By DON STINE
The landscape along West Lake Avenue in Neptune has been forever changed after front end loaders plowed through several houses and businesses last week for the first phase of a multi-million redevelopment project.
The demolition, several years in the making, was bittersweet to former property owners on the street.
”It’s a sacrifice but it’s for the comeback of West Lake Avenue,” said Gail Oliver, whose family home was razed last week to make way for the project.
Oliver helped establish Midtown Neighborhood Empowerment Council in 1998 and is a past president. The council later changed its name to the Midtown Urban Renaissance Corporation (MURC) in 2003 and Oliver is now its vice president.
CitiWorks, which is working in conjunction with MURC on the project, has received $20 million in state funding from the New Jersey Economic Development Authority to redevelop the area. Oliver helped lead the charge over the years.
The MURC redevelopment area runs from Route 35 East along West Lake Avenue to the Asbury Park border, or for about 3.5 blocks.
The Jersey Shore Medical Center is building a three-story office building on the southern side of the street. The building will house various medical services and other independent operations.
A neighborhood park will be moved across the street and expanded to include biking and walking paths and an amphitheater-like performance area.
Oliver was born in the old, two-story house at 1836 West Lake Ave.The 80-year-old house was one of about six that was demolished last week along with two businesses.
“Initially, I didn’t know all this would happen. However, in the process all these years, it was declared an area in need of redevelopment and the writing was really on the wall at that point about the future of the house,” she said.
Oliver said she has many happy and fond memories of her old house but she knows the neighborhood needs to move forward.
“A house is a shell and the spirit lives on. I think the ultimate sacrifice I’ve made in this whole process is not fighting the process. That is what we (MURC) were looking for,” she said.
Oliver said she and some family members watched as the house was torn down last week.
“{The family members) view things a little differently than I do but I think they are learning to accept it. I think it was tougher for them than for me but I think it will resolve itself with time,” she said.
Township Committeeman Thomas J. Catley said Oliver needs to be commended because she gave up her family home for the good of the town.
“I am sure Gail had mixed emotions as her family home was torn to the ground but she is to be commended because she originally started the process years ago by complaining about the way West Lake Avenue looked. She’s the real hero here,” he said.
Catley said he is pleased that the MURC project is finally underway since it was under his administration, beginning in 2004, that the process began in earnest.
“The wheels of government spin very slowly but it is nice to still be in office and see plans that were set in place years ago finally coming to fruition. We took the project to the next level when I was mayor. I made it my first priority to see that the redevelopment zone was actually declared by the state,” he said.
Catley did not seek re-election this year and will be leaving the governing body at the end of the year.
Catley also praised former Mayor Patricia Monroe, who also played a pivotal role in the MURC project.
“She played a huge part in getting this off the ground and planned,” he said.
Catley said the area will be developed one block at a time as money becomes available, beginning with the new office building.
“No eminent domain was used in this project. We were able to negotiate with the property owners and come to an agreement without use of eminent domain,” he said.
Groundbreaking for the new building will be held on Tues., Dec. 16 at 10 a.m.
Gail Oliver’s family home (above and below) on West Lake Avenue in Neptune was demolished recently as part of the first phases of redevelopment of the area. As office building is the first project scheduled to be built in the area.
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CityWorks is doing a fantastic job of bringing the neighborhood into the development process. Ms. Oliver is a trailblazer for the street and is to be commended.
Also, please note that the businesses which were knocked down were FORMER businesses which have either opted to cease operations or move to better locations. There is also a large retail component to be included on West Lake Avenue for economic stimulation.
Finally, the program used to finance this project was the New Markets Tax Credit program – a federal program whereby private investors are given a percentage tax credit for every dollar they put into a project. Commerce Bank (TD Bank) provided the dollars for this project and they should be applauded. All readers should alert their Congressman and Senators to fully support the New Markets Tax Credit program!