Anthony Gonzalez\’s Blog

From $220,000 to $209,900!!!!!

Pride in ownership shows in this cute home. Completely updated and sitting on a nice size 50×80 lot. Newer Roof, Kitchen, Floors, New Central Air and freshly painted. Very neat and clean home with nice size back yard, Gas Grill & double wide driveway. Great location for commuters, near public transportation, GSP exit 120, Cheesequake Park, Schools, Shopping areas and Beaches.

Listing Price: 209900
Address: 191 CLEVELAND AVENUE
City: OLD BRIDGE
State: NJ
ZIP: 08879

MLS # (if any): 21126609
Bedrooms: 2
Bathrooms: 1.5

For additional photos, links to Virtual Floor Plan, and more, click here!

The owners of Red Bank™s restaurants want the town to have its own taste, an aroma to attract patrons to their dining tables.
They have watched as marketing campaigns have helped to spread the word about Asbury Park and Long Branch, particularly Pier Village, the shopping destination in Long Branch along the Atlantic Ocean.

What about Red Bank? It has nearly 90 restaurants in town.

œWhat we™re hoping to do as a restaurant group is just market ourselves out there in terms of the diversity of the restaurants we have in Red Bank right now and bring people back, said Dan Lynch, an owner of The Downtown and Red, two restaurants.

The plan: a œfull-blown blitz, said George Lyristis, owner of the Bistro at Red Bank, who is also buying Teak. œWe are rebranding ourselves.

A possible slogan for the effort is œFlavors of Red Bank, said Nancy Adams, executive director of Red Bank RiverCenter, which is working with the restaurant group.

As diners have a plethora of options, a town™s brand and marketing efforts can make all the difference. œWhen you have that local market, you have a potential gold mine, said Vicki Kunkel, chief content officer at Perform-Smart.com, a digital content company in Chicago. œThe ones that brand themselves the best wind up getting the customers.

Selling a locale can boost repeat customers. œCome eat at our restaurants, see what we have to offer, said Eugene S. Simko, a professor at Monmouth University™s School of Business Administration. œThe restaurants can use a synergy. Right down the street there is another beautiful place.

Other towns have made similar efforts. For instance, New Brunswick has New Brunswick Rocks, which is organized by the town™s restaurants.

New Brunswick City Market, the downtown association, also has created two commercials over the past 18 months, including one that was sports driven, seeking to œbring a different kind of feel to New Brunswick for the restaurants we have downtown, said Pamela Stefanek, executive director at New Brunswick City Market.

œThe feedback that I™ve received was very positive, Stefanek said. The campaign used local people from the downtown restaurants. œWhen you went into the restaurants, you could identify (them) if you saw them on TV, Stefanek said.

Work is also underway by the business community in Somerville, which held a restaurant week about two weeks ago. œWhat we are trying to do is market and outbrand to our strengths, which is restaurants, retail and specialty stores, said Rick St. Pierre, owner of Verve and a member of the Downtown Somerville Alliance.

In Monmouth County, restaurateurs in Red Bank have watched as Asbury Park and Pier Village took the spotlight.

œI see Pier Village everywhere. I see Asbury Park advertised everywhere and you really don™t see Red Bank anywhere right now in terms of advertising for the town nor for the restaurants, Lynch said.

The restaurant group will use about $35,000 generated by last year™s food and wine walks to fund the marketing efforts, said Adams. They are close to hiring M Studio Design and Marketing, an Asbury Park firm that also is being used by that city.

œThe benefit of having a strong marketing plan that involves both design, website, social media, event planning and traditional PR (public relations) is huge for any city or organization, said Jenna Zilincar, owner of M Studio. œThey (Red Bank) had their ups and they had their downs. They are due for a resurgence.

Zilincar™s company has represented the city of Asbury Park and some of its restaurants, including Trinity and The Pope. Red Bank has a different feel than Asbury Park, she said. œIt™s our job to find that uniqueness and capitalize on that, Zilincar said.

The restaurants are the top reason to come into Red Bank, Lyristis said.

œIt™s just trying to get people back in town. Basically saying ˜We™re still here,™  he said. œWe had a great run, but we were the only game in town. Now our slice of the pie got chopped up so many different ways.

Article by: David P. Willis: 732-643-4039; dwillis@njpressmedia.com; www.twitter.com/dpwillis732

Useful beach access information available

FREEHOLD, NJ “ Just in time for the 2011 summer beach season, the Monmouth County Board of Chosen Freeholders has published the annual Monmouth County Accessible Beach Guide.

