By JOANNE L. PAPAIANNI
The Summer Experience Program in Asbury Park is making some changes and expanding its sphere for the upcoming beach season.
Frederic P. Lavinthal, of Chiesa , Shahinian and Giantomasi addressed the City Council at a recent meeting and asked for an extension of the beachfront developer iStar’s Summer Experience Center which began in 2013 as a three year program.
Lavinthal also said some changes will be made for the upcoming summer season including changing the name of the program from the Asbury Park Waterfront to simply Asbury Park.
A new color scheme is also proposed with the name Asbury Park placed on a white background printed in several shades of blue.
Existing sites where the Asbury Park Waterfront logo are now on display will be replaced with a white background and the new logo.`
Plans also call for bringing palm trees back to the beachfront after a one year break when deciduous trees were planted. Both years the two types of trees did not survive the winter.
Brian Cheripka, vice president of land for iStar, said the group wants to try the palm trees one more time. If they do not survive again they will investigate a different type of tree for next year.
Cheripka said iStar owns a palm tree farm in Florida and will cover the cost of having the trees shipped to New Jersey.
Lavinthal also said crew towers, which are located at the south end of the boardwalk, will be moved to the north end near the food truck park.
Crew towers are 10 foot orange structures at the waterfront, which act as signage to show where crew members, ambassadors who provide information and directions to tourists, can be found.
Lavinthal said the towers are a beacon for tourists and would get more attention at the north end.
“People can find ambassadors and be redirected,” he said.
Ambassadors will also have hand outs about places and events throughout the city.
Cheripka said the new program is a rebranding effort that brings the summer experience to the entire city, not just the waterfront.
The Planning Board will have to approve the changes before the proposal comes back to the council.
