32 Abandoned Lots Atlantic City, New Jersey Marie Peters
32 Abandoned Lots Atlantic City, New Jersey
Marie Peters Master of Architecture Thesis Wentworth Institute of Technology April 2014
CONTENTS
Site Map
6
Tactics
8
Casinos In Atlantic City
11
6 Casino Resorts
12
Abandoned Lots: 32 Parcels
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6
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Tactics “ Beneath the pavement, the beach! ” “ Sous les pavés, la plage! “- May 1968 France
The existence of tourist destination cities proves our impulsive desire to break the monotonous everyday routine and be in a fantastical place of consumption. The identity of Atlantic City, New Jersey is that of escapism and pleasure, it is a place rooted in the American psyche. Yet, today this casino resort city does not flourish as it once did. The juxtaposition of the glitzy veneer in the tourist district and the decaying lots splattered throughout is symptomatic of the developers’ myopic city. This project provides an encyclopedic gathering of information on the abandoned lots and proposes absurd interventions that raise awareness of the way that our notion of place is dominated by economics, politics and consumerism and provides commentary on society’s infatuation with money and material possessions. These voids in the city are not inconsequential but rather are directly related to the history, politics and economics of Atlantic City.
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“ Atlantic City is America on steroids, its best
and worst features bloated and exaggerated. �
- Temple University professor Bryant Simon
The real estate value of the abandoned parcels becomes a metaphor for the perspective of the developer, resembling the properties on the Monopoly board game. These interventions construct a dialogue between the real and hyper real, past and present, money and practicality, developer and local resident of Atlantic City by holding a mirror up to the facts that trouble the city today. The interventions are not meant to be real but are proposed as a satire that raises consciousness on the greater issues that affect urban areas. An extensive, detailed and rigorous approach was brought to this carnivalesque methodology, allowing the interventions to relate to the historic foundation and site specificity that defines the meaning of place. The goal of this thesis is to promote a critical understanding about real economic conditions facing the building design and urban planning industry.
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Casinos In Atlantic City In 1695 a quaker farmer bought the first parcel of land in an area known as Absegami or “Little Sea Water to the Lenni Lenape native Americans. By the late nineteenth century developers from Philadelphia began to recognize the potential of Atlantic City as an international place for relaxation and recuperation. By the turn of the century anything was possible in the worlds playground; amusement rides, bizarre goods and services, concerts and dances. The rich and famous came to Atlantic City to play and enjoy shows, theater, and contests. Atlantic City was like a permanent World’s Fair. By the mid twentieth century Atlantic City eroded; tourists were typically poor, minority and elderly. It was no longer a place for the rich and famous. Atlantic City housed the highest poverty and crime rate. In 1976, in an attempt to recharge the city, casino gambling was legalized. As the new casino resorts opened, the historic iconic hotels vanished, forever changing the city. Today, there are 11 casino resorts: Bally’s, Borgata, Caesars, Golden Nugget, Harrah’s, Resorts, Revel, Showboat, Tropicana, Trump Plaza and Trump Taj Mahal. The famous boardwalk lines the three and a half mile long beach. However, the unemployment and crime rates are high. There are many distressed buildings and vacant land in highly visible areas. Six casinos fall within the territory covered by this thesis.
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Trump Plaza Hotel and Casino The 39 story Trump Plaza Hotel and Casino opened on May 26, 1984 in Atlantic City. It was then renovated in 2006. Donald Trump commissioned the project and it was built by architect Martin Stern. Trump Entertainment Resorts owns this casino as well as the Trump Taj Mahal. There is 86,923 square feet of casino gaming space. Besides the casino, the resort offers 904 hotels room as well as restaurants and banquet space. The entire resort land and building value is assessed at $136,283,300. Recently, Trump Entertainment Resorts announced that it intended to sell Trump Plaza to the Meruelo Group for $20 million, the lowest price an Atlantic City Casino has ever sold for. Trump Plaza Hotel and Casino, is one of the city’s most struggling casinos, the operating profit went down from $10 million in 2012 to $4.7 million in 2013.
