Police Building Demolition Delayed, Ocean City Mayor Says

OCEAN CITY, NJ — Ocean City has postponed the planned demolition of the police station at 835 Central Avenue until after Labor Day, Mayor Jay Gillian announced.

Gillian said he had hoped the building would already be down and that the city would be able to temporarily pave the full lot for public parking during the summer. Instead, the city decided not to move forward with demolition now because of safety concerns and the potential for disruptions during the peak summer months.

In a message to residents, Gillian wrote, “We decided today to postpone the planned demolition of the police station at 835 Central Avenue until after Labor Day.” He also wrote that the city would not proceed now “due to safety concerns and potential disruptions during the peak summer months.”

The site remains part of Ocean City’s plan for a new public safety building. According to Gillian, construction of that building remains on schedule, with construction expected to take start in the fall of 2026. He described the work as part of the city’s multi-year capital improvement plan.

“This is one of the last major capital improvement projects in our multi-year plan, and I’m looking forward to seeing our police working from a first-rate facility,” Gillian said. “Public safety will always be a top priority in Ocean City.”

The delay means the city will not create the full temporary public parking area that had been under consideration for the summer season. Gillian said the city will instead use the existing spaces on the property to provide at least some additional public parking during the summer.