Ventnor City Northeast Redevelopment Project
Fourteen years ago (1994) concerned citizens living in the northeast section of Ventnor City expressed their concerns to the City Commissioners about the deteriorating conditions of this neighborhood now known as the Ventnor Gateway so named because it is the entrance to Ventnor City coming from Atlantic City. In 1999 a preliminary investigation began to see if the area met the criteria of the State of New Jersey to qualify as a redevelopment area. Over the next few years several consulting firms were hired, a couple plans were presented and a small group of citizens opposed the eminent domain issues the plans proposed resulting in a series of litigation.
In 2007 The Ventnor Planning Board appointed a subcommittee to re-examine the whole project to see if it’s still feasible. So far the changes to the original plan are: fewer parcels targeted for redevelopment, more aggressive code enforcement policies, some tax abatements in exchange for capital improvements and a suggestion for the City to apply for Revenue Allocation Funds from the county to improve the streetscape along Ventnor Ave.
Over the years the property values have tripled and residents and businesses have on their own made significant improvements in restoring and renovating the homes and buildings in this section of Ventnor. It is the hope of residents and business owners who live or conduct business in the Ventnor Gateway community that the new administration who just took office on May 20th, 2008 will encourage and affect some improvements to this end of town which makes a first impression on visitors coming to Ventnor from Atlantic City.