MARMORA — Pastor Timothy Bromhead said construction of the new Chapel by the Sea church is progressing as planned.
“Things are moving along. We’re going through each phase of construction,” he said. “Everything takes time and a lot of money.”
The church sold its longtime home at 55th Street and Asbury Avenue in Ocean City in 2023 and moved to its current site 6 miles away at 1314 Route 9 while awaiting construction of a new chapel at 900 Route 9.
“We are excited. It will be a nice little chapel like the one we left in Ocean City,” Bromhead said.
Church leadership received final approval to build the church Sept. 5, 2024, when the Zoning Board approved an amended site plan for construction of a chapel with classrooms.
The board already had granted a use variance and approved the preliminary and major final site plan, as well as preliminary approval for associated bulk variances at 300-306 Route 9 South, during a meeting in spring 2023. The 8.5-acre property is in both the residential and Marmora Town Center zoning districts.
Bromhead said the original plan was to build about 22,000 square feet, but as construction and material prices rose, plans had to be revised.
“It was amazing how far our money didn’t go,” he said, noting the building was downsized twice to just less than 13,000 square feet.
Bromhead said the congregation has been growing since its move to Upper Township, which he attributed to now being “in a community more than the south end of Ocean City,” which he said was dead in the winter and not much better in the summer.
“It’s nice to have full-time families,” he said.
Weather-permitting, Bromhead said construction should be complete by September if everything goes according to plan.
Bromhead plans to use the building and grounds for the church’s annual spring and fall festivals, along with holiday happenings such as a live Nativity he has always wanted.
“We are so excited for the community outreach we will be able to do; we have lots of plans,” he said.
Classroom space will be expanded from two rooms to six.
The chapel is being built on a cleared area that amounts to about half the size or the property. A second phase of construction would include a small gymnasium and access street off Stagecoach Road.
– STORY by CRAIG D. SCHENCK/Sentinel staff
– PHOTOS by DAVID NAHAN/Sentinel staff