Ocean City Looks to Buy More Downtown Property

Ocean City plans to continue its recent buying spree on Central Avenue by acquiring another property next to City Hall – all part of a long-term strategy for more parking downtown.

A historic home at 846 Central Ave. currently used as a restaurant on the ground level is on the city’s shopping list next.

City Council is expected to introduce a $960,000 bond ordinance at its meeting Thursday to buy the property. If it is introduced, the ordinance would be up for a public hearing and final vote at the Aug. 7 Council meeting.

The three-story house occupies a prime spot on the corner of Ninth Street and Central Avenue in the heart of downtown, just behind City Hall and across the street from the public safety building that serves as the headquarters for the Ocean City Police Department.

Online real estate records show that the house was built in 1903. The ground floor currently serves as the location for Maria’s Cafe & Grille, a family-style casual restaurant.

The decision to buy 846 Central Ave. follows the city’s recent purchase of the house directly next door at 844 Central Ave. for $750,000.

Records show that the three-story house at 844 Central Avenue was built in 1898. The property functioned for decades as both retail and residential space under a succession of owners.

    This house at 844 Central Ave. was the city's first purchase near the corner of Ninth Street and Central Avenue.
  

City officials say the short-term plan may be to use both houses as municipal office space, but over the long haul, they might be demolished to create more parking spaces next to City Hall.

“There are no immediate plans. It’s part of greater plans to acquire the entire block. The ultimate game is more parking,” City Council President Terry Crowley Jr. said of the block of Eighth Street and Central Avenue.

For the time being, the pending acquisition of the house at 846 Central Ave. may open up an opportunity to provide more office space for city workers, Crowley said. City officials also said the same thing about 844 Central Avenue when it was purchased.

Crowley also said there are plans for the city to honor the tenant lease at 846 Central Ave. for Maria’s Cafe & Grille.

The city’s buying binge on the block of Eighth and Central began last year when it acquired two privately owned parking lots close to City Hall for $3.3 million.

The two parking lots are behind the former Crown Bank building and include a total of 44 spaces. They are now public parking. They are located adjacent to the existing 71-space municipal parking lot behind City Hall along Central Avenue between Eighth and Ninth streets.

City officials say the two new lots provide much-needed public parking for the downtown retail district, as well as for the city’s police department during the planned renovation of its headquarters building on Central Avenue between Eighth and Ninth streets.

    The two parking lots acquired by the city last year are behind the former Crown Bank building, seen in the background.