Plan needed for streetscaping improvements, business owners say

By SUZNNE MARINO Staff Writer
MARGATE -- Howard Seiden, head of the Margate Business Coalition, spoke before the Margate City Commission Feb. 9 wanting to know the status of the streetscaping project along the business corridor on Ventnor Avenue.
Begun in 2004, the city improved the look of the business district with updated lighting. Dead trees were removed and new ones planted.
The city had anticipated outside funding for the project, but the funding evaporated and the city had to bear the cost, about $100,000.
Several of the neighborhood businesses also undertook the project of updating their storefronts on their own.
Siganos took care of the front of its building, which runs from Frontenac to Granville avenues (Kidrageous to Knit Wit). The stretch in front of Dino’s (from Gladstone to Granville) was done at the same time by its owner, Dino Tozzi.
Along Ventnor Avenue the improvements stretch from Frontenac to Gladstone, to Granville avenues.
In 2005 the project languished with no outside funding available to continue the beautification project. According to city engineer Ed Walberg, there is very little money available for any type of streetscaping.
“There is community grant money available to municipalities for curbing, but nothing really for streetscaping,” said the engineer.
He added that the city is continuing to pursue grants and funding, but at this point there is nothing in terms of rural development funding either.
Walberg added that he has reached out to the CDRA, but has not yet heard back.
Margate Mayor Vaughn Reale said the city had initially talked about extending the streetscaping from City Hall to Benson Avenue at Washington and Ventnor avenues at a cost of $60,000 to spruce up the east end of town.
Seiden said that although merchants want to see the improvements, “This is not something that should be done like a puzzle.”
Seiden, the owner of Casel’s Supermarket, suggested the city make a plan to fund a certain portion of the streetscaping annually and then consider any outside funding as a bonus.
Both the mayor and Commissioner John Swift agreed that it would make sense for the city and for the merchants if they would develop a five-year plan that incorporates improvements in the business district.
Also on the front burner in the business district is the reacquisition of the bus turnaround as a location for additional parking for shoppers.
Reale said he is formulating a plan that would video exactly how many buses need the turnaround and determine the peak and light times.
“When I talk to the folks at NJ Transit and they tell me that they will do a study and get back to me, I want to be able to have it ready to show them,” said Reale.
TOP