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Caesars Atlantic City The ancient Roman themed Caesars Atlantic City opened on June 26, 1979 as Boardwalk Regency. It was then renovated in 1997 and 2006. Caesar’s Entertainment owns the Resort. There is 140,749 square feet of casino gaming space. Besides the casino, the resort offers 1,144 hotels room as well as shops, restaurants, nightclubs and a theater. Caesar’s is one of the largest Resorts in Atlantic City. The entire resort land and building value is assessed at $311,449,200. In 2013, Caesar’s had a 16 percent decline in profit, to $69.5 million.
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Bally’s Atlantic City Bally’s Atlantic City opened on December 26, 1979 as Bally’s Park Place. The resort includes the Wild Wild West Casino, opened in 1997. The resort was renovated in 1983, 1994, 2005 and 2009. Caesars Entertainment owns Bally’s. There is 104,094 square feet of casino gaming space. Besides the casino, the resort offers 1,753 hotels room as well as restaurants, nightlife and theater. The entire resort land and building value is assessed at $299,509,800. In 2013, Bally’s had over a 45 percent decline in profit, to $33.4 million.
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Resorts Casino Hotel Resorts Casino Hotel was the first casino hotel to open in Atlantic City on May 28, 1978. It was the first legal casino outside of Nevada in the USA. The resort was renovated in 1998, 2002 and 2011. DGMB Casinos owns Resorts. There is 81,219 square feet of casino gaming space. Besides the casino, the resort offers 942 hotels room as well as restaurants and showrooms. The entire resort land and building value is assessed at $56,524,300. In 2013, Resorts Casino was down in profit by 54 percent, to $12.2 million.
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Trump Taj Mahal The Trump Taj Mahal opened on April 2, 1990 in Atlantic City. Trump Entertainment Resorts owns this casino as well as the Trump Plaza. The resort was renovated in 2008. There is 159,998 square feet of casino gaming space. Besides the casino, the resort offers 2,248 hotel rooms as well as an arena, restaurants, nightclubs and shopping. The entire resort land and building value is assessed at $270,172,800. In 2013, the Trump Taj Mahal Casino Resort had a gross operating profit of $19.6 million for the year, which was down more than 55 percent from 2012.
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Showboat Atlantic City Hotel & Casino The Mardi Gras themed Showboat Atlantic City opened on April 2, 1987. The resort is owned by Caesars Entertainment. The resort was renovated in 2003 and 2007. There is 125,955 square feet of casino gaming space. Besides the casino, the resort offers over 1,300 hotels room as well as a spa, entertainment and restaurants. The entire resort land and building value is assessed at $305,853,400. In 2013, Showboat Casino Hotel saw its profits fall by nearly 28 percent to $34 million.
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Abandoned Lots Atlantic City The scope of this thesis includes 32 Abandoned Lots in a .62 by 1.22 mile area. The lots are either dirt, grass or overgrown asphalt and are not used for any practical purpose. Outside of this area lie numerous other abandoned lots that have not been accounted for. Inside of this area lie an overly abundant number of vast parking lots and abandoned buildings that have not been included in the list.
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This overgrown grass lot abuts the abandoned Salartash Surgical Associates Building. Across the street is a large medical center.
Parcel 1
Salartash Surgical Associates was known for its organ transplantation, specifically kidneys.
Cost: $134,800 Lots:17 S. Ohio Ave Owner: Atlantic City County Club 1 LLC Size: 2,813 Square Feet
Kidneys on the black market cost on average $150,000 each. If you filled this parcel with its appraised value you would have .9 human kidneys. On the other hand, kidney beans cost $.88 per can. If you filled this parcel with its appraised value you would have 153,181.8 cans of Goya kidney beans.
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Parcel 2 Cost: $7,166,300 Lots: 22 S. Dr. Martin Luther King Blvd, 1701 Pacific Ave, 21 and 25 S. Indiana Ave Owner: Boardwalk Piers 4 LLC and Casino Reinvestment Development Authority Size: 23,500 square feet 28
This site was historically where Sands Casino stood before it was torn down. The large grass parcel covers the corner of the busy intersection between Dr. Martin Luther King Boulevard and Pacific Avenue. The goal of the owner, The New Jersey Casino Reinvestment Development Authority is to reinvest revenue brought in by the casinos. Adjacent to the parcel is a cash for gold and jewelry store. Some people believe gold is the best ways to invest your money. A 10 oz. gold bar costs $13,412.54. If you filled this parcel with its appraised value you would have 534.3 10 oz. gold bars.
