City Breaks Ground for New Hilton Hotel
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Delran beats Shore in state soccer semifinal, 1B ThMONMOUTH COUNTY'eS HOMETOWN NEWSPAPER SINCE 1878 r UESDAY. NOV. VOL. 111 NO. 48 25 CENTS Merchant appeals City breaks ground to council for new Hilton Hotel Gas station operator "This groundbreaking fulfills a fights 24-hour service By DONALD W.MEYERS pledge I made six yean ago to re- THE REGISTER vitalize the oceanfront. Today, we RELATED STORY 3A God smiled on us have taken a giant step into the future," Huhn said. LONG BRANCH — After today. I think this is By ELAINE CANNIZZARO years of planning, debate, govern- oneofthemost Huhn extended thank* to past THE REGISTER ment delays and a road closing, and present members of the City ground was broken for the Ocean important projects to Council, the Chamber of Com- SHREWSBURY — Mobil fran- Place Hilton Hotel yesterday. hit the city of Long merce and the Economic Devel- chisee James Russo last night Mayor Philip D. Huhn was Branch in years. opment Council, the Maloneys, asked the Borough Council to joined by City Council members, and to city residents "who kept the deny Mobil Oil Corp.'s request to municipal officials, representa- Philip D.Huhn faith." amend a borough ordinance that tives from Hilton and William Long Branch mayor m He was interrupted by Deputy now prohibits him from selling Maloney Sr., the developer of the ^^^^^^ ^^™ Mayor Terry Tomasulo, who gasoline 24 hours a day. hotel project. Also attending the ceremony at the for- urged a showing of gratitude to Huhn for his efforts. Attorneys for the oil company mer Gariield Park were Assemblymen Joseph Palaia, While touting the hotel as the linchpin in the devel- asked the council last week to R-Monmouth, and John Villapiano, D-Monmouth. opment plans, Huhn challenged the business commu- amend the measure so businesses "God smiled on us today," Huhn said before the nity to assist in making the revitalization a reality. could sell goods for off-premises ceremony. I think this is one of the most important "We need your help, innovative ideas and actions consumption after 10 p.m. it till" f It!/ nf I imoDranrk in ,,«nn " projects to hit the city of Long Branch in years.' that will make the city of Long Branch a fine place to Russo said they presented the The hotel is being built in two phases, at a cost of live," he said. proposal without notifying him. $45 million. The first phase, expected to take 20 Warren Emley Jr., Chamber of Commerce presi- "They were not representing my months to complete, will contain 250 rooms, three dent, said the hotel will help bring bigger businesses interests or the interests of the restaurants, parking facilities and a 10,000 square- into Long Branch. He added that the redevelopment town," he charged. foot ballroom in a 10-story tower. the hotel is expected to spur in the Broadway area He submitted a petition, con- Maloney, who operates two other Hiltons with his should spread throughout the whole city. taining about 700 signatures from son, William Jr., said the second phase of the hotel Thomas Parris, vice president of Hilton Inns' east- residents of Shrewsbury and sur- will be built after the first phase is proven to be eco- ern region, said the hotel will be the only oceanfront rounding communities, asking the nomically viable. That phase will consist of a second Hilton between Boston and North Carolina. council to reject the proposal. 10-story tower with 200 additional rooms. Parris said the hotel's features, such as restaurants The petition states, "This Huhn said the hotel will provide 300 jobs for city and a health spa, will bring travelers into the city. longstanding ordinance has residents and bring in $1 million in taxes a year after The hotel has faced numerous snags since plans proved invaluable to the Borough a five-year phase-in period. During that period, the were announced in 198S, ranging from delays in re- of Shrewsbury by preventing GROUNDBREAKING EVENT — Long Branch Mayor Philip D. Huhn hotel will pay no taxes in its first year of operation, ceiving approval under .the Coastal Area Facilities many potential problems. Beside speaks at yesterday's groundbreaking for the Ocean Place Hilton and pay in 20-percent increments each year until they Review Act to almost being canceled because of the the obvious creation of a noise Hotel, an artists conception of which sits behind him. are paying the full rate. city's failure to close a portion of Ocean Avenue. problem is the open invitation to criminal acts which would result from any amendment to such an existing ordinance." Russo