œTo make summer beach-going easier for individuals with disabilities, this guide provides detailed information about accessible beach walkways and ramps, parking, curb cuts and surf chair availability, Freeholder Robert D. Clifton said. œThe information is organized alphabetically by town or beach and has details about this year™s beach fees, lifeguard hours and amenities.

œOver the past several years we have seen the level of barrier-free beach access improve up and down the county™s coastline, Freeholder Amy A. Mallet said. œMobile beach mats have been one of the best improvements to help individuals with mobility issues get onto the beach and up to the high water mark.

Municipal telephone numbers and Web sites are also included to help beachgoers contact towns or beaches directly for specific information.

The guide is updated each year by the county™s Office on Disabilities that is part of the county™s Department of Human Services. The staff also serves as a year-round source for information, referral and advocacy for persons with disabilities and their families and serves as liaison to state and non-profit agencies that provide assistance to residents who need services.

For questions about this publication, contact Sue Moleon, director of the Monmouth County Office on Disabilities, at 732-308-3770, ext. 3599.

Download your copy of the Monmouth County Accessible Beach Guide from the county™s Office on Aging, Disabilities and Veterans Services™ Web page at www.visitmonmouth.com.

Millions of young adults are beginning to move out of their parents™ homes and create new households at the fastest rate since 2007. Some housing experts are predicting these young adults may provide a major jump to U.S. housing starts–possibly by more than 50 percent, even by next year–and increase housing consumption at a rate nearly double that of the past two years, Bloomberg News reports.

In 2011, between 750,000 and 1 million new households are expected to be created, says UBS Securities LLC™s Maury Harris and IHS Global Insight™s Patrick Newport. In the year ended March 2010, new households stood at 357,000–the lowest on record, according to U.S. Census data. The œdepressed rate in new household formation has continued to jeopardize the housing market™s recovery, experts say.

But as the employment picture continues to improve, more young adults are leaving Mom and Dad™s house and making a new home for themselves. The œmoving-back-in-with-Mom-and-Dad phenomenon had caused a backlog of pent-up households, Charles Lieberman, chief investment officer with Advisors Capital Management LLC in Hasbrouck Heights, N.J., told Bloomberg News. œImproved economic conditions will œenable these households to split up and resume living in their own residences.

Housing starts are expected to get a boost to about 648,000 this year and near 900,000 in 2012 (it stood at 586,800 last year), says Brad Hunter, chief economist and national director of consulting for Metrostudy. The increase in housing starts, he says, reflects a œshadow demand for new homes among family members who have moved in together because of economic conditions.

œThe demographic component of housing demand is strong,” he says. “It™s just the economic and psychological components that are holding things back.

Millions of young adults are beginning to move out of their parents™ homes and create new households at the fastest rate since 2007. Some housing experts are predicting these young adults may provide a major jump to U.S. housing starts–possibly by more than 50 percent, even by next year–and increase housing consumption at a rate nearly double that of the past two years, Bloomberg News reports.

In 2011, between 750,000 and 1 million new households are expected to be created, says UBS Securities LLC™s Maury Harris and IHS Global Insight™s Patrick Newport. In the year ended March 2010, new households stood at 357,000–the lowest on record, according to U.S. Census data. The œdepressed rate in new household formation has continued to jeopardize the housing market™s recovery, experts say.

But as the employment picture continues to improve, more young adults are leaving Mom and Dad™s house and making a new home for themselves. The œmoving-back-in-with-Mom-and-Dad phenomenon had caused a backlog of pent-up households, Charles Lieberman, chief investment officer with Advisors Capital Management LLC in Hasbrouck Heights, N.J., told Bloomberg News. œImproved economic conditions will œenable these households to split up and resume living in their own residences.

Housing starts are expected to get a boost to about 648,000 this year and near 900,000 in 2012 (it stood at 586,800 last year), says Brad Hunter, chief economist and national director of consulting for Metrostudy. The increase in housing starts, he says, reflects a œshadow demand for new homes among family members who have moved in together because of economic conditions.

œThe demographic component of housing demand is strong,” he says. “It™s just the economic and psychological components that are holding things back.

Written by NANCY SHIELDS , STAFF WRITER

ASBURY PARK ” The owner of the former Metropolitan Hotel site on Asbury Avenue plans to build a six-story, 98-unit residence that would adopt many of the architectural features of the landmark white building that was razed in March 2008.

