My Vision for the "Baronet Block"

There has been significant discussion at recent City Council meetings about preserving the Baronet Theater. I am 100% in support of this effort and want to share my vision for the “Baronet Block.”

I want to preserve the Asbury Lanes, the Fast-Lane and the Baronet Theater and establish this section of Fourth Avenue as an entertainment area. I would also like to amend the Waterfront Redevelopment Plan to allow for a parking deck to be built on the empty lot west of these buildings. On the first story above the aforementioned entertainment venues, I would like to have office space for the community group that will manage the Baronet, as well as affordable artist-loft apartments. This first story will provide two things. First, it will provide some affordable units within the Waterfront Redevelopment Area. Second, it will provide a necessary noise buffer between the entertainment venues and the subsequent stories. The fact that the occupants of these units will deal with noise from the venues is the trade-off for getting something affordable one block from the beach. Above these units I would like to see market-rate condominium units.

In return for Asbury Partner’s potential loss of revenue on the ground floor retail units and the first floor of affordable units and office space, I would like the City to negotiate for increased height on this or another parcel within the Waterfront Redevelopment Area.

To execute this vision, I have reached out to our City Attorney and will reach out to my fellow Councilmembers about proposing a resolution on May 17th that would direct our City staff to begin negotiating these issues with Asbury Partners.