NORTH DENNIS – Borrowing from American author Edgar Allen Poe, there is now “No spot on the ground that looked like Eldorado,” after demolition crews knocked down the former motel of that name, which stood deteriorating for many years along Route 47 south in Dennis Township.
Mayor Zeth Matalucci said on Tuesday, Nov. 28, that he had wanted to take action on the vacant, dilapidated motel for a long time, and considered asking the township to buy it and clean up the property.
“It was an eyesore,” Matalucci said.
However, he said, the money was not in the township’s budget, so he reached out to the Cape May County commissioners.
The county responded and entered into a redevelopment collaboration agreement with Dennis Township. The township adopted a resolution in August 2022 to authorize the agreement, which would address the “blighted property” at 1575 Route 47 south. That September the agreement was signed by parties from Dennis Township, including Matalucci, and Cape May County, under then-Commissioner Director Gerald Thornton.
The agreement notes that Dennis Township has identified a blighted property, “but lacks the expertise and capital necessary to accomplish such a significant endeavor.” The county, the resolution says, has access to capital, certain in-house planning and engineering expertise, and “enjoys certain powers to assist with the redevelopment of this property.”
According to njpropertyrecords.com, Cape May County purchased the 9.66-acre property containing the dilapidated motel for $165,000 on Jan. 19. The property was assessed at $373,600.
A Redevelopment Advisory Committee was formed for the project consisting of six members – three from the township and three from the county. In the event the property was going to be redeveloped for public use, the township would have borne the cost of redevelopment.
Matalucci said redeveloping the property as a park was considered but ultimately rejected. He said the property would ultimately be sold for residential development. When purchased by a private developer, the revenue from the sale would be applied to offset the costs of acquisition, demolition and remediation already paid by the county. The agreement indicates the county would contribute 80% of the cost and the township 20%.
Bids for demolition of the motel were due on Sept. 29, and on Oct. 24, the county commissioners authorized a contract for $57,300 with Pineland Construction LLC. The demolition began on Tuesday, Nov. 14, and was completed on Monday, Nov. 27.
Multiple requests for information from Cape May County government yielded no response.
The county, in its agreement with Dennis Township, said its Municipal Redevelopment Initiative began with a pilot program in Wildwood, where it “appears to be spurring redevelopment efforts.”
Wildwood Business Administrator Steve O’Connor said the Pacific Avenue Initiative was intended to use county funds to strategically purchase identified, vacant properties on Pacific Avenue to promote appropriate development.
“As a good outcome, most of the properties originally identified for purchase are being developed by the private sector,” O’Connor said.
He added there are other properties identified as being in need of redevelopment, which were not purchased, because the owners are seeking a price that is much higher than the appraised values. He said the committee overseeing the Pacific Avenue Initiative is now predominantly focused on reviewing projects, to assist in their construction and to encourage their appropriate use and placement in the designated redevelopment area.
Pacific Avenue is a designated redevelopment area, O’Connor said.
Contact the author, Christopher South, at csouth@cmcherald.com or 609-886-8600, ext. 128.
