NEPTUNE — The township agreed to a deal with a joint venture group to redevelop the Headliner nightclub and Sunsets Riverfront Bar and Restaurant on Route 35 into a hotel, two residential buildings, restaurants and retail space called Waterways at Neptune.
The project leaves out the adjoining Neptune Motor Lodge, which at one point was part of the redevelopment effort, so it will continue to sit vacant for now, as it has since it was rendered unusable by a March 2021 storm.
Trip Brooks, a spokesperson for the joint venture North Channel Redevelopment, told the Asbury Park Press that both the Headliner and Sunsets would have to be torn down, potentially after this summer.
The proposed redevelopment includes two residential buildings, with each building consisting of three levels of residences over a parking garage, a 100-room hotel, 800 square feet of retail, a 2,400-square-foot restaurant, and multilevel parking garage consisting of approximately 260 parking spaces. There is also a separate 6,000-square-foot retail building which includes a public rooftop bar, and a separate 5,000-square-foot restaurant.
Neptune news: Homeless camp behind ShopRite empties out completely, but cleanup still needed
Waterways at Neptune includes public access to the waterfront, a boardwalk and a fishing pier, as well as an open-air plaza and public promenade, consisting of a paver pathway along the length of the waterfront, and 10 public restrooms.
Initial plans for a similar redevelopment announced in the summer of 2023 included the owner of the former Neptune Motor Lodge.
In March 2021, a powerful storm tore off parts of the roof of that hotel. The damage was caused by straight-line winds between 60 and 70 mph, according to the National Weather Service in Mount Holly.
Residents in the surrounding neighborhood have been in contact with Neptune Township officials looking for something to be done with the hotel 2022, when over two dozen residents met on the street outside the abandoned property with representatives from state Sen. Vin Gopal’s office and reporters to highlight the problem.
Now almost four years later, the motel is home to more raccoons than people and will remain untouched as part of this waterfront redevelopment.
Neptune High School: Storied Jersey Shore basketball program fights to keep legacy alive
Bhaskar Halari, owner of the hotel, dropped out of plans to take part in the redevelopment with the other property owners. Halari told the Press that he still plans to redevelop the motel property, “but by himself” and that he is in talks with the township.
North Channel redevelopment is joint venture between IPG at Waterways LLC aka the Ironbound Property Group, which owns the proposed hotel site; Zekaria Family Ltd. Partnership, which owns the Sunset property on the water; and New York Concourse, which owns the Headliner.
The conditional agreement requires North Channel to reimburse all of the costs and fees incurred by the township in connection with the review of the proposal and the concept plan for Waterways at Neptune, and the preparation and negotiation of a redevelopment agreement, among other such expenses.
‘Blindsided’: Asbury Park mayor rips housing authority’s new push for more apartments
A view of the restaurant terrace at the proposed Waterways at Neptune, looking west.
The township will negotiate exclusively with North Channel for the redevelopment of the future Waterways at Neptune site, according to the agreement.
North Channel will work to get the project before the township planning board for review and approval.
Charles Daye is the metro reporter for Asbury Park and Neptune, with a focus on diversity, equity and inclusion. @CharlesDayeAPP Contact him: CDaye@gannettnj.com
This article originally appeared on Asbury Park Press: Waterways at Neptune may replace Headliner, Sunsets with housing, stores