This dirt lot is grown over with patches of grass. It is next to an abandoned parking garage and adjacent to the Madison House Hotel.
Parcel 3 Cost: $1,677,300 Lots:139 S Dr Martin Luther King Blvd Owner: Boardwalk Piers 4 LLC Size: 21,140 Square Feet
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Google Images incorrectly labels this abandoned lot as well as the adjacent parking lot as Wabash Park. Perhaps this lot should become more green. An 8’ Eastern Red Cedar tree costs $188. If you filled this parcel with its appraised value you would have 8,921.8 8’ Eastern Red Cedar trees. Thus, turning the lot into a forest.
Parcel 4
This patchy dirt and grass filled parcel is surrounded by parking lots. Adjacent to the parcel are apartment buildings and mid-range hotels. Besides the luxury casino hotels Atlantic city houses many low to mid range hotels.
Cost: $4,912,800 Lots:120, 134 S Kentucky Ave, 133 S Mt Vernon Ave Owner: Boardwalk Piers 4 LLC Size: 61,080 Square Feet
Hotel rooms cost $98.18 per square foot to build, and the average hotel room size is 500 square feet. At the cost of $49,090 per hotel room, if you filled this parcel with its appraised value you would have 100.1 hotel rooms.
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This patchy dirt and grass lot is adjacent to Asian Bizarre Supermarket and townhouse apartments.
Parcel 5 Cost: $314,900 Lots: 27 S Kentucky Ave Owner: Shih Tai Pien Size: 4,350 Square Feet
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The Asian Bizarre Supermarket was fined for selling counterfeit stamped cigarettes and prescription drugs without a license. A package of cigarettes costs on average $8.55. If you filled this parcel with its appraised value you would have 36,830.4 packs of cigarettes. On the other hand, lungs on the black market cost about $290,000. If you filled this parcel with its appraised value you would have 1.1 human lungs.
Parcel 6 Cost: $491,600 Lots:1509, 1515 and 1517 Pacific Ave Owner: N & E NJ LLC Size: 7,039 Square Feet
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The patchy grass lot is hidden from the sidewalk by a bush. There are townhouse apartments in the rear. The parcel is adjacent to Cape Bank, Ben’s Market and Kelsey’s Soul food. Kelsey’s Soul Food specializes in live jazz music and chicken and waffle dinners. Chicken and waffles dinners from Kelsey’s cost $14.99. If you filled this parcel with its appraised value you would have 32,795.2 chicken and waffle dinners.
Parcel 7 Cost: $674,900 Lots:1520 Pacific Ave Owner: Boardwalk Piers 4 LLC, Boardwalk Piers 3 LLC Size: 8,610 Square Feet
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Half of this abandoned lot has been landscaped and is a bus stop. The rest of the lot is patchy dirt and grass, abutting parking lots and a liquor store. The city landscaped half of the lot to improve the intersection and bus stop waiting area. The other half is hidden behind planters and forgotten about. An Atlantic City, city bus costs on average $400,000. If you filled this parcel with its appraised value you would have 1.7 city buses.
This parcel is an abandoned dirt parking lot. The lot is adjacent to a liquor store, 7 Eleven, and the closed one star Riviera Hotel.
Parcel 8 Cost: $1,648,700 Lots:1504, 1506, 1514, 1516 Pacific Ave Owner: Boardwalk Piers 3 LLC, Fraser Ltd Size: 7,130 Square Feet
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“7 Eleven is home of Big Gulp fountain soft drinks, Big Bite hot dogs, Slurpee drinks, and other convenient, healthy and fast food items�. A 40 oz. slurpee from 7 Eleven costs $1.29 in Atlantic City. If you filled this parcel with its appraised value you would have 1,278,062 40 oz. slurpees.
This dirt and grass parcel is an island surrounded by parking lots and the street.
Parcel 9
This parcel is the worst kind of island; a barren concrete, city island. On the other hand, the best kind of island is tropical and on the beach.
Cost: $832,800 Lots:117 and 123 S Kentucky Ave Owner: Boardwalk Piers 4 LLC Size: 10,625 Square Feet
Katafanga Island in Fiji is for sale for $25,000,000. If you filled this parcel with its appraised value you would have transplanted 3.3% of an island from Fiji.
