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LAZ, the Hartford based company that operates iStar’s six parking lots along the waterfront, will host a 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Friday Job Fair at their headquarters, located at 201 First Ave [at the corner of Kingsley] in Asbury Park.

“We want to hire locally,” Facilities Manager Andie Donohue [at right] of Brielle said. “We really want to hire people from this area and give them a chance for advancement.”

Donohue, who started with the company in 2015 as parking attendant, said growth is possible.

“iStar saw what I was doing and offered me the job,” she said of taking the initiative to clear debris and trash from the lots. Now she manages the six parking lots with 1,000 parking stalls and 25 seasonal employees.

As a former city resident who is looking to move back into the city, Donohue said she hopes city and neighboring residents will take advantage of the opportunity.

Positions include parking attendants/cashiers and maintenance specialists. The current starting salary is $10 per hour and applicants must be legally able to work in the country, submit to a background check, and pre-employment drug screen. She said part time and full time positions are open.

And while the company is willing to work around an applicants schedule, employees must be 18 years and older and commit to mid May to October’s end schedule.

“We want people to have that opportunity to move on to the next step or stage in their career,” she said. “I started out parking cars and now I’m the facilities manager. It’s all about opportunity and taking care of the employees.”

LAZ, she said, was started by three college students as a way to make money for their tuition. The company has since grown into a national corporation with hundreds of thousands of parking spaces across the nation.

“We say that parking is our industry but people are our passion,” Donohue said.

One example is the company’s wellness program Donohue was accepted to as one of 1,100 national employees who applied; only 60 were accepted. The 6 month long program will help employees make healthier choices, including eating better, exercise, and an introduction to more holistic choices.

And while they will be hiring only 25 position locally, Donohue said the company is expanding throughout Monmouth and Ocean counties.

iStar is the City’s master waterfront redeveloper, responsible for The Asbury, the current Asbury Lanes remodel, and 1101 Ocean project [at right] – a 16 story mixed-use high rise designed by award winning architect Gary Handel. The project boasts close to 22,000-square-feet of ground floor retail space, a 54-room luxury hotel, over 11,00-square-feet of amenity space, and a 414 stall parking garage. Its top floors will house 130 homes consisting of 23 one-bedroom, 70 two-bedroom, 33 three-bedroom, and two four-bedroom units.

iStar has similar workforce development initiatives through its 1101 Ocean construction management company Sardoni and Salt Hotels – its partner in and operator of The Asbury and the soon to open Asbury Lanes.

For more about LAZ, click here.

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