Council advances Claridge rehabilitation and beachfront redevelopment amendments

Atlantic City Council on Wednesday advanced multiple redevelopment measures, approving first-reading ordinances to rehabilitate the Claridge Hotel and to amend controls for a North Beach redevelopment area.

The actions move a multi-phase project that will substantially rehabilitate the existing Claridge Hotel and build new residential construction on an adjacent surface parking lot. The council also approved a technical amendment to the K. Hovnanian / North Beach Holding LLC redevelopment plan that adjusts site controls including garage access points, lot sizes and bulk coverage rules for Block 75.

The planning director told the council the Claridge project will preserve hotel rooms while adding new apartments and a portion of affordable units, and that parking requirements and phasing are addressed in the redevelopment plan. "The proposed redevelopment plan is actually a substantial rehabilitation of the existing Claridge Hotel, and new construction, which is immediately to the north of the existing Claridge Hotel," the planning director said. "The project is actually gonna be built in phases."

Council members asked for clarification on the new building’s location and parking; the planning director confirmed the new structure is proposed for the surface parking off Pacific Avenue and that parking for the new units will be provided as part of the project. The council voted to advance the Claridge ordinance on first reading 8-0.

The amendment to the K. Hovnanian redevelopment plan focuses on site layout and design controls rather than increasing the authorized unit count, the planning director said. That ordinance also passed first reading 8-0.

At a committee report earlier in the meeting, the Planning and Development Committee chair asked colleagues to support several Uptown initiatives, including a financial agreement with Casino Pointe developers, a small-business program called Michael Grant, a lease renewal for Gilchrist Restaurant in Uptown, brownfields remediation work and progress on Weeks Park redevelopment. The chair described the Lottery Home application as one of Mayor Small’s successful programs and encouraged council support for the items.

The council also introduced — without final action — a redevelopment plan for the Boardwalk Rotunda (1801 Boardwalk) and other land-use ordinances scheduled for future readings. Details about timelines, developer agreements and the share of affordable units were not specified in the meeting packet and were left for follow-up in redevelopment filings.

Taken together, the votes signal council support for a mix of historic rehabilitation and new housing on key Atlantic City parcels and clear administration intent to continue several Uptown and waterfront redevelopment efforts.