by Valentine’s Day
By carolyn o’connell
Staff Writer
LONG BRANCH — The first shovel is expected to hit the sand in a month, with a finished product — the first restaurant in Pier Village — to be open for business within a year.
Tim McLoone, who has recently signed a lease with Pier Village developers, the Applied Companies, Hoboken, said he hopes to be celebrating his birthday, which is on Valentine’s Day, in his newest restaurant.
Most locals to the area would recognize McLoone as the proprietor of McLoone’s Riverside Dining, Sea Bright, a restaurant he purchased on New Year’s Eve in 1986.
Another business venture for McLoone was the purchase of the Running Store in the Grove, Shrewsbury, in 1976.
McLoone, the first investor into Pier Village, a 25-acre oceanfront community offering 100,000 square feet of retail space and 420 residential units, will be the only lessee to sign such a unique contract.
What makes the contract unique, according to Greg Russo, vice president of the Applied Companies, is that McLoone will build the restaurant that he will lease for the next 20 years.
"Having Tim [McLoone] construct the building will speed up the construction process," said Russo.
He noted that this is only available in this particular case, to be located on the sand at the foot of Laird Street, and it is the only building that stands by itself and will be occupied by only one tenant.
The 14,000-square-foot restaurant, still in the design stage, is expected to cost in the neighborhood of $2 million to $3 million and possibly more, depending on changes made once the restaurant opens.
The construction of the restaurant has already been contracted to Continental Construction, Red Bank.
McLoone’s Oceanside Restaurant will be built elevated off the sand with stilts, making it flush with the boardwalk.
As with the restaurant in Sea Bright, McLoone said he will use dark woods, a lot of glass, and natural wood tables minus the white table clothes.
Although both restaurants will offer fine dining, what differentiates the two restaurants, said McLoone, "is that the Long Branch restaurant will be a little more casual but still sophisticated. This will not be a place to wear a bathing suit to or a tank top."
Architect for the restaurant Michael Monroe of MGM Services Inc., Red Bank, described the building as having all four sides framed in glass, stucco finishes, a burgundy asphalt roof, simulated wood detailing, and blue-white canvas awnings in the front of the building as well as the back.
"We are picking up on a Victorian theme similar to the look of 100 years ago depicted from old postcards of the city," said Monroe.
According to Monroe, the restaurant will seat approximately 500 patrons.
The dining room designed to seat 70 will be constructed so that tables will be placed on three separate tiers allowing those seated at any table in the dining to have a view of the ocean.
Those enjoying a drink at the L-shaped piano bar also will have spectacular views of the ocean.
Although the restaurant is essentially a one-story building, it will include a mezzanine for a banquet facility to cater to functions of approximately 200 people.
Being adjacent to the boardwalk will give patrons the option to also dine on the outside boardwalk café.
And for those waiting to be seated or just wanting to enjoy summer breezes and a view of the waves crashing along the shoreline, an outdoor deck has been included in the restaurants design.
McLoone said the menu will feature continental cuisine — Jersey-style — leaning more toward a large selection of seafood entrees.
Music will also be part of the scene; however, McLoone emphasized that the restaurant is foremost just that.
"Because of the size of the building, I do not want to give people the impression that it is a night club. Music will be geared toward an adult crowd featuring pop, jazz and rock."
McLoone added that he has also taken into consideration the surrounding residents and the environment, noting that the music will be played toward the ocean instead of into the community.
Russo said that "music is wanted, encouraging an active community that is planned to stage outdoor concerts."
Although a resident of Rumson, McLoone noted that he has a strong affiliation with Long Branch dating back to the 1960s when he ran relay races held at Lake Takanassee. He remains an avid runner and uses the city’s boardwalk as his running path.
McLoone has also fostered relationships with members of the city through his charitable holiday fund-raising with the Holiday Express and from his years as a musician.
McLoone still maintains a band, McLoone and the Shirleys.
"We consider him [McLoone] as a major tenant," said Michelle Wilk of M. Wilk Consulting, Manasquan, the agency hired to market the leasing. "Now we will see things start to roll."
Wilk said she expects the eight retailers who have signed letters of intent to commit to a lease shortly.
Of the leases that are expected to be signed, Russo noted, most will come from more local vendors while 15 to 35 percent of the leases may be signed by national venues.