1900 Looff-Dentzel Could Anchor New Seaside Heights Carousel Beachfront Museum Attraction
Rendering of beachfront area around the carousel and proposed museum for Seaside Heights if land swap between the borough and Casino Pier owners is approved. Casino Pier would receive 1.3 acres of beach on the north side of the pier in need of development; Seaside would receive the historic carousel and beachfront land for the building to house it and a new museum, creating a great new family attraction.
Should Seaside Heights swap beach for parking lot, carousel?
YES!!!
By Roland Hopkins
Have you seen the rendering above? A very nice parking lot it will be. A place for families to park for the day – beach, carousel, museum and more, and millions of fun summer memories will be made there, which is what the Jersey Shores should be all about.
A month ago the question was posed: “An Acre of Beach for a Carousel?”
Yes. That’s about right… trading sand for memories… But, it’s more than a carousel, it is an American Landmark, and American work of art, a historic work of art you can ride. And it is development rights, not a beach being traded. But, development rights for something that could use development and will help revitalize the entire area after the storms and fires and down economy of recent years.
It’s rare to find a true “Win-Win” is the world today… This is even a “win-win-win” it looks to me.
The pier expands and upgrades to draw more people and business, and to do better what it does; the carousel gets a new home, so much better suited to it… and for the community – the community gets a new museum, new boardwalks, their carousel intact – major improvements all around. Also, new jobs. New business. And new attractions to draw more new business.
Freeman’s on the Beach, early 1900s.
Yes, an acre of beach for a century-old hand carved American carousel sounds just about right. The carousel will stay together and run again to carry on bringing back hundreds of thousands of happy memories to its visitors, and the carousel will start a new century of creating millions more memories for new generations to come. And coming down and going back up will be the best thing to happen to the antique carousel since Dr. Floyd Moreland. That was three decades ago, and the carousel could use some frame work long overdue, but with that done, the carousel will come back running better than ever and ready to run strong for another century. This carousel was built when things were built to last. It’s been here 100 years and it will be here 100 more.
The proposed carousel and museum building with the classic style of Freeman’s, just bigger and better.
And now the rendering and plans for the parking lot, become carousel and museum have been revealed – Wow. I am impressed. What a fantastic carousel building! Someone really did their homework. It’s Freeman’s 2015. The best of the old, modernized and maximized. This is the way to do it, this really is my vision of what to do with a historic carousel. And, I’m now confident it will happen, here, and again soon with another of the very few antique carousel gems we have left intact, relegated to storage somewhere, seeking homes.
Good news for those carousels in boxes, as it looks like they aim to do it right in Seaside Heights. Right down to the museum aspect, “The carousel will be the centerpiece of a museum to be located on the parking lot site”. This is amazing and exciting. It really is my own vision for how an antique carousel should be presented. If all goes well and as planned, I think this will be a fantastic success for the carousel, community and all involved and around it… and for everyone who visits.
In just a couple of years, Jane’s Carousel has become an iconic NYC landmark.
Of course, someone always has something to say negative. This is America. I followed the comment threads on Jane’s carousel a few years ago as she was going through her building permit and approval process in Brooklyn. People said some pretty rotten things. Stupid rotten things. Lucky for everyone, Jane shunned it all off and pressed on with her vision. Now a new visual and historic landmark in the world’s greatest city, already full of great historic landmarks and architectural awes. Not easy to do, but Jane did it – a new icon in a city full of great icons – and she did it with a restored antique carousel and nothing else but glass and brick around it. And, it is not just pretty – they had a fantastic year as well – they run things right there. A million riders in three years. From 200 kids birthday parties to weddings and gala black tie events. TV and film shoots and more. (Read all about Jane’s Carousel success here).
In Seaside – this is just a great deal for everyone. The pier gets rejuvenated, which will benefit everyone, even grumpy shop owners. And, and an entirely new destination will be added to the area. A wonderful family friendly, historic landmark, museum and amusement all wrapped into one. And people will come from great distance to pay a visit to the carousel and museum; from all over the country, and all over the world. “If you build it, they will come.” If you build it right that is. And it sure looks like they are planing to build it right in Seaside Heights. People will come from near and far, and better yet, they will come back again and again to Seaside Heights. As fond summer memories will be formed there again, and families and generations will return to their fond memories. And if you want a June 2018 wedding at the new Seaside Heights Historic Carousel & Museum, unless you want your wedding on a Tuesday morning, you should probably look into booking as soon as they break ground.
They do still need approval, as these things do. Let’s hope those with the power, simply do the right thing. Why mess with a “win-win-win”?
Here is the latest story on the progress of the process…
Should Seaside Heights swap beach for carousel?
Asbury Park Press (May 7, 2015)
SEASIDE HEIGHTS – Should the borough swap 1.36 acres of beach with Casino Pier’s owners, in exchange for beachfront land and a historic carousel?
The unusual land swap proposal was both praised and panned at a public hearing held Wednesday night, with most borough business owners expressing strong support for the plan.
“I’m in full favor of the expansion of Casino Pier,” said Tom Partyka, who owns three rental properties in the borough. “My business has tanked since Sandy.”
But Stephen Melvin, who owns 3 Brothers Pizza on the boardwalk, said “the deal stinks” and threatened legal action if it’s approved.
“If borough property becomes available for sale, doesn’t it have to go though the legal bidding process, so all who are interested have a fair and equal opportunity of acquiring it with the highest bid?” Melvin asked. “We are only the guardians of Seaside Heights beach. We hold it for our children and their children’s children. How can anyone think they can just give it away?”
Under the proposal, which must be approved by the state Department of Environmental Protection, Seaside Heights would give Casino Pier owners the Storino family 1.3 acres of beach that’s located on the north side of the existing pier, between Sherman and Sheridan avenues. In return, the borough would receive properties owned by the Storinos, including a beachfront parking lot between Sampson and Carteret avenues.
Seaside Carousel Museum
The borough would also receive the Denzel/Looff Carousel, built in 1910 and located in Seaside since 1932. The carousel would be the centerpiece of a museum to be located on the parking lot site. The Storinos announced last year their plans to sell the carousel at auction, saying the historic ride takes up too much room and requires too much maintenance.
Borough Attorney George R. Gilmore said if the land swap is approved, the Storinos plan to spend millions to install rides like a Ferris wheel and roller coaster on the new portion of the pier. Seaside could seek state grant funds to help build and operate the carousel museum.
“We’re trying to find a way to draw tourists back to Seaside Heights,” Gilmore said. “We are trying to recover from a loss of tourism.” The property on the pier’s south side is privately owned, he noted, and the owner has not been willing to sell the land to the Storinos.
The borough’s tourism industry has struggled to recover from two momentous events: superstorm Sandy, which destroyed part of Casino Pier in 2012, dumping the Jet Star roller coaster into the ocean, and a boardwalk fire in September 2013 which destroyed Funtown Pier in neighboring Seaside Park.
“We are a resort, we always have been a resort,” said Mike Loundey, a real estate agent with Seaside Realty who said he represents about 500 clients who own rental property here. “Without exception, my clients are for this proposal.”