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This dirt and patchy grass parcel is adjacent to townhouse apartments and parking lots. There is a Days Inn across the street.
Parcel 10 Cost: $616,800 Lots:159 and 161 Westminster Ave Owner: John J Schultz and Westminster Property LLC Size: 3,000 Square Feet
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This parcel was a three story apartment building but it was condemned and “deemed unfit for human habitation, occupancy or use� on October 25, 2012 by the city. Excavators that dig foundations and tear down buildings cost $250,000 each. If you filled this parcel with its appraised value you would have 2.5 excavators, as a homage to the past and future building on the lot.
Parcel 11 Cost: $2,352,900 Lots:167, 171, 181, 185 and 193 S New York Ave, 138, 132, 130, 128, 126, 124, 122, 120 and 118 St James Pl Owner: Europe Inc, Gary Hill, John Schultz, and Center City Properties LLC Size: 41,475 Square Feet 46
The grassy lot is fenced off from the sidewalk. The parcel is adjacent to an abandoned Gentleman’s club and a parking lot. A stripper pole costs $325. If you filled this parcel with its appraised value you would have 7,239.7 stripper poles.
Parcel 12 Cost: $478,500 Lots:138 and 136 S Tennessee Ave Owner: Georges Costa Corp Size: 8,700 Square Feet
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This dirt lot is next to Maloney’s Uptown bar, townhouse apartments and parking lot. Maloney’s Uptown is known for their chicken wings and beer deals. At Maloney’s, chicken wings cost 45 cents each. If you filled this parcel with its appraised value you would have 1,063,333 chicken wings.
Parcel 13 Cost: $435,500 Lots:148 S Tennessee Ave Owner: Climax Fashions Inc Size: 4,000 Square Feet
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This parcel is next to the Endicott Hotel parking lot and a bus parking lot. Across the Street is the Endicott Hotel. There are apartment buildings behind the lot. The Endicott Hotel is now out of business. Trip Advisor reviews noted the Hotel as being “the worst hotel” and having “EXTREMELY used mattresses”. A TemperPedic Cloud Supreme queen mattress costs $2,399. If you filled this parcel with its appraised value you would have 181.5 comfortable mattresses.
Parcel 14 Cost: $5,000,000 Lots:1401 Boardwalk Owner: Robert Schiff Enterprises Size: 87,335 Square Feet
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This grassy parcel is behind the Boardwalk shops and next to a parking lot. The owner is a wholesale dollar store supplier who owns Schiffs Central Pier which houses arcade games. An arcade pinball machine costs $4,995. If you filled this parcel with its appraised value you would have 1,001 pin ball machines.
Parcel 15 Cost: $130,600 Lots:108 S Ocean Ave Owner: Nellie Lim Size: 799 Square Feet
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This lot is enclosed by apartments and adjacent to a hair salon and massage parlor. The lot is overgrown with grass and fenced in. Across the street is another abandoned lot. The Atlantic City owner, Nellie Lim lost his property under tax foreclosure (annual taxes for this lot are $2,826.18). I’m sure Nellie Lim left Atlantic City feeling salty. Sea salt costs $.79 a pound. If you filled this parcel with its appraised value you would have 165,316 pounds or 82.7 tons of sea salt.
This overgrown grass parcel is surrounded by apartments. There are restaurants behind lot.
Parcel 16 Cost: $261,200 Lots: 116 and 114 S Ocean Ave Owner: Philip Huynh Size: 1,598 Square Feet
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The surrounding apartments on this portion of Ocean Avenue are all owned by Philip Huynh from Minnesota and are all for sale by Market Place Realty. A real estate for sale sign costs $46. If you filled this parcel with its appraised value you would have 5,678.3 real estate signs.
Parcel 17 Cost: $778,600 Lots:136 and 134 S Ocean Ave Owner: Aum Av LLC, City of Atlantic City and Phuong Nguyen Size: 4,800 Square Feet
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This patchy grass and dirt parcel is adjacent to apartment buildings and a parking lot. There is a dirt pathway through the lot from a parallel street. Across the street is another abandoned lot. The city of Atlantic City owns this lot, yet keeps it barren. If the city were to improve it inexpensively, perhaps they would place park benches. Park benches cost $348 each. If you filled this parcel with its appraised value you would have 2,237.4 park benches.
