Five Years Later: Burned Hardware Store Demo’d for Redevelopment

SEA ISLE CITY — An eyesore that has plagued this city’s downtown business district for nearly five years will soon be healed.
The burned-out hulk of the former Creighton’s Trading Post hardware store at the corner of Landis and Charlotte M Sofroney (42nd) avenues has been reduced to rubble, clearing the way for a new commercial/residential development.
“There’s going to be three commercial spaces on the first floor with 12 condominiums above and parking in the rear,” said a smiling Mayor Leonard Desiderio. “This development, which has been a long time coming, is great for our city. These new businesses will anchor the downtown district.”
Many residents and visitors have complained to Desiderio regularly because the burned out eyesore sat vacant year after year since a fire closed it in September 2005. Many are sure to be happy with the change.
“It’s a great day for Sea Isle,” said businessman Steven Tyman, who runs the Jamaican Me Crazy beach shop across the street.
With a demolition machine chucking wreckage of the old building into recycling containers to be hauled away, the mayor addressed media at the site on Tue., July 20 to announce the city’s good news, which took so long because of a legal battle surrounding the site.
The store and several other properties in the 4100 block of Landis Avenue burned half a decade ago, and Trading Post owners — Lou Feola, of CMC Air Conditioning and Heating, and Angelo Camano, of Angelo’s Pizza — have been trying to rebuild ever since. The partners, who own the property under the name A&L LLC., were mainly opposed by Charles Dalrymple, of Dalrymple Gifts on JFK Boulevard.
Even before the fire, A&L had a plan approved by the city Zoning Board to knock down the store and rebuild it with eight apartments above it.
Dalrymple challenged the Zoning Board decision stating that the board ignored some regulations in granting the application. Judge Steven Perskie ruled in October 2005 siding with Dalrymple saying the board went beyond their power in granting the zoning variances.
A&L appealed Perskie’s decision. The appellate court ruled in August 2006 affirming his decision to vacate the board’s approval.
After addressing some of the judge’s concerns, the zoning board again heard A&L’s application and again approved it in December 2006. But, a month later Dalrymple said he would continue to oppose the project in court.
“It saddens me that an amicable solution has not been found,” Camano told the Herald at the time. “I hope the other party will drop the challenge.”
It appears Dalrymple didn’t drop the challenge, at least until recently.
“It’s all water under the bridge now,” Feola told the Herald. “We have no hard feelings. We’re just happy to be back on track with the project.”
“I’m proud of both parties and thankful to them for coming to this agreement so Sea Isle’s business district can be whole again,” Desiderio said. “Our residents and visitors deserve it.”
He said this project and another commercial/residential development across Landis Avenue would give a makeover to the city’s downtown area.
Feola said A&L purchased the property north of the former hardware store, which made the project larger than the original. They again have zoning approval and are in the process of completing architectural designs.
He noted that it is unclear what type of businesses would be leasing or purchasing the three first-floor units when the project is completed, but he hopes one would be a hardware store.
“The city also hopes a hardware store is part of the plan,” Desiderio said. “We really need one downtown.”
Feola said two of the new commercial spaces would front on Landis Avenue and the other on 42nd.
“I’m sure whatever Lou and Angelo do in the property will be first class,” Desiderio said. “They’re good businessmen.”
Feola told the Herald he expects construction to begin this fall and to be completed before next summer.