By Kenny Walter
Staff Writer
LONG BRANCH-The timing of the blizzard couldn’t have worked out better for Long Branch.
Business Administrator Howard Woolley Jr. said that George Harms Construction Co. was scheduled to take the first few weeks of 2016 off for in-service training, which means that the blizzard that pounded New Jersey on Jan. 23 did not negatively impact the construction of the new boardwalk.
“They have been off a couple of weeks at the beginning of the year, but they are so far ahead of schedule,” Woolley said. “We’re in good shape.”
An addition for the beachfront this upcoming season is 160 beach-house units that will be donated to the city and will be available to rent for $1,000 for the season.
“We are going to put them up against the sea wall, it will be like a small bathhouse,” Woolley said. “A place where you can change your clothes.
“We had some people request a changing facility, so we figured we’d give them a try.”
According to Woolley, the city will likely need to allocate between $5,000 and $10,000 for lumber and paint to fix some of the beach units.
Stan Dzuiba, office of emergency management coordinator, described the units.
“There are two doors on each side, so there are four units per bath house,” he said. “People can go in, hang up their clothes and there is a seat where they can sit and change.
“There is a sky light up in the roof for some light in there and for some air to get through.”
Woolley said the units will be dispersed to each beach based on demand.
Last summer, the city offered lockers and cabanas at the beach for the first time.
During the Jan. 26 meeting, the council adopted a resolution setting regulations for the storage lockers, cabanas and beach house units for the 2016 beach season.
A second resolution was adopted that established the terms and conditions for leasing the three concession stands that will be built on the boardwalk.
The city will be renting during the beach season — the lockers for $375, the beach houses for $1,000 and the cabanas for $2,750.
Long Branch has 16 beaches: Seaview Avenue, Great Lawn, Madison Avenue, Laird Street, Chelsea Avenue, Melrose Terrace, Morris Avenue, Pavilion Avenue, North Bath Avenue, South Bath Avenue, Matilda Terrace, Cottage Place, West End, Brighton Avenue, New Court and Takanassee. Beach season runs from Memorial Day through Labor Day.