Newly released rendering of plans for the future of the Atlantic City Boardwalk, plus what's the plan for Pacific and Atlantic avenues.
The future Atlantic City Boardwalk?
ATLANTIC CITY — With the recent Master Plan approved by the Casino Reinvestment Development Authority for Atlantic City's new tourism district — aimed at "reclaiming Atlantic City’s reputation as premier coastal playground by offering unique attractions for visitors and residents of all ages," according to a press release distributed by the firm Jerde Partnership — there are newly released renderings of what may be in store for the future of the Atlantic City Boardwalk and other areas in the resort. (See renderings at bottom of article)
On Feb. 1, 2012, the CRDA approved The Atlantic City Tourism District Master Plan, which is "a set of ideas and strategies to rejuvenate the city and increase tourism by creating a world-class resort destination, developed by real estate services consulting firm Jones Lang LaSalle and architecture and design firm The Jerde Partnership."
The plan, according to Jerde, "presents a realistic framework for transforming Atlantic City into a clean, green and safe city that pays homage to its storied history, takes advantage of its unique island setting and offers a wide range of attractions and experiences for all ages."
Birdsall Services Group, Inc. and Hill Wallack LLP also consulted on the plan, providing infrastructure and regulatory expertise, according to Jerde.
The about 1,700-acre Tourism District includes Atlantic City's beach, Boardwalk, casinos, main retail areas such as The Walk, Marina District and Gardner’s Basin.
“The master plan is designed to breathe new life into this historic coastal playground and transform the city into a highly desirable place to live, work, play and visit,” says George Ladyman, senior VP of Jones Lang LaSalle. “The City has a strong foundation to build on — like the Boardwalk, beach and great entertainment, food and gambling — but its infrastructure and overall environment have not kept up with competing destinations. The plan is a visioning document intended to serve as a guide for public and private development strategies that will be phased in over the next ten years.”
The master plan, along with other projects, includes "the revitalization of the entire length of the world famous Boardwalk, the city’s iconic attraction and prime tourist destination, to create a unique environment that can only be found in Atlantic City," according to Jerde.
"The beach side of the Boardwalk will be enhanced by three iconic entertainment venues — an open air concert shell, an animated interactive light show, and giant wind-driven sculpture — complemented with a series of corporate pavilions sponsored by entertainment and consumer product companies that will constantly change their offerings, along with lights, banners and street furniture that recall the city’s elegant seaside past. The city side of the Boardwalk will be lined with attractive casino frontages and shops offering a wide selection of food and beverage, merchandise, concessions and services, along with several substations of the Atlantic City Police Department to increase security. The master plan also recommends the development of seasonal events, most of which will occur along the Boardwalk and on the beach, and will be managed by a consulting group retained by CRDA."
John Simones, partner and design director of The Jerde Partnership, adds: “The first step in revitalizing Atlantic City and increasing tourism is to focus on Atlantic City’s prime jewels and top tourist attractions, like the Boardwalk, by creating a vibrant and pedestrian-oriented environment in the casino core that offers outdoor events throughout the year and an active around-the-clock street scene.
"Over the longer-term, the master plan envisions a broader urban regeneration involving other key areas of the city through a seamless integration of seaside entertainment and attractions, inviting resort experiences, unique and appealing street life, waterfront destinations and open space that are dynamically interwoven to usher in the next generation of the City’s evolution.”
Additionally, Pacific Avenue will "be transformed into a high-energy, engaging pedestrian street scene along the lines of Beale Street in Memphis," according to the plan. Pacific's "parking lots and casino service areas will be reclaimed and replaced with trendy restaurants, bars, chic shops and nightclubs. Jitneys and taxis will provide nonstop service so that visitors won’t have to drive. The entrances to the casinos will be integrated with the urban fabric, encouraging people to move freely between gaming activity and a street party. The street life will be set in motion with high-tech media and entertainment concepts."
