Sea Bright’s ready to talk with the seller of 3 Church Street.
By SUE MORGAN
It’s spacious, filled with big windows, move-in ready and now, officially, on Sea Bright’s wish list.
The borough council this week authorized Borough Attorney Scott Arnette to negotiate a possible deal with the owner of 3 Church Street a three-story, red brick structure now housing Tapestry International, TV production company.
If Sea Bright inks a deal, the property would likely be used “as a borough facility,” says Council President Dina Long. Citing legal issues, she would not elaborate.
Town leaders and Arnette were reluctant to discuss possible uses for the Tapestry property. Councilman Brian Kelly, who heads the Smart Growth Committee — a group assigned to investigate the cost and feasibility of converting the building into a borough hall in conjunction with Sea Bright’s planned downtown revitalization — was absent from Tuesday’s meeting.
Before learning of the Tapestry building’s availability, the committee had been leaning towards recommending either renovation of the present-day borough hall, at 1167 Ocean Avenue, or constructing an entirely new facility in its rear parking lot.
The pros and cons of each of the three options now on the table, including any renovations the borough might need to make to the Tapestry building, will be weighed by the committee, Kelly has said.
Long, whose husband, Rob Long, is pastor at the adjacent Sea Bright United Methodist Church, says the council will consider neighborhood interests as it moves ahead.
“We are very mindful that (3 Church Street) is in a residential neighborhood, and we’re very mindful of preserving the character of that neighborhood,” Long said.
Several borough residents told redbankgreen they look forward to possibly seeing the building they refer to as “The Tapestry” become a place to conduct town business.
The recently remodeled interior, with its large windows, extra-wide staircase and partitioned offices could turn out to be a pleasant work environment for borough employees, said Frieda Finegan, a community volunteer.
“It’s very airy and open. It’s all set up for use,” Finegan said. The floor space is more than ample, and would give employees and building visitors plenty of walking and breathing room, in comparison to the cramped office space at the present-day borough hall, she said.
“It’s open, clean, so spacious,” Finegan went on. “You could dance in there.”
At present, you could also exercise in the workout room in the interior or plant seeds in the garden behind the building, according to a local realtor familiar with the property. The building is listed at $1.2 million and assessed at $464,800, county tax records show.
The next scheduled public meeting on the Smart Growth plan is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. on September 25 at borough hall.
