Wildwood Vision 2015: Transportation Center Links B’Walk, Downtown

WILDWOOD — Leaders of the Wildwood Business Improvement District (BID) have a dream — a dream of one day building a state-of-the-art parking and transportation facility connecting the world-famous Boardwalk and the city’s downtown area.
The BID and the Boardwalk Special Improvement District (SID) are private, non-profit management corporations that oversee certain aspects of these districts, including: owning and operating the Boardwalk Tram Cars, managing cleaning and maintenance crews, sponsoring fireworks, special events and entertainment, advertising, and funding capital projects.
At a March 24 commissioners meeting, BID officials made a pitch of their Wildwood Vision 2015 plan to the city’s governing body.
The plan included two “priority projects” to be built on city owned land between Schellenger and Oak avenues and between an area east of Atlantic and Pacific avenues.
The first project was described as a “multi-modal transportation facility” known as the “Destination Station.” The Destination Station is proposed to have parking for approximately 800 cars, a charter bus terminal, public restrooms and retail shopping.
The other project was referred to as the “Cedar Avenue Connector” that included an extension of the Wildwoods Boardwalk with a Tram Car drop-off area, additional parking and a pedestrian walkway to the transportation center.
The BID asked for endorsement of a consensus statement from the city as well as the Greater Wildwood Tourism Improvement Development Authority (GWTIDA), which manages the Wildwoods Convention Center, so that the entities can speak with one voice in seeking funds for this project.
“As a result of this Consensus Statement, the City of Wildwood, working in conjunction with the Wildwood Business Improvement District, will pursue redevelopment planning funds from various state and federal resources,” according to the statement.
South Jersey Transportation Authority and the New Jersey Economic Development Authority were named as possible funding sources.
In the past, there was a reluctance to make commitments from these agencies because there was no consensus from Wildwood stakeholders.
In the end, city commissioners agreed to endorse the project, noting the need for additional Boardwalk parking and beautification of the downtown business district.
“Parking has always been a problem in Wildwood,” Commissioner Edward Harshaw said.
Commissioner Al Brannen wondered if the project could front on Pacific Avenue, noting that the area had received $4 million in improvements and still “looks no better than it did in the 1980s.” He called the street a “Turkish Bazaar.”
Brannen said the city would stand with the agencies in lobbying for state and federal funds, but could not offer any financial support for the project because of its current budgetary problems.
Contact Hart at (609) 886-8600 Ext 35 or at: jhart@cmcherald.com