p.m. daily (presumably in-season)

• snacks include soda, ice cream bars, iced tea, pretzels and more

Our take: This will be a great feature attraction as you enter Ocean City. Wawa, the playground, Randazzo’s, all great, but this will stand out similar to Pirate Island Golf on 9th Street.

We are trying to get more details on this, so keeping checking WalkingTheBoards.com.

Wind Project Gets Another Go-Ahead from the State 🐋

Orsted’s Ocean Wind 1 project earned another slew of state approvals and permits last week, keeping it on track for first operation by the end of 2024.

Here are specifics:

• Orsted got a bunch of state approvals last week, but will still require many additional federal, state, and local approvals

• The “Record of Decision”, which is the ultimate decision as to whether the project is “acceptable in its entirety” is expected in July or August

• If received, on-shore construction for the tunneling of power lines under Ocean City, through the bay, and into Beesleys Point power substation would begin in the fall

• 98 wind turbines will be located 15 miles off the coast

• Transmission lines would onshore at 35th Street beach, run under the streets, up to Roosevelt Blvd, under the bridge, and across the bay

• Construction will use horizontal directional drilling (ie they drill underneath without disturbing the surface) for beach and Roosevelt Blvd

• Orsted claims cables will be located 50 feet under the beach

It’s worth noting that locations just 50 feet from overhead transmission lines would typically see very high electromagnetic field (EMF) readings, way over the limit found to cause impacts to humans in various studies.

50 feet of terrain will likely reduce the magnetic field, but it’s unclear just what the levels will be for beachgoers and people with nearby homes. Never mind all of the other potentially negative impacts from the project.

Related: Lawmakers in other parts of the country are cracking down on flashing lights from wind turbines.

News Links 🔗

• E-bike riders are being urged to not drive like idiots 🏍

• Registration for summer rec programs launched on Monday with quite the hitch— the mayor responded and said city will do everything it can to accommodate all participants ⚽️

• The Atlantic State Marine Fishers Commission reduced the slot size for striped bass to 28-31 inches along the entire Atlantic coast to keep the population up 🐟

👚 New Store Alert: Ashore Fit

Located at 1215 Asbury, Ashore Fit is opened by Brielle Pontelandolfo and has activewear for men and women of all ages.

Better yet, Ashore’s website says 50% of profits from sale of apparel with their brand name on it will go to the Michael J. Fox Foundation:

I know little about women’s fashion, but may I recommend the racerback tank.

🏠 Real Estate Update

Seaspray Condos on 34th Street Shuttered Because They’re Unsafe 🏢

We told you about this one last week, but the OC Sentinel (and some of our sources) have more on what’s going on with the Seaspray Condos on 34th Street, which have been tagged as unsafe:

• The Department of Community Affairs, which is an independent agency, directed the city's construction official to red-tag the building, labeling it unsafe due to a slew of structural issues dating back years

• Resident Connor Brady claims the issue stems from a "disgruntled tenant" and ongoing lawsuits

• Condo association has a 15-day right of appeal— may decide to appeal, repair, or demolish the building

• Ocean City Council is offering support to displaced residents through OCNJ CARE and the city's emergency management team

• Mayor Jay Gillian emphasizes that the city will help residents, but the decision ultimately lies with the DCA, state, and condo association

More from Brady:

In short, there are lawsuits going in various directions over the property, led by at least one owner who is upset because steps have not been taken to make repairs to the property. Now owners are left without a place to live and holding the bag on a mortgage.

There are supposedly offers on the property. Word on the street is that the owner mentioned in the article may have hired the structural engineer and wants to sell the property to a developer. Getting the building condemned may compel the remaining holdouts to sell their units. We’re hearing that a developer may be able to get four condos on the property.

Agent Hot Takes on New Listings 🔥

We have another round of AGENT HOT TAKES this week.

The standout this week:

409 Gull Rd - $2,395,000

• Local Agent Take: Could use some updating but a 55×124 lot in the gardens with a house that’s well kept under 2.5 is fair in today’s market.

Read all of our takes on the latest new listings over at our new work-in-progress real estate site ShoreCribs.com.

Real Estate News Bits 🐚 

• Jerry Blavat’s Memories is up for sale in Margate 💃

🎠 New Jersey Coaster Guy Makes Video About New Playland Coaster

We covered this in depth last week (read our coverage here), but here is a video by New Jersey Coasters about the project:

🎟 Tickets and Discounts

• Get $30 seasonal beach tags before the city updates to $35 on June 1. There is a $5 shipping fee on each order, but you can order up to 10 tags at once. Get them here.

• Tickets for four more Ocean City Pops shows went on sale yesterday. You can view them all and get tickets here.

Want to advertise here? Just reply to this email and we’ll respond to your request.

🌊 Weather and Tides

As always, we recommend getting up-to-date forecasts from THE GOAT of South Jersey weather, NorEaster Nick, directly on his Facebook page.

Tides (9th Street):

• Friday (5/5)

  • Low: 2:24 AM

  • High: 8:17 AM

  • Low: 2:20 PM

  • High: 8:39 PM

• Saturday (5/6)

  • Low: 3:08 AM

  • High: 8:57 AM

  • Low: 2:59 PM

  • High: 9:18 PM

• Sunday (5/7)

  • Low: 3:53 AM

  • High: 9:40 AM

  • Low: 3:41 PM

  • High: 10:01 PM

• Monday (5/8)

  • Low: 4:41 AM

  • High: 10:26 AM

  • Low: 4:27 PM

  • High: 10:48 PM

• Tuesday (5/9)

  • Low: 5:33 AM

  • High: 11:17 AM

  • Low: 5:19 PM

  • High: 11:41 PM