OCEAN CITY — A unique approach to construction at 114-116 Ocean Ave. has provided the rare opportunity for creation of a 26-foot-wide landscaped corridor with a paved walkway leading between beautiful evergreen shrubs and through an arbor to four new homes.
“I think this is the nicest walkup in the city,” listing agent Disston Vanderslice said.
Three units remain available at the two-duplex private enclave under construction near the corner of First Street — one bottom-floor unit and both top-floor units, all of which share in the common maintenance expenses.
“At 1,425 square feet for the first floor and 1,500 for the second, these homes are about 40 percent bigger than a standard Ocean City duplex,” Vanderslice said, noting they are typically about 1,080 square feet.
Ocean City is one of the most popular shore resorts on the East Coast, featuring a 2.5-mile-long oceanfront boardwalk filled with hundreds of shopping, dining and entertainment venues, as well as miles and miles of pristine beaches. There also is an award-winning downtown business district centered on Asbury Avenue and a watersports district around Third Street on Bay Avenue.
The Northend, between Ninth and North streets, is the oldest developed part of the island and contains many of the city’s historic homes. It’s heavily residential but there are many mom-and-pop shops and corner cafes that have been traditional stops for families for generations.
The duplexes are set back on the property and have access off the alley, where each of the four homes has a two-car garage and two-car concrete parking pad. Free street parking is also available out front.
Access to the first-floor units, 114A and 116A, is via steps ascending to the covered front porch, while the second-floor units, 114B and 116B, can be entered via a shared inside staircase.
Off the covered porch, a door opens into a small foyer with wide-plank Points East Outerbanks hardwood flooring that extends into the great room, second-level hallway and laundry.
The layout and amazing 13-foot-high ceiling combine to create an open, welcoming space. The living room is to the left while the kitchen and dining room are to the right, with stairs ascending to the second level between.
The living room features an inset gas fireplace with a television hookup above. Tall, narrow windows provide natural light to the pleasant space.
In the kitchen are white fabuwood perimeter cabinets and an island in an accent color, both topped in quartz or granite. GE appliances include a microwave oven, refrigerator, gas range and dishwasher.
Atop the stairs, the primary suite is to the right. It has two closets and a private bathroom with custom tile flooring and shower, as well as a long fabuwood vanity with a quartz or granite top and dual sinks.
Two more bedrooms, a shared bathroom with a tub and the laundry closet are to the left. All bedrooms will have plush wall-to-wall carpet, ceiling fans and white doors with black hardware for a crisp, consistent look.
An often-overlooked factor that speaks directly to the quality of construction is the finish work. The homes include a trim package with 5¼-inch baseboard throughout, shoe molding on hard-surface floors, Craftsmen window and door casing — all pretty standard.
What raises these homes another level or two is the wainscoting wall trim in the foyer, common hallways and staircases — which have stained oak treads and handrails and white risers with stringers and balusters — and the solid-wood five-panel interiors doors.
The builder took advantage of the ability to create dramatic ceilings in the top-floor units — the great room, which is otherwise identical to the one below, has a peaked cathedral ceiling while the kitchen and dining area have their own. On the second level, both the primary suite and larger of the two guest rooms do as well.
One other advantage of the homes on the top floor is a powder room.
The homes also come with high-efficiency HVAC systems, tankless water heaters and hardwired smoke and carbon monoxide detectors.
The exterior features vinyl siding, railings and trim, PVC porch beam and columns wraps, and fiberglass and composite decking.
The homes are listed for $999,000 (first floor) and $1.149 million (second floor) with Disston Vanderslice of Grace Realty. Call (609) (609) 675-1575 or email disston@gracerealty.com for more information or to set up an appointment to see this wonderful home.
