Nice coating of snow on the island. Â Roads and sky all clear!
Category: Life at the Shore
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The Team!
We are very proud of the growth and success of Tim Kerr’s Power Play Realty. Â Truly, a great team of hard working friends.
I may have met some of you “back in the day”; either at the Avalon office of Diller & Fisher in the early 80s through mid-90s, or Avalon Real Estate in late 90s/ early 2000s.
For the past 14 years, I have been fortunate to work at Power Play Realty and continue those enduring relationships.
Thank you for the many years of support and friendship!
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Avalon/Stone Harbor Prepare for Beach Fill
Check out the engineering tripod on the beach at 32nd Street!
And you may notice the vibration monitors (pictured below) placed in the dunes. Â This technology addresses any concerns of potential structural damage of nearby homes from the movement of sand/heavy equipment.
Science at the beach!
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Seven Mile Beach Replenishment
The equipment is starting to arrive at the south end of Stone Harbor for the initial phase of the island beach fill project.
Once started, the project is expected run 24/7 and then head north to Avalon.
Read:  announcement from the Borough of Stone Harbor  and announcement from the Borough of Avalon
I will also post updates/pictures in the coming weeks!
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January Views
When the subject of winter weather comes up among  year round residents, the most common statement I hear (and say) is:
“I don’t mind the cold…but, ugh, the wind!” Â Grateful for the calm, sunny January days 🙂
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Why So Many Demolitions?
This is a question asked often by long time property owners.
There are several answers:
1) The owner of an existing modest home wants to expand, but encounters the reality of new flood elevation regulations and construction codes.
2) A builder/developer purchases an older home in a prime location and pays a premium for the land. Â The architect designs a home to take advantage of views and permitted square footage.
3) The current structure is a non-confirming use- for example a duplex in a residential zone. Â In order for the property owner to make any size changes (referred to as cubic content in the zoning laws), the building must convert to current zoning. Â The owners have to weigh the costs of a substantial remodel (typically including lifting the structure to meet elevation codes) versus building new.
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Happy New Year!
Thank you…for following along on my shore life adventures throughout 2016.Wishing us all a happy (and healthy!) 2017
See you on the beach 🙂
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The Real Seashore Santa
This entry was originally posted Christmas 2008. I think it deserves an annual repeat.
Santa– the life size painted, cut out version- has been an important part of Christmas for as long as I can remember.
Santa began his life of service in the early 1960’s at my parents’ first house in Avalon. He was surrounded by big, multi-colored bulbs on the newly planted shrubs. Inside that modest Golden Home rancher, 4 little girls hung their stockings on a cardboard fireplace with a plug in red bulb that magically turned the metal wