By Donald Wittkowski
An investor who has started foreclosure proceedings against the Townsends Inlet Civic Center may be willing to listen to a deal that would save the landmark building in Sea Isle City, according to a central figure in the negotiations.
Business partners Christopher Glancey and Bob Morris, who have developed millions of dollars in retail, residential and restaurant projects in Townsends Inlet, hope to rescue the civic center from its tax difficulties so it can be preserved as a community hub.
However, they must first reach agreement to buy a tax sale certificate from an entity called Pro Cap 4 LLC to remove the threat of foreclosure. Glancey identified the investor behind Pro Cap 4 as Marc Rubinsohn of Voorhees, Camden County.
Rubinsohn acquired the tax certificate for the civic center after the building’s current owner, the Townsends Inlet Improvement Association, failed to pay its property taxes. The tax certificate, a lien against the property, gives Rubinsohn the power to foreclose on the civic center and take possession.
Rubinsohn initially refused to sell the tax certificate to Glancey and Morris because he feared they might have their own plans to redevelop the property, Glancey said. But he is now “more open” toward selling the tax certificate for $30,000 after being assured by Glancey and Morris that they only want to preserve the building as a civic center, according to Glancey.
“We are trying to convince him we plan to keep it as a community center,” Glancey said in an interview.
Glancey noted that Rubinsohn has initiated foreclosure proceedings against the property, but said there is still time to reach a deal before the building might be auctioned off at a tax sale.
With Glancey and Morris getting involved, it gives the civic center the backing of two prominent figures who are reshaping the sleepy Townsends Inlet section of Sea Isle with a series of major development projects.
Last year, they opened the trendy Dunes restaurant, banquet and condominium complex on Landis Avenue between 86th and 87th streets. Glancey and Morris are currently building two other projects on Landis Avenue near the Dunes that will combine upscale retail, restaurant and condo space. The projects are scheduled to open this summer.
If Glancey and Morris are successful in buying the civic center’s tax certificate from Rubinsohn, the Townsends Inlet Improvement Association would no longer have to worry about losing the building in foreclosure, giving it more time to regroup. City officials said the association owes more than $45,000 in local property taxes.
The association’s financial difficulties began several years ago when it failed to file the required paperwork to maintain its tax-exempt status, forcing Sea Isle to begin taxing the civic center property as required by law.
Glancey said if he and Morris acquire the tax certificate, the next step would be for the association to file paperwork to regain its tax-exempt status. The civic center would then remain under the control of a tax-exempt entity. Glancey stressed he has no plan to own the building himself.
Although the civic center is fighting for its survival now, it has a storied history as a cultural landmark, community hub and entertainment venue. A plaque on the facade indicates the building dates to 1888. For years, it hosted concerts, dances, beauty pageants, church services, pancake breakfasts, flea markets, holiday celebrations and many other special events.
As long as foreclosure looms, the fate of the civic center is uncertain. The building is located on 85th Street about a block from the beach, a prime location that could be tempting to condominium developers. Glancey, though, said the property is zoned for public use, which would prevent it from being redeveloped for housing unless the land is rezoned by the city.
Glancey outlined his rescue plan for the civic center during a board meeting Tuesday of the Sea Isle City Chamber of Commerce and Revitalization. Glancey, who is the Chamber of Commerce president, assured the board members that he had no intention of using the Chamber’s money to buy the tax certificate.
“I’ll buy the lien personally,” he told the board members. “I’ll roll the dice. I’m fine with that.”
Separately, the Chamber of Commerce is exploring the possibility of applying for a historic restoration grant to refurbish the civic center and keep it going as a community site. The Chamber may use its designation as a member of New Jersey’s Main Street community revitalization program to apply for the grant.
The civic center’s tired-looking exterior suggests that the building needs a major overhaul. Glancey indicated the roof is also in bad shape. Chamber officials are unsure of the condition of the interior because the doors are locked and no one has been able to get a peek inside recently.
