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Boardwalk redeveloper Madison Marquette last night received the approval of the city’s planning board to amend the way in which it will commission an artist to complete a boardwalk art project.

The vote was 4-0.

The project is an “exterior feature,” or what Madison Marquette has dubbed “the art wall,” [shown above] located on the southwestern façade of the First Avenue pavilion between the entrance of Stella Marina and Robert Legere Beach, according to Carrie Turner, director of retail for Madison Marquette.

Madison Marquette is required to place an “exterior feature” on the wall, as stipulated within its redevelopment agreement with the city, according to Don Sammet, the city’s planning and redevelopment director.

The original plan, which was approved by the planning board over a year ago, was to make a contest out of the commission, with “a worldwide call for submissions — but that proved too ambitious,” she said.

Hosting a worldwide call for submissions was also decided prior to Hurricane Sandy, which had significant financial impact on the boardwalk properties owned by Madison Marquette.

Under the circumstances, Madison Marquette would still like to make good on its agreement with the city, Turner said.

At the meeting, Turner and Tyson Pitzer, a director of investments for Madison Marquette, requested the planning board make an amendment to remove the design competition component from the agreement.

“One of the biggest selling points was the art competition,” said planning board member James Henry.

Before Henry would vote on a resolution to change the agreement, he requested Turner and Pitzer provide a clear plan of the process that will exist in lieu of a competition.

Madison Marquette, who has already met three times with a subcommittee of the planning board created to deal specifically with the exterior feature, will now speak directly to artists to gain conceptual designs for the project and continue to meet with the subcommittee to discuss them within the next three months. By the end of the year, they hope to receive full site plan approval from the board and move forward with design implementation.

“We are going to try to deal with as much local talent as we can,” she said.

“We understand this project sits at the nexus of several major thoroughfares in the city,” said Pitzer. “We are interested in making this high-quality.”

Part of the goal in terms of the design is to see that the design is reflective of the “history and the nature here in Asbury Park,” he said.

“Our goal is to make it a piece of iconic art,” said Pitzer. “Timeless and well-done.”

The planning board approved the change, giving Madison Marquette six months to complete the project with the ability to apply for a two month extension, if needed.

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