To help businesses recover from Hurricane Sandy, the city has formulated a loan program for small local companies using a combination of urban enterprise zone [UEZ] funds and aid from NJ Community Capital [NJCC]. NJ Community Capital is a 501(c)3 nonprofit community financial development institution that provides loans to small businesses, schools and homeowners. NJCC […]

To help guide the city in handling parking, city manager Terence Reidy has developed a parking master plan. At the Sept. 19 city council meeting, Reidy and parking consultant Tom Calu unveiled the plan to the council and the public. “It’s time to take a look at our over-arching plan for parking in the city […]

A city council vote is tentatively scheduled tonight for a liquor license transfer between two groups of prominent restaurant owners in Asbury Park. The partners who own Porta and Brickwall tavern have an agreement to purchase the liquor license from Marilyn Schlossbach, a lead partner in Langosta Lounge, Dauphin Grille and Trinity and the Pope. […]

Starting this month, cyclists will have an easier time securing their bikes while they peruse all downtown Asbury Park has to offer. The city is set to install 14 new bicycle racks around the central business district [CBD], according to Chamber of Commerce executive director Jackie Pappas. If weather permits, installation will begin next week. […]

Workers are installing new street lights on Cookman Avenue as part of a streetscape program designed to better link the waterfront and downtown business district. The streetscape project started in the spring. Waterfront redeveloper Asbury Partners is paying for the improvements, with the goal of making this barren stretch of Cookman more pedestrian-friendly. Installing the […]

With John McGillion’s purchase of the Bistro Olé building, a beer garden is one step closer to Main Street. McGillion, owner of Johnny Mac House of Spirits, is scheduled to close on the purchase of the neighboring building this Friday. Bistro Olé, a restaurant serving Spanish and Portuguese cuisine, will remain in operation, he said. […]

Vintage car buffs may soon have a place to store their automobiles in downtown Asbury Park. The planning board recently recommended approval for a storage garage for classic cars to occupy a long-vacant warehouse [above in foreground] stretching between Bangs and Summerfield Avenues. The garage may soon be home to an ancillary social club, as well. The city council […]

The no-man’s land of vacant lots and dilapidated buildings on Cookman Avenue dividing the downtown and beachfront will get a facelift before July 4th. A streetscape program of new sidewalks, curbing, lighting and landscaping will be installed by waterfront redeveloper Asbury Partners on the stretch of Cookman (shown above) between Grand Avenue and Kingsley Street. […]

The owner of a successful Emory Street hair salon has found himself locked out of Cookman Avenue, with a lack of client parking to boot. Steven Statland, owner of Chop Chop Bang Bang, recently sought a move to Cookman, but zoning rules allow only retail, theaters, bars and eateries on that busy main drag. The planning […]