The city's main artery, Atlantic Avenue, is also part of the plan, which calls for the strip to once again become the city's “main street.”
"The master plan envisions a series of connected neighborhoods along Atlantic Avenue’s two-mile path, including large Arts and Boutique Districts to the west of a revitalized Central Business District (CBD) and to the east a College District and a mixed-use residential development along the water in the South Inlet area," reads the release.
“Reinforcing the street life and pedestrian circulation of Atlantic City, particularly between the main tourist streets and around the casino core, is one of the key goals of the master plan strategy and is critical to enhancing the overall visitor experience,” says Rick Poulos, AIA, Jerde partner and executive vice president. “A more vibrant, accessible and safe street life will foster a stronger sense of place in Atlantic City and create experiences for visitors and residents not found in any beachfront resort city in the world.”
In relation to other improvements in Atlantic City, the master plan calls for revitalizing Michigan, Missouri, Mississippi and other avenues that connect Atlantic and Pacific avenues to the Boardwalk.
“As a comprehensive vision, the plan is designed to build upon its own momentum through urban regeneration strategies that are both sustainable and achievable," says David Sheldon, Jerde vice president for Americas. "The near term initiatives will rapidly increase tourism, attracting greater private investment and development and leading to a revitalization of the entire city."
The future of Atlantic City?
The future Atlantic City Boardwalk?
A planned Concert Shell:
A planned Fisherman's Village:
The future Gardner's Basin?
The planned light show for Atlantic City:
For more on the adopted master plan, click here.
What do you think? Leave a comment.
"There are those that don’t believe the Atlantic City fathers are capable of handling this business. And again, that speaks to a level of arrogance and it also speaks to an underlying air of racism — point blank, as I’ve pointed out."
The perception is that it’s all about gaming [in Atlantic City]. And clearly it’s much more than that so that’s the opportunity, to make sure that doesn’t happen."
Gov. Chris Christie signed legislation today to create an Atlantic City Tourism District and announced a breakthrough in the Revel Casino project.
"It was a little bit of a culture shock coming from Las Vegas, as you can imagine. But then when I actually spent some time [in Atlantic City] and spent some time in competitors' casinos, I was pleasantly surprised and I feel that, you know, being involved in Revel is a very exciting piece of history for Atlantic City and I think will change how people look and perceive the market."
Recent developments in Atlantic City have left the city in a good news/bad news cycle that leaves both room for hope and pessimism in the city at the same time.
One year to the date Gov. Chris Christie signed landmark legislation designed to revitalize Atlantic City and set the surrounding region on a new course for economic growth, the Casino Reinvestment Development Authority (CRDA) adopted the Atlantic City Tourism District Master Plan in a special meeting Wednesday, Feb. 1, at the A.C. Convention Center.
Although the Tourism District Master Plan is due Feb. 1, it won't be presented to the public on that date. However, the CRDA will present the master plan to the public on Monday, March 26, at noon.
As detailed in the Jan. 5 Atlantic City Weekly, a state-mandated Master Plan that outlines Atlantic City’s proposed Tourism District was given a Feb. 1 deadline by Gov. Chris Christie, one year to the date he signed the legislation designed to make the resort town a safer and more attractive place to visit.
The new Web site includes a survey form that invites feedback from stakeholders on the approach of the Master Plan to address immediate, mid-term and long-term actions, and to identify key factors, priorities and areas of improvement that should be addressed.
In this economic climate, optimism about Atlantic City’s future can swing as wildly as the stock market does on each little bit of economic news. The city still faces growing out-of-state competition, gaming revenues are still down and the country’s persistent economic problems are keeping any tourists destination’s hopes for a rebound low.
Aside from calling, writing, e-mailing, or using a new Web site the CRDA says is in development for users to share ideas, as well as offer new ideas and projects, there are public CRDA meetings (on the third Tuesday of every month; the next one is Nov. 15) that you can attend to vocalize your support for certain projects or offer new ideas.