In a presentation to the City Council this past week, owner Donald Cresitello, a formerMorristown mayor, said he does not yet have funding in hand, but will get city approvals first.

“The financial people say there’s money available for apartments ” I had hoped for condos,” Cresitello said Wednesday night.

Cresitello bought the vacant 180-room Spanish revival-style hotel in 1993, but never developed the building before it was declared an eminent hazard and torn down three years ago.

The developer’s architect, Anthony Gianforcaro, showed plans Wednesday night for one- and two-bedroom units, a two-story lobby, a rooftop patio, an enclosed pool and a recreation area.

Cresitello will need approval to increase the height from four to six stories and to provide 1 1/2 parking spaces per residential unit instead of two.

Donald Sammet, the city director of planning and redevelopment, said both of those changes are permitted on the waterfront. The property, on the 300 block of Asbury Avenue, is close to both the beach and the downtown.

Cresitello said some of the units will be summer homes, and the others will be for year-round residents. He plans to have 34 two-bedroom units, 56 one-bedroom, seven luxury two-bedroom and a top-floor penthouse.

If he gets financing for condominiums, Cresitello said the pricing as of now would be $475,000 for a one-bedroom, $550,000 to $575,000 for a two-bedroom, and in the $600,000s for the luxury two-bedrooms.

The plan calls for an automated parking garage where cars are parked automatically in a sublevel parking space where residents themselves would not enter.

The Planning Board will hear the proposal next.

The hotel closed in 1987, when Martin and Sylvia Weinblatt, whose family had owned it since 1945, sold the property for $2.25 million to Jersey City developers Karim and Gomaa el-Said, at a time when a then-massive waterfront plan was taking off. Ultimately, those plans went nowhere.

The new owners filed for bankruptcy a year later. In 1992, a Texas developer contracted to buy the hotel for $600,000 from the American Savings and Loan bank and convert it into senior citizen apartments, but never got financing.

The bank eventually sold the Metropolitan in June 1993 for $10,150 to a company, 309 Park Corp., which sold it the next month to Cresitello’s company for $150,000.

Cresitello initially sought to convert the hotel into a congregate care facility of one-bedroom apartments and efficiencies for middle-income residents or the elderly. But the Morristown developer and city soon clashed when the owners sought to open a 40-unit annex as a daily or weekly motel to get cash while moving forward with their larger plans.

The pride in ownership shows throughout this 4 bedroom home462 WEST PARK AVENE OAKHURST, NJ 07755 Type: Single Family Residential Price: $388,900   The pride in ownership shows throughout this 4 bedroom home with 1 full bath on the main level & 1 full bath on the 2nd floor bedroom level. The 1.5 wide drive-thru garage opens to deep fully fenced-in and very privet 77×177 lot, w/large 16×12 deck off the family room. The family room includes a Fireplace & 2 Skylights. Full Basement, Hot Water Baseboard Heat, Central Air, Hardwoods throughout, and Ceramic tile in the Kitchen. Great home in desirable Oakhurst.

Interior: Attic, Skylight, Bay/bow, Bonus Room Foy: LR: FLR-Wood, Fireplce, Skylight, FLR-Ceramic, FP-Gas DR: GR/FR: FLR-Wood, Bay/Bow, FP-Gas Kit: MBR: FLR-W/wCarp MBA: Flr: Wood, W/WCarp, Ceramic, Tile Bsmt: Full, PartFin, Heated HVAC: CentAir, HwBb Fuel: NatGas WatHt: Nat Gas Exterior: Fence Gar: Attached, Oversize Park: Dbl Wide, Asphalt Roof: Shingled Lot: Pool: N: Bldg: Siding: Aluminum WtSw: Public Sewer, Public Water Included:

 

Chamber Offers Chance to Sample Taste and Style of Long Branch !!The Greater Long Branch Chamber of Commerce announces that the Second Annual Long Branch Chef Challenge will be April 28th at the Ocean Place Resort and Spa. Last year was such an outstanding success and we aim to make 2011 even better!The Chef Challenge committee felt that since Long Branch is a fabulous dining destination that an event of this type will be a great showcase for our wonderful restaurants and a kickoff for the Spring/Summer 2011 season.

The event is planned for Thursday evening, April 28th at 6:30 PM. The Challenge portion is limited to 15 chefs. Judging will be by a three member panel of industry specialists, Chris Brandl from Brandl™s in Belmar; Debbie George, Food & Wine magazine and Michael Sirianni, Principal/Director of the Culinary Education Center, a division of the Monmouth County Vocational School District.

