SOMERS POINT — A longtime eyesore was removed from a major intersection in the city late last month and two planned projects in the vicinity promise better things to come.
Brothers Sean, Todd and Chris Scarborough of Scarborough Properties met with City Council President Janice Johnston and Councilman Richard DePamphilis on June 21 at the corner of Maryland and Bay avenues, where workers were demolishing a two-story cinderblock building that had been on the property for decades.
“This is a major intersection into our town and it already looks better,” Johnston said, the sound of demolition loud in the background.
The developer has partnered with the Walters Group on plans to build a senior housing facility on part of the property, while plans to build a private swim club with a bar and grille on the adjacent property are well into the advanced stage.
Sean Scarborough and attorney Joe Del Duca, general counsel for the Walters Group, told City Council on May 26 of plans for a 60-unit senior rental complex to be built on 40 percent to 50 percent of the property across from Caroline’s by the Bay restaurant.
Del Duca said the city needs to fulfill its obligation to the Fair Share Housing Center and the county needs affordable senior rental housing, so the project would be an asset to the city.
At the time, he said the project needed quick approvals — a PILOT agreement and redevelopment agreement with the city, site plan approval from the Planning Board, to name a few — to meet an Aug. 31 deadline to apply for as much as $14 million in federal funding for the project.
“You have an opportunity that federal funds could be available to build this type of community,” Del Duca said at the time. “When and if you are able to win what’s called 9 percent tax credits, the federal government through federal tax dollars would invest in equity approximately $14 million into this community of between 50 to 60 senior all deed-restricted units.”
However, at the request of the developers, a resolution approving a memorandum of understanding naming Walters-Cornerstone Development (Scarborough) interim conditional redeveloper was pulled from the agenda June 23.
Johnston said the project is still in the works but the developers are now aiming for the 2023 grant cycle.
City Council approved a redevelopment plan with Scarborough on May 12 for construction of the Somers Point Paddle Club at 520 Bay Ave., the former site of Bubba Mac’s Shack.
The demolition was the first step in Phase I, which will include infrastructure improvements, a housing element and associated landscaping and streetscaping.
Phase II will involve construction of the paddle club facility. Sean Scarborough said he hopes to break ground in July or August and have everything ready to go by May 2023.
Johnston said removal of the building is another sign of progress toward improving the city.
Scarborough said even if the senior housing project does not come to fruition, the building had to go.
“We wanted to tear down the building no matter what. We have a huge investment for over 40 years on Bay Avenue and it was an eyesore. It’s an eyesore for all of Bay Avenue. We were taking it down regardless, the fact that we believe that there is project behind it means it’s even better,” he said.
Scarborough said cleanup would start immediately.
“We’re going to clean up the lot, do some perimeter landscaping so it looks good over the next couple of years while the development gets under way and we made it better,” he said.
“It’s 100 percent better already,” Johnston said.
She said the city would benefit from the project in several ways.
“A senior housing project is something we need in Somers Point — we don’t have a lot of senior housing. This project comes with some restrictions because of the affordable housing requirement that we have to meet, so we’ll satisfy some of that,” she said, noting that’s what a redevelopment agreement is intended to accomplish.
While you’re at it
Scarborough took advantage of having demolition equipment on site to destroy an old sailboat. It had been in storage for a lengthy period with no hope of setting sail again.
“Boats are like musical chairs, and then eventually the music stops and you’re the last one standing. That is where this boat got to; this was the end of the road for this boat. It really wasn’t worth anything,” he said.