ATLANTIC CITY — John Palmieri, the new head of the Casino Reinvestment Development Authority, comes to Atlantic City like no other executive director of the authority ever has. Palmieri, who was head of the Boston Redevelopment Authority from 2007 up until earlier this year, and has headed redevelopment and economic development in other cities such as Charlotte, North Carolina; Providence, Rhode Island; and Hartford, Connecticut, certainly has the qualifications and background for the job. But so have other CRDA directors. What’s different is the CRDA he’ll be heading. Never in the authority’s history has the role of the CRDA been so large. An agency created to build housing in Atlantic City and...
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Have Your Say About Atlantic City
1. Mike said... on Feb 13, 2012 at 04:12PM
“You can decorate a piece of doodie all you want, but it still wouldn't change what it really is. You NEED to get rid of the panhandlers, the dumpy cheap stores, the gazillion sea gulls, and the thugs that litter the boardwalk. Adding fancy lights isn't going to change A.C.'s REAL problem.”
2. Anonymous said... on Feb 14, 2012 at 10:34AM
“could not agree more. Tourism and house project do not mix, it is so obvious, why is it so hard for those so called expert to get?”
3. BRandon said... on Feb 16, 2012 at 12:50AM
“I think it all looks great. But how much will become reality? I man will the outcome look like the plans? Unlike the walk. I saw the model for the walk in the convention center and they look nothing alike... And i agree with Mike u need to make the streets safe.. get rid of all the crappy stores.. I'm not in Atlantic city for cheap t shotgun or a massage like the boardwalk is covered in.. hope the look. Looks like the plans.. or will the city fall short again?”
4. Al said... on Feb 16, 2012 at 08:55PM
“Of course tourism and housing mixes. What do you think Las Vegas did with City Center? That kind of mix use development is extremely important. I see the same thing happening in places like Myrtle Beach. They are building developments with housing, restaurants, shops, entertainment. All of these things increase the vitality of an area. Atlantic City will not be successful if it does not develop these type of areas in and around the tourism district. One important factor of having housing in projects like this is that it brings a built in customer base.”
5. Turiya Abdur-Raheem said... on Feb 16, 2012 at 10:22PM
“Mike, Anonymous
If you don't like our city, don't come here!!! Plenty of others will gladly come and see what a great place it is. Though tourism is the lifeblood of my hometown, which could use improvements as any city, I wish some tourists would go elsewhere instead of coming here and trashing our streets, vomiting all over the boardwalk after they get drunk, increasing prostitution business by patronizing it and then bad-mouthing our city to others.”
6. Anonymous said... on Feb 18, 2012 at 01:02AM
“Does anyone remember "The Missing Link" attraction on one of the Boardwalk piers? It was a cave woman in a cage that morphed into an ape, broke out of the bars and chased the audience out to the boardwalk.”
7. Lei said... on Feb 20, 2012 at 09:36PM
“There is so much crime in A.C right now, its ridiculous. People are starting to get so bold as to have shoot outs on the boardwalk in front of cameras in large crowds of ppl. (Happened on July 4th weekend in front of Ballys boardwalk & several murders that just recently happened only 1 month ago). People are continuing to get killed almost every day in this area. The only way this will be successful is if you can guarantee protection for everyone.”
8. Maria Bernard said... on Feb 23, 2012 at 06:17PM
“Ho please get real! There is crime in every city.I am living in A.C since 7 years and I never felt threatened. I welcome the idea and wish the would built a bicycle path accessible all day long to make it more family oriented . I always thought of the city missing opportunity by not building more family friendly activity so that everybody has something to do in A.C. Dad's can go gambling , mom's shopping and the kids some fun activity and underline the whole experience with great food. The only thing that bugs me is loosing the the free parking around the city , they should give who lives in the city some park permit.”
9. Anonymous said... on Feb 28, 2012 at 04:30PM
“good luck with the plans ,if they ever come true .AC is a resort and should be beautiful .but you need to clean it up first .”