It would replace closed Beach House Bar & Grill at south end of Bay Avenue
SOMERS POINT — Developer Ira Trocki returned to City Council on Oct. 23 to present a more detailed proposal for a high-end condo hotel overlooking Great Egg Harbor Bay.
“I think of a monumental property in a beautiful location on Bay Avenue,” said Trocki, owner of the closed nightclub currently known as Beach House Bar & Grill.
The real estate developer, plastic surgeon and hand surgery specialist with an office in Northfield has owned the prominently placed nightclub for more than 20 years but has operated it on a very limited basis if at all for at least the past decade.
He initially pitched his plan to City Council on March 27, looking for a redevelopment agreement to bypass the city’s zoning processes, hasten construction and a provide a tax break.
Bordered by Bay Avenue, Shore Road, Goll Avenue and George Street, the building is just to the right as drivers enter Somers Point from Ocean City over the Route 52 causeway.
The project would have 100 units, each with a view of the bay, a restaurant with indoor and outdoor seating along with a swimming pool. The homes would range from 850 to 1,500 square feet with a mix of one-, two- and three-bedroom setups, and sell for $1.3 million to $1.7 million.
“I think what we’re creating is an upgraded area to compete with a beautiful project on the northern end,” Trocki said, referring to the housing complex under construction by Scarborough Properties at Bay and Maryland avenues (See related story).
Trocki said the idea is to build something that “fits in with Somers Point, at the same time to build something that is really a beautiful structure.”
He said the city really needs a high-end hotel. His plan calls for 135 parking spaces above and below ground.
“It’s going to be an area where people are going to buy these units, live in them, and will not be Airbnb,” Trocki said.
The designation as a condo hotel means there would be a full-service staff and accommodations manager to handle rentals.
He said he has spoken with representatives of major chains such as Hilton and Hyatt and they are interested in having further discussions if he obtains approval.
“The advantage of being involved with a franchise such as Hyatt or Hilton is you get a nice clientele that would come in and use the rooms when the owners don’t want to be in the unit,” Trocki said.
Engineer Scott Lynn said the property is just less than 75,000 square feet containing a building “that looks like it was probably an old out-of-business bar,” noting there is a single-family home lot that would remain.
He said the building would be 33,000 square feet with a maximum height of 59.4 feet on Bay Avenue and 50 feet on the Shore Road side due to the grade of the property.
Lynn said the existing building has about 31 percent lot coverage, while the proposed project would be 81 percent in a zone where 35 percent is allowed.
The proposal includes an underground stormwater facility that would meet requirements of the Department of Environmental Protection.
The sole access to the property would be off Bay Avenue, slightly to the side of the existing entrance.
Architect Solomon Dwek said the project would “look like it’s a timeless building that could have been put there 200 years ago.”
“This architecture, I think, fits beautifully into the Somers Point area,” he said.
Trocki said “parking is really not going to be an issue because we’re gonna valet park underneath the building for the guests and visitors to the hotel.”
He said the number of spaces would exceed the requirement of one per unit and the plan to valet park provides for two and a half cars per spot.
Trocki also said it would be a much less intense use of the property, which is zoned for 700 patrons.
Trocki said his project combined with what Scarborough Properties is developing at the other end would boost foot traffic in the city’s historic business district.
“Between a restaurant here and a restaurant there and everything in between, more people are gonna be coming to Bay Avenue and gonna be using Bay Avenue as a place to walk, kind of like the boardwalk in Atlantic City or Ocean City,” he said.
He said the site is greatly underutilized in its current condition and his proposal would be a draw to the area.
“I think this is going to be a great project not just for us, but I think for Somers Point itself and the neighborhood. It’s gonna increase the value of the homes just like what you saw on the north end,” Trocki said. “It will increase the value. Plus, it’s gonna bring new interest to this area, specifically to Bay Avenue and Somers Point.”
The developer would have to satisfy requirements of the city, county and state before ever putting a shovel in the ground. He estimated construction would take 16 to 18 months after receiving all approvals.
There was no discussion of a potential redevelopment agreement.
– STORY and PHOTOS by CRAIG D. SCHENCK/Sentinel staff