said, "I'm here to ask you Highway Authority to mull Parkway repairs not to honor Mobil's request to amend the ordinance. Opposing it the Parkway, yesterday said the authority decide how or where to spend the money ings at the Marriott Seaview, Route 9, Abie- would be for the good of the town By RANDY NUMBER would conduct three meetings, including until sometime after the hearings. con, on Nov. 28; and the Holiday Inn, — keeping down crime and noise. THE REGISTER one in West Long Branch. -• ,. "Let me make it clear: We have not voted South 31st Street in Kenilworth, on Nov. "If I was forced to remain open to increase tolls," Ingoglia said. "We'll wait 24 hours, I couldn't pay my ex- Authority commissioners will use the ses- sions as an aid in deciding how to spend to hear from our roadway patrons before we According to preliminary estimates, the penses and would have to open Months after drivers protested a pro- ltoout $548 miliion for K£it work commission could spend $236 million from 1 finalize (any) plans. (Patrons) can tell us my service shop for 24 hours, poseised fee increase, Garden State Pr-Parkwa- y the next 10 yean. about the improvements that are or are not 1989-93 and $292 million from 1994-98 on ~ causing considerable noise," said ofticials will seek the public's help to needed." Parkway improvements throughout the Russo, who has been leasing the a move to priori- state. Ingoglia said the authority "could be station on Newman Springs Road One session will take place at 8 p.m. Nov. spending" about $31.3 million on the two and Shrewsbury Avenue from r gecon<J m rije gjnce January 30 at the Ramada Inn, Route 36 in West dozen miles of the road in Monmouth Mobil Oil Corp. for 11 years. Dennis Ingoglia, a spokesman for the N.J. emerge from the hearings. He said the au- Long Branch. County. See GAS, Page 2A Highway Authority, the governing body of thority's Board of Commissioners will not Officials also have scheduled 8 p.m. hear- See HIGHWAY, Page 2A Middletown contract dispute heats up at committee meeting was adjourned, and committee quoted the township's last offer of By VIRGINIA KENT DOflfilS members left to go into a closed 7.75 percent. "I never said that, THE REGISTER executive session. and I don't want to continue this Comments reportedly made by conversation." O'Grady to road department em- Shellbrick countered by telling MIDDLETOWN — More than ployee Bill Mack as the pair left O'Grady not to discuss the con- SO municipal employees protested the public meeting apparently tract with union employees. salary levels at a Township Com- prompted the argument between "From now on please keep your mittee meeting but night, later O'Grady and Shelbrick. mouth shut about our raises," sparking a healed debate between Mack said that when be asked Shelbrick said. "I'm sick of you Mayor Raymond J. O'Grady and saying that we're not negotiating." union leader John Shelbrick. O'Grady if the mayor could do anything for township employees, The union membership — 113 During the regular public meet- O'Grady replied that he had of- blue-collar and 130 white-collar ing, the township's civil service fered the union a 9 percent salary employees — overwhelmingly re- union employees, who have been increase but that Shelbrick was not jected the township's blest con- working without a contract since negotiating in good faith. tract offer on Nov. 1. That offer Jan. I, filled the rear six rows of included salary increases of 5.75 Mack's report of the conversa- percent in 1988, 1989 and 1990, the meeting room — many of tion angered Shelbrick, who wait- them holding signs reading "Think plus a 2 percent annual satisfacto- ed with about 25 other union ry-performance increase. Snow" and "316 days, no con- members to confront O'Grady tract" the union's counter-offer, pre- when he emerged from the exec- sented Nov. 2, called for a 7.5 per- Only one employee, John Fen-,' utive session. cent raise in 1988, a.7.5 percent ton of the Public Works Depart- During the confrontation, which raise in 1989 and a 7.73 raise in ment, rose to speak during the took place in a corridor outside 1990, in addition to the annual 2 public comment portion of the the mayor's office, O'Grady den- percent satisfactory-performance Top competitor meeting. ied that he said the township had increase. After Fenton's comments, di- offered the union a 9 percent raise. O'Grady called the union offer Ranney School senior Rumana Huq, The Register's Student of the Week, is a top competitor In rected at Township Administrator "John, I never said that," "totally unrealistic." karate. She is also no slouch at piano and schoolwork.