Additionally, there will be a People™s Choice Ballot for attendees to vote for their favorite chef.

The Greater Long Branch Chamber of Commerce, Atlantic Eye Physicians, Monmouth Medical Center, Ansell, Grimm and Aaron, PC, and the City of Long Branch Office of Community and Economic Development are sponsoring the event.

Ocean Place Resort and Spa and Tre Amici il Piccolo Forno will return to defend their 2010 titles and as of today the following chefs will be participating: Ken Mansfield, Sirena; Jaime Fierros, Branches; Dominique Filoni, Avenue; Greg Weightman, Rooney™s Oceanfront Restaurant; Kris Kelber, Draft House; Rick Piancone, Johnny Piancone™s; Jesse Novak, Jesse™s Café; Ryan Musillo, McLoone™s Pier House; Dave Connolly, Charley™s Ocean Grille; Joseph Tuzzio of Tuzzio™s Restaurant and Nigel David Samaroo of White Marlin.

The Chamber likes to showcase as many of our businesses as possible. One of the exciting developments from last year was the table designs created by our local florists, decorators and designers. They were absolutely spectacular!! This year the committee is inviting the florists, decorators and designers back too and we will have an additional competition for the table designs! The Committee has invited Design NJ to judge the event. Additionally, there will be a People™s Choice ballot for the attendees to vote.

All attendees will get to sample all of the chef™s entries along with other demonstrations. Court Liquors will be sampling craft beers. R & R Marketing will be sampling wines, CMSC Spirits will be sampling their new liqueur. Additionally, there will be other food demonstrations and tastings by Cake Bake and Roll, Rocky Mountain Chocolate Company, Carter and Cavero Olive Oil Company, DIVE, and the Rook Coffee Roasters. Sponsorships are still available for the event. Tickets are limited to 300 people and are $70.00 per person. The Chamber accepts Visa, Mastercard and American Express.

Please contact Susan Woolley or Nancy Kleiberg at 7322220400 or longbranchchamber@verizon.net to purchase tickets or for more information.

Today and yesturday™s picture-perfect weather has gotten me  geared up for the summer at the Jersey Shore!   Book your beach houses, rent your share of the shore house, or get ready to crash on a   friend™s couch because this summer™s concerts are going to be worth it!

Are you looking to stretch the legs a little bit this summer?

The Festival for Humanity, which takes place May 27 to 30 at Mountain Creek Resort in Vernon, promises something unique to the summertime concert experience: leg room.   œWe have a clearance of three feet from the back of the chair to the front of the chair, said festival promoter Anders Thueson regarding the event™s reserved seating. œIt™s really about creating a comfortable environment.

And a giving environment. The fest was created to tap into the concertgoers™ altruistic side. Charities related to suicide prevention and the promotion of good health and nutrition ” 20 in all ” will be on hand.

The bands were chosen partly on past deeds of goodwill, Thueson said. Good Charlotte, Third Eye Blind, the Misfits, From Good Homes, the New Pornographers, Sister Hazel, John Popper & the Duskray Troubadours, Soul Asylum, Cracker and Rebbie Jackson are among the 40 bands slated to perform.

œThe people of (1-800-SUICIDE) said that Third Eye Blind (and the band™s anti-suicide song) ˜Jumper™ has saved more lives then they have in their eight years of existence, Thueson said.

As for the Misfits, the Jersey punks tie into the extreme sports aspect of Mountain Creek, which will also host the U.S. Open mountain bike championships on the same weekend.

œThe Misfits are found on the iPod of every snowboarder on the mountain, Thueson said. œThe kids love them.

Ticket prices range from $33.75 for general admission to $750 for patrons, which gets you a meet-and-greet with the artists. Visit www.festivalforhumanity.com for tickets or more information.

It™s summer concert season, and it™s looking to be a big one this year. Britney Spears, Rihanna, Selena Gomez, U2, Lady Gaga, Katy Perry, the Dave Matthews Band, Lil Wayne and Motley Crue at the Bamboozle Festival and Taylor Swift are among the big names coming through the state. Following is our handy summer concert guide to help you start planning, if you haven™t started already:

2011 SUMMER JERSEY CONCERT SAMPLER

Dave Matthews Band Caravan, June 24-26, Bader Field Airport, Route 40, Atlantic City. www.dmbcaravan.com: Dave Matthews Band, David Gray, Ray Montagne, The flaming Lips, O.A.R. and more.

