Something is happening down in Atlantic City’s Inlet neighborhood. A machine has appeared and some serious fencing has gone up around two vacant blocks. It’s not quite on the scale of the Gateway Project yet, but it looks like Boraie Development’s plan to build 250 rental units in one of Atlantic City’s most persistently development-starved neighborhoods is getting underway.
Better known to some as Pauline’s Prairie or the mother ship of Atlantic City’s vacant lots, the site has been empty for 50 years. The project – dubbed The Beach at South Inlet – is set to include a gym, lounge, pool, parking, restaurants, shops and – yes – a grocery store alongside the housing units, but it has been slow to advance from initial plans laid out in 2013. The site is in Atlantic City’s state-operated Tourism District, which meant that Boraie needed approval from the Casino Reinvestment Development Authority for the project. Officials at Boraie did not respond to requests for comment on Wednesday and it is not clear when the project is slated to break ground. A September filing with CRDA indicates that the developer submitted revised plans and other approvals in August.
The $100 million project received $15 million from CRDA and The Record earlier this year detailed other financing that has been sent from the state to support Boraie.
Here’s a selection of photos from our visit to the site earlier today:
Elinor Comlay / Route 40
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Also known as Pauline's Prairie, or one of Atlantic City's most development-resilient vacant lots.
Elinor Comlay / Route 40
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The site will be in the shadow of the casino formerly known as The Revel.
Elinor Comlay / Route 40
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The development will include restaurants, shops and a grocer store.
Glad to see they’re building in the inlet…but apartment buildings? Really?
If they want to bring back AC they should consider building single family homes. Seems as though the developers and the city has zero insight when it comes to rebuilding a SUSTAINABLE city. Such a shame.