A representative for the owner of the Cape May Apartment Building at 5104 Cape May Avenue in Ocean Beach passed out old photocopied documents to the members of the Ocean Beach Planning Board during their public meeting on May 21st. The documents showed that in 1987, the year the building was constructed; the units were supposed to be split up into five condominiums and were never originally intended to be apartments. By showing the building had been approved by the city for condominiums in the past, the owner hoped the building requirements for condominium conversions would be waived.

Unfortunately for the owner, that’s just not the case and the planning board was not shy in telling the representative exactly that.

“So, what does the owner intend to do to the building, in the way of improvements, before the conversion takes place?” Said Landry Watson, one of the Ocean Beach Planners.

“As much as is required…”

“So nothing, right? My opinion is that you’re already low on parking spaces and in order to get passed that, we need to see some intent by the owner on making this building greener, like by putting in double-paned windows. The other thing I’m concerned about is the fact that the building is already old, that if it does change to condos, those new homeowners fees would be outrageous and what if the roof goes, there’s only five units that would have to pay for that!”

All seven members present at the board meeting agreed that substantial improvements would have to be made before they would approve any plan.

Visit the Ocean Beach Planning Board’s website at obpb.org to look at all of the proposed projects for the Ocean Beach community.