CAPE MAY — Members of the city’s Zoning Board, wearing masks over their noses and mouths, walked through the Beach Theatre, Fri., Oct. 29.
Reporters were not allowed to set foot in the theater. The entrance to the theater was guarded by two police officers and two employees of Frank Theatres, owners of the building. Board members were escorted by Fire Chief Jerry Inderwies Jr, who provided each board member with a flashlight since electricity to the theater has been disconnected.
The Zoning Board toured the theater that has been closed more than a year to see for themselves the condition of the theater.
An anonymous source, who has been inside the theater, said the building was a “disaster.” The source said some theater seats remained in portions of the building but many were mold-covered and discolored.
Piles of debris and trash are throughout the theater. Projectors and movie screens are gone. There is evidence of transients sleeping in the building with a smell of urine present.
Frank Theatres is requesting approval for demolition and a hearing is scheduled to continue Nov., 10 at 6:30 p.m.
The application for demolition has a long history with the city’s Historic Preservation Commission (HPC), which denied a demolition certificate earlier this year causing Frank Investments to appeal the decision in Superior Court. The court sent the demolition application to the Zoning Board for a new hearing.
A project from Frank Theatres to build condominiums on the site above the current retail shops received preliminary site plan approval from the city’s Planning Board in December 2008.
Cape May – The number one reason I didn’t vote for Donald Trump was January 6th and I found it incredibly sad that so many Americans turned their back on what happened that day when voting. I respect that the…
