City of Long Branch: Notice To Residents - Sea View Towers

Press release from the City of Long Branch:

Published on January 21, 2021

Notice to Residents:

I would like to take this opportunity to dispel certain misinformation that has been posted on social media regarding the demolition of the south tower on the Sea View apartment site located at 390 Ocean Avenue.

In November, the City issued code violations to the property owner concerning the condition of the south tower. As is their right under state law, the property owner challenged those violations by filing an appeal with the Monmouth County Construction Board of Appeals. While that appeal was pending, we demanded access to the building for a structural engineer inspection and in fact gained access to the building on January 13, 2021.

Immediately upon receiving the report from our City Engineer we issued a Notice of Imminent Hazard under the State Uniform Construction Code and ordered the building to be taken down. That Notice superseded the previous violation notice and it was significant in a number of respects. First, this order was not appealable to the Construction Board of Appeals and could only be stopped by the Superior Court. Second, if not complied with, the order gives the City the authority to take the building down and to place a lien for the City’s cost against the property. The fact that the Construction Board of Appeals carried the hearing on the original notice does not affect the Notice of Imminent Hazard nor does it delay in anyway the demolition of the building.

I announced today that the property owner of the Sea View Towers site has agreed to voluntarily comply with the City’s order to demolish the south tower. The property owner has applied for and will receive all necessary local and state permits. Notice to adjoining property owners indicating that the removal will begin on January 26, 2021 has been sent out as required by law. The demolition will occur under the supervision of the City's Construction Official who will assure state and local environmental measures and safety guidelines are met. Pending the buildings demolition, the City has suspended vehicular traffic on the streets adjacent to the property.

In summary, once apprised of the seriously deteriorated condition of the south tower, the City acted swiftly to protect the public safety. While the City was prepared to engage its own contractors to remove the building, the property owner has responded in a manner that respects the urgent need to act. We will continue to monitor the removal and ensure that all environmental protection measures, including necessary asbestos abatement, are followed.

Any concerned citizen should feel free to contact the Mayor’s office if they have any questions.

Mayor John Pallone

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This press release was produced by the City of Long Branch>. The views expressed here are the author’s own.