 Festival for Humanity, May 27-30, Mountain Creek, Vernon. www.festivalforhumanity.com: Good Charlotte, Third Eye Blind, The Misfits, From Good Homes, The New Pornographers, Sister Hazel, John Popper & the Duskray Troubadours, Soul Asylum, Cracker, Rebbie Jackson and more

Izod Center, Route 120, East Rutherford, 201-935-3900, www.izodcenter.com:

May 5: Rammstein
May 13 The PLJ Spring Bash with Daughtry, Lifehouse and Colbie Caillat
June 11: Richard Nader™s Summer Doowop Reunion XXII
June 12-13: New Kids on the Block and the Backstreet Boys
June 16-17: Glee Live!
June 24: Sade with John Legend
July 21: Rihanna with J. Cole and Cee Lo Green
Aug. 5: Britney Spears

New Meadowlands Stadium Route 120, East Rutherford, 201-935-3900
www.newmeadowlandsstadium.com:

April 29-May 1: Bamboozle Festival with Lil Wayne, Motley Crue, Taking Back Sunday and more
July 20: U2
Aug. 13: Kenny Chesney with the Zac Brown Band

PNC Bank Arts Center, Exit 116, Garden State Parkway, Holmdel, 732-203-2500, www.livenation.com:

May 21: Sugarland with Matt Nathanson and Little Big Town
May 31-June 1: Phish
June 3: Jason Aldea
June 8: Daryl Hall & John Oates
June 10: Deep Purple
July 12: Kid Rock
July 13: Def Leppard
Aug. 20: Selena Gomez
Aug. 24: Journey with special guests Foreigner and Night Ranger

Prudential Center, 165 Mulberry St., Newark, 973-757-6000, www.prucenter.com:

April 22: Lady Gaga
May 7: Usher with Akon
May 29: Luis Miguel
June 18: 2011 McDonald™s Gospelfest
June 19: Katy Perry
June 25: Sade with John Legend
July 14: Keith Urban
July 19, 20, 23 and 24: Taylor Swift
Aug. 2: Josh Groban

Red Bull Arena 600 Cape May St., Harrison, www.redbullarena.us:

June 18: Dispatch

Susquehanna Bank Center 1 Harbour Blvd., Camden, 856-365-1300
www.livenation.com:

April 30: Thirty Seconds To Mars
May 7: Bruno Mars and Janelle Monae
May 14: Sugarland with Matt Nathanson and Little Big Town
May 15: Daughtry with Lifehouse and Colbie Caillat
May 22: 3 Doors Down
June 10: Phish
June 23: Jimmy Buffett and the Coral Reefer Band
June 25: Peter Gabriel
June 26: Def Leppard with Heart
July 9: Rascal Flatts with Sara Evans, Easton Corbin and Justin Moore
July 16: Motley Crue and Poison with special guests New York Dolls
July 21: Van™s Warped Tour
Aug. 13: Journey with Foreigner and Night Ranger
Sept. 23: Brad Paisley,

Vans Warped Tour, July 24, Monmouth Park, Oceanport Avenue, Oceanport,
www.vanswarpedtour.com:

A Day To Remember, Asking Alexandria, Attack Attack!, The Devil Wears Prada, August Bus Red, Gym Class Heroes and more.

Written by CHRIS JORDAN STAFF WRITER

Just Sold!   Located on a quiet, dead-end lane and tucked behind an 80² privet hedge, this unassuming 1920s cottage packed plenty of surprises once  my clients  crossed its  threshold.   Listed for $439,900 and sold for $412,000, this home featured warm chestnut floors and original beamed ceilings that exuded charm and character.   Generously sized public rooms made this home feel larger than it is.   Add an indoor pool overlooking Deal Lake and you™ve got the perfect home for entertaining!   Tasteful updates & newer roof, boiler, and water heater made this one ready to move right in and enjoy!

Listing Price: 412000
Address: 25 WANAMASSA POINT RD
City: OCEAN
State: NJ
ZIP: 07712

MLS # (if any): 21107308
Square Feet:
Bedrooms: 3
Bathrooms: 2
Status: SOLD

Room Type

Lvl

Dimnsns

Room Type

Lvl

Dimnsns

Room Type

Lvl

Dimnsns

Living

1

20×20

Dining

1

17×10

Kitchen

1

16×9

#Lvl1Bths:

2

Bedrm:Master

1

18×10

Bedroom

1

12×10

Bedroom

1

12×9