Palace Amusement artifacts now subject to state oversight
DEP steps in after two pieces reported missing
The state’s Department of Environmental Protection [DEP] has created a list of historic artifacts from the former Palace Amusement complex that cannot be moved from their current storage locations unless boardwalk redeveloper Madison Marquette (or Madison Asbury Retail, LLC) informs the DEP first.
Two artifacts from the former Palace Amusement complex [pictured above] — a sign and a wooden cutout — were discovered to be missing this summer, according to a letter from DEP region supervisor Michele Kropilak. Madison Marquette realized the items were missing when the city and the nonprofit Save Tillie Foundation requested an update on the location of the items, the boardwalk redeveloper’s director of retail, Carrie Turner, said.
Madison Marquette will not be penalized for losing track of the two artifacts because there was no official list of artifacts approved at the time they went missing, the letter reads. The letter also appends a list of Palace Amusement artifacts to be preserved under guidelines established by the Coastal Area Facilities Review Act [CAFRA]. Madison Marquette is now required to notify the DEP if and when the artifacts are moved to a new storage location. And if any missing items are found, Madison Marquette is to notify the DEP with an amended list.
If more items from the list go missing, it could result in penalties of up to $25,000 for each day of violation, the letter reads.
The state required Madison Marquette to file a police report for the missing artifacts, which they did this fall, Turner said. The redeveloper stores artifacts in three locations: its office at 1100 Ocean Ave.; the Casino; and two sheds at the city’s sewer treatment plant, Turner said.
“Currently, there are no plans to move any of the items until such time as they shall be incorporated into future development projects per the CAFRA permit,” Turner said in the email. “Should we need to move them for some other reason, the State will be notified in writing.”
The DEP “is exercising appropriate authority in requesting information from Madison Asbury Retail in order to enforce the CAFRA permit,” Turner said.
“We are very encouraged that the state has at this point stepped in an [sic] made very clear to the developers that they continue to have this responsibility,” Bob Crane, president of the Save Tillie group, is quoted as saying in a report from NJ.com.
