Crowds jam Asbury Avenue between Fifth and 14th streets in Ocean City (NJ) during the annual Spring Block Party on Saturday, May 3.
In a three-town race to be named southern New Jersey's favorite downtown, Ocean City crushed the competition in the 2014 People’s Choice Awards.
Ocean City's Asbury Avenue captured 63.5 percent of the vote — more than double the percentage of Haddon Avenue in Collingswood (25.3 percent). The Glasstown Arts District in Millville finished third with 11.2 percent.
Ocean City's total number of votes — 4,996 — almost doubled the vote totals of the top downtowns in northern New Jersey (Hoboken with 2,576) and central New Jersey (Red Bank with 2,325).
The contest is sponsored by the New Jersey Chapter of the American Planning Association and was decided by the public voting online for their favorite downtown in the three areas of New Jersey.
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See results: njplanning.org/news/peoples-choice-awards
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“It really does show the support of the community, the second homeowners, and all the extended people who feel their roots are here," Ocean City Regional Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Michele Gillian said.
"It's something we try to foster with events and marketing," she said of customer loyalty to Ocean City's "large" and "unique" mix of downtown shops and restaurants.
"Once again, it’s where America’s Greatest Family Resort shops," said Paul Cunningham, co-chairman of the Downtown Merchants Association. "I think it’s great that we were recognized by our customers."
Ocean City's downtown consists of more than 100 mostly family-owned businesses between Sixth and 11th streets on Asbury Avenue. The downtown side streets, Asbury Avenue between 11th and 14th streets and parts of West Avenue add to Ocean City's shopping district.
The People’s Choice Awards are part of APA-NJ’s Great Places in New Jersey awards program. A panel of planning professionals selected Downtown Ocean City from nominations that APA-NJ received from the public throughout the month of July. When notifying Ocean City, APA-NJ officials indicated that the panel deliberated how well each downtown excels in the characteristics of a great downtown, including how well it functions as the centerpiece in the everyday life of the community; its reputation for excellence even beyond the community’s boundaries; its vitality during the day, in the evening and on weekends; available options for transportation; and support from the community to attract, retain and grow businesses.
Winners will receive a plaque at a local award ceremony, a place on the map of Great Places in New Jersey at njplanning.org, and, of course, bragging rights.
“Great places happen because they are planned for and implemented by people who set high marks for themselves and their communities,” said APA-NJ President Charles Latini, Jr., AICP. “They take hard work, planning and re-planning as time stretches across political tenure, but all of them are places their citizens take pride in. The interest in voting reveals this pride.”
In July, a panel of planning professionals had selected the contestants from nominations submitted by the public, and the 11,421 online ballots cast by the public determined the competition over the past five weeks. Other regional winners include Hoboken in Northern New Jersey and Downtown Red Bank in Central New Jersey.
“What better way to pick the top downtowns than to hear from the people who know them?” said Linda E. Wills, AICP, APA-NJ Great Places Chair. “These downtowns offer inspiration to communities looking to make their own downtowns great. They have overcome many obstacles, and today, they reap the benefits from forging effective public and private."
