Renewal on the Horizon: The Marina Bay Towers Revitalization Project Unveiled
North Wildwood, Marina Bay Towers Owner Reach Accord That May Lead to Work StartingNORTH WILDWOOD – From the outside, nothing has changed at Marina Bay Towers at 610 New York Ave., the center of many years of litigation and complaints from residents about the condition of the building. Few people live in the 143-unit structure, built as affordable housing for seniors, and there has been no visible move to begin work on the extensive expansion approved for the site about five years ago.
Court documents indicate the property was headed for a sheriff’s sale, but it is not on a list of upcoming sales posted by the Cape May County Sheriff’s Office. “As of right now we don’t have anything,” Antwan McClellan, a public information officer with the Sheriff’s Office, said recently. But there are signs of activity behind the scenes, including a new agreement with the city of North Wildwood and reports of some repairs being made inside.
The new agreement resolves charges for use of the city’s sewer system by the property and helps clear the way for work to begin at the site, according to North Wildwood’s attorney, Michael Donohue. North Wildwood had reached an earlier settlement with Marina Bay Towers, paving the way for a new 12-story apartment building to be constructed on an adjoining lot. That agreement came after close to 15 years of litigation. There were also plans for new apartments to be sold at market rate to be built at the top of the current seven-story building.
The building’s ownership had argued over the years that the influx of cash from selling market-rate units was needed to fund repair work at the site, including extensive damage from Superstorm Sandy in 2012. It is not clear how many residents still live in Marina Bay Towers, but by all accounts a small fraction of the units are currently occupied.
Now, nine or 10 of the 143 units are currently in use, according to Olga Pomar, an attorney who previously represented some of the building’s tenants. Aside from being lengthy, by all accounts the legal actions over the years were exceedingly complicated, with multiple parties and several lawsuits involved, moving through a complex tangle of state and federal policy on affordable housing, financing, and development. A central issue was living conditions for the residents of the building. Under the settlement agreement of six years ago, sales of newly constructed market-rate units were to help fund the renovations to the existing residences, according to news reports about the agreement at the time. Pomar was among the sources who confirmed that some work has been completed inside the building, including repairs to an elevator that had stopped working. Marina Bay Towers, built as affordable housing for seniors, now has few residents.
But since the April 2020 agreement, there has been no sign of construction beginning on a new high-rise on the lot next door or on exterior renovations to the existing structure. In May, North Wildwood’s City Council voted on a settlement agreement over sewer charges at Marina Bay Towers, approving it unanimously after a brief closed-door meeting. It’s the first public step taken related to the structure in some time. The agreement calls for $68,872 to be repaid to the owning partnership, and more than $18,000 to be applied to the sewer charges.
Efforts to reach residents of Marina Bay Towers have been unsuccessful, with reports indicating work being done in unoccupied units. Residents have long complained about poor conditions, including leaks and mold, with some even claiming the building is falling apart. The building, which opened in 2000, faced construction delays and eventually transitioned to affordable housing.
In 2014, residents took the ownership to court for neglecting repairs and maintenance. Despite numerous complaints over the years, the building’s owner, Paul Cocoziello, has not responded to inquiries about the current situation. The North Wildwood Planning Board approved renovations to the tower in April 2021, aiming to improve living conditions and add affordable housing units for seniors.
A settlement agreement in 2020 paved the way for construction of a new apartment building next to Marina Bay Towers, with a promise of renovations and maintenance of affordable housing units. The recent North Wildwood City Council agreement highlighted a payment provision for city sewer charges, resolving a dispute from the past.
Paul Cocoziello, the owner’s authorized representative, and president of Beach Creek Marina Inc., was listed in the agreement. The goal of the agreement was to end legal disputes, enhance living conditions, and increase tax revenue for North Wildwood. For further information, contact Bill Barlow at 609-886-8600, ext. 129, or [email protected].