Parcel 18 Cost: $292,400 Lots:168 and 162 S Ocean Ave Owner: Resorts Casino and Hotel Size: 2,500 Square Feet
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This sandy dirt lot is surrounded by parking lots and other abandoned lots. Resorts casino is the owner of this parcel. Resorts casino is known for its assortment of slot machines. A slot machine costs $9,671. If you filled this parcel with its appraised value you would have 30.23 slot machines.
Next to this fenced off grass lot is a parking lot for John Brooks Recovery center.
Parcel 19
John Brooks Recovery Center focuses on outpatient methadone programs.
Cost: $681,700 Lots:60 S South Carolina Ave Owner: Nancy & Eugene Dire, City of Atlantic City and Hazeltine Shackleton Size: 15,300 Square Feet
The outpatient methadone program at John Brooks Recovery Center costs $5,000 without health insurance. If you filled this parcel with its appraised value you could treat 136.4 addicts that don’t have health insurance.
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Parcel 20 Cost: $495,600 Lots:111, 113 and 115 S Ocean Ave Owner: Richard Bloom, Resorts Casino and Hotel and Joseph Zoll Size: 1,701 Square Feet
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This grass parcel is adjacent to a parking lot and apartment buildings. Next door is the Ocean House Inn. All of the lots on this portion of Ocean Ave are currently for sale. This parcel is owned by Resorts Casino and Hotel. Casino’s are known for their over the top carpet designs that are intended to lure people in, to gamble. A gaudy casino carpet costs $2.32 per square foot. If you filled this parcel with its appraised value you would have 213,620.7 square feet of carpet or 32.9 carpets that fill the lot stacked on top of each other.
Parcel 21 Cost: $350,000 Lots:106 S South Carolina Ave Owner: Richard Bloom Size: 4,950 Square Feet
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This grassy parcel is adjacent to a parking lot and multi-family home. Across the street is the Courtyard Marriott hotel. The adjacent parking lot has a parking booth with a parking attendant. Parking lot booths cost $5,640 each. If you filled this parcel with its appraised value you would have 62.1 parking booths.
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This grassy lot is sandwiched inbetween two townhouse apartment buildings. Behind the lot lies another abandoned.
Parcel 22 Cost: $92,000 Lots:133 S Ocean Ave Owner: Aum Av, LLC Size: 1,800 Square Feet
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The owner of this parcel is from Hackensack, NJ. Hackensack is an inner suburb of New York City, housing views of the Manhattan skyline. 68 Cleveland Street is for sale in Hackensack, New Jersey for $269,000. If you filled this parcel with its appraised value you would fit 34% of the 68 Cleveland Street house.
This grassy overgrown lot is covered from the street view by a fence and bushes. It is adjacent to apartment buildings and parking lots.
Parcel 23 Cost: $3,250,900 Lots:122, 120, 112 and 110 S South Carolina Ave Owner: Joan Brown & Ruthel Koehler, 110 South Carolina Avenue LLC, and Resorts Casino and Hotel Size: 34,500 Square Feet 70
The owners Joan Brown and Ruthel Koehler are from New York City. The real estate market in New York City is much more expensive and thriving than Atlantic City. 303 East 33rd Street is for sale in New York City for $3,250,000. If you filled this parcel with its appraised value you could put this 1,621 square foot apartment and it would cover only 21% of the lot.
This unkept dirt parking lot is next to a parking lot and apartment buildings. In the distance, Resorts Casino and Hotel stands tall.
Parcel 24 Cost: $884,200 Lots:137 and 139 S Ocean Ave Owner: Resorts Casino and Hotel Size: 7,680 Square Feet
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This lot is owned by Resorts casino and has been used as a makeshift parking lot for broken down cars. Limousines would add a bit more luxury to this lot. A stretch Cadillac Escalade limo costs $56,995. If you filled this parcel with its appraised value you would have 15.5 Cadillac Escalade limos.
