Council advances Claridge Hotel redevelopment plan, including new residential building and affordable units

Atlantic City Council members voted unanimously on first reading to advance an ordinance authorizing a redevelopment plan for the Claridge Hotel site, a package that pairs substantial rehabilitation of the existing Claridge with new residential construction on an adjacent parking lot.

The action matters because the project would both preserve and reuse a long-standing hotel property while adding new apartments — including a share of affordable units — and creating a multi‑phase redevelopment pathway for a central Boardwalk parcel.

At a committee briefing and during council questions, the planning director told the council the plan covers both a rehabilitation of the existing hotel and a new structure on the surface parking lot north of the Claridge. "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 director said the project will be built in phases and that parking for the new units is "being addressed specifically within the redevelopment plan" so that parking "will be made available for the units of the new construction as well."

Council members asked whether the new structure would be long‑term housing or mixed use; the planning director said the rehabilitation will retain hotel units while creating additional apartment units and that "those apartments will also include percentage of affordable units." Council members pressed for detail on parking location and capacity; staff said parking and other site controls are addressed within the plan documents.

The council moved the ordinance (introduced as Ordinance 6f) by a voice vote on first reading; the motion was made by Councilman Shabazz and seconded by Councilman Krauss, and the roll call returned eight affirmative votes when the item was advanced.

No final development agreement or construction contract was approved at the meeting; advancing the ordinance on first reading starts the formal municipal review and public‑hearing process required for redevelopment plan adoption and future site approvals.

If the plan proceeds to later approvals, councilmembers indicated they expect more detailed submissions on phasing, parking layouts and exact affordable‑housing counts before final signoff.