23

DO SOMETHING FOR YOUR COMMUNITY

Trump on the Ocean

 

 

 

 

 

People who live in New York City have all heard of Jones Beach. The beach and the boardwalk are part of a fabled history that began with the great Robert Moses—he considered this waterfront park on Long Island as his greatest achievement. I visited Jones Beach as a teenager, and it has always been a special place to me, as it is to thousands of people. So I was delighted when the opportunity came to renovate a major piece of it. When former parks commissioner Bernadette Castro reviewed my plans, she considered them “like a gift from God.” We announced this project in September 2006, with a proposed opening in the spring of 2009.

There was opposition at first, from citizens complaining that “Trump was not fit for the Jones Beach scene,” and the Society for the Preservation of Long Island Antiquities made it clear they feared what the size of our new building would do to the visual balance of Jones Beach. When they realized how involved I was in the building plans and the fine details, and how concerned I was over the impact of the development on the community and the environment, they were reassured. I even brought out a piece of marble, Breccia Oniciata, to show them. I thought it would look great, and it will. It’s the same marble I used at 40 Wall Street; it’s sepia and really beautiful.

There will always be naysayers to anything you try to do, but this is a good example of how you can help your community. When they realized how this project would revitalize the local economy, and how beautiful it would be, the negativity lightened up, and most people think it’s going to be fantastic. They’re right. It will be a win-win situation for everyone. I told people I wanted to bring this historic site up to the gold standard it deserves, to make it a destination point worthy of its amazing history.

What we are doing is replacing the old Boardwalk Restaurant with a beautiful 36,000-square-foot facility that will have Atlantic Ocean and park views. There will be a catering hall and restaurant. We will have social and corporate catering, a restaurant, a lounge, and a ballroom. It will restore Jones Beach to prominence in the life of New York City. In fact, New York can expect to make around $75 million from it over the next 40 years. The building will belong to the state. Not a penny of tax-payer money will be spent.

Our long-term lease required special legislation, which was not a surprise. We’re in good company, however—only one other New York parks contract has a term that long—and that’s Niagara Falls. We had to deal with a lot of roadblocks, but we prevailed, and it will be a fantastic site.

Being in a position to help out at Jones Beach has been a tremendous feeling. I know detractors will be pleasantly surprised when they see how well integrated the design will be with the environment and the park. In a way, I am paying tribute to Robert Moses—I’m sure he would be very proud—and so will the New Yorkers who have loved Jones Beach.