Parcel 25 Cost: $2,853,300 Lots:147, 161, 163, 165, 167, 169, 171, 173, 175, 177, 179, 181 and 183 S Ocean Ave Owner: Resorts Casino and Hotel, Greenlands Realty LLC, Boardwalk Investment Properties LLC, Constantine Georges Size: 28,155 Square Feet 74
This lot is overgrown with grass and is partially enclosed by a metal fence. It is adjacent to parking lots and across the street from the New Jersey Casino Control Commission Office. The owner Boardwalk Investment Properties LLC is from Santa Monica, California. 1 skip (100 square feet at 2 inches deep) of California sand is $30. If you filled this parcel with its appraised value you would have 95,110 skips of sand.
Parcel 26 Cost: $2,491,100 Lots:1201 and 1207 Pacific Ave Owner: Pacific International Enterprise and Asbury United Methodist Church Size: 30,750 Square Feet
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This grass and dirt lot is next to a church and adjacent to townhouse apartments. There is a bus stop on the edge of the lot and a dirt pathway through the lot. The lot is owned by and next to a United Methodist Church. A leather bound bible costs $15. If you filled this parcel with its appraised value you would have 49,822 bibles.
Parcel 27 Cost: $5,199,600 Lots:143, 145, 147 and 149 S South Carolina Ave Owner: Mark Ander, Joseph Zoll and Resorts Casino and Hotel Size: 38,175 Square Feet 78
This overgrown asphalt and grass lot is surrounded by parking and an apartment building. Resorts Casino hovers in the distance beyond the lot. There is a white fence with bushes blocking views of the parcel from the street. Resorts Casino owns part of this parcel. The casino resorts control Atlantic City. Therefore, the city is missing key parts, like a grocery store A mid sized grocery store costs $600,000. If you filled this parcel with its appraised value you would have 8.66 mid sized grocery stores.
Parcel 28 Cost: $380,000 Lots:1130 Atlantic Ave, 3 and 5 S North Carolina Ave. Owner: Costas Associates Size: 7,685 Square Feet
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This dirt lot is surrounded by small businesses: Ginos Pizza, Vietnamese food, acupressure, massage parlor and a mosque. Adjacent to the parcel is a city park and the Atlantic County Department head office. The parcel is .7 miles away from Absecon Lighthouse. Adding another lighthouse to this neighborhood would create a monument and views while replicating historic significance. A light house costs $700,000. If you filled this parcel with its appraised value you could have one light house that charges $20 admission and has on average 45 people visit per day.
Parcel 29 Cost: $255,600 Lots:1000 Atlantic Ave Owner: R & T Investments Size: 2,420 Square Feet
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This long and narrow, sandy dirt lot is next to a liquor store and apartments. The parcel creates an awkward moment as one walks around the corner. Perhaps it provides the perfect place to sit. On average a beach chair costs $66.90. If you filled this parcel with its appraised value you would have 3,820.6 beach chairs.
Parcel 30 Cost: $105,000 Lots: 18 S Virginia Ave Owner: King Investment Group LLC Size: 2,100 Square Feet
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This dirt lot is adjacent to small businesses such as a laundromat, Pho Saigon Vietnamese restaurant and Boneyard Bar & Grille. The parcel is enclosed by a dilapidated wooden fence. The board game Monopoly was modeled after Atlantic City, with the same roads and sites. A Monopoly board costs $17.99. If you filled this parcel with its appraised value you would have 5,836.6 monopoly boards.
Parcel 31 Cost: $174,200 Lots:24 S Virginia Ave Owner: 24 S Virginia Avenue Associates LLC Size: 2,619 Square Feet
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This overgrown grass lot is adjacent to a parking lot, Dan’s Costume Shop and the Southern New Jersey AIDS Alliance office. The lot is covered by a metal fence and was previously the site of Lucky Salon. Adjacent to this parcel, at Dan’s Costume Shop you can buy beauty pageant dresses. Miss America beauty pageants were founded in Atlantic City. A Miss American beauty pageant dress costs $2,000. If you filled this parcel with its appraised value you would have 87.1 Miss America dresses.
Parcel 32 Cost: $1,130,100 Lots:32 S Maryland Ave, 901 and 905 Pacific Ave Owner: 901 Pacific Ave Realty, LLC Size: 12,300 Square Feet
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This gravel and dirt parcel once housed a brick synagogue. Adjacent to the parcel is a park and parking lot. Atlantic City is naturally filled with wetlands and marsh, as is coastal Maine where the parcel owners are from. Marsh grass costs $150 a foot. If you filled this parcel with its appraised value you would have 7,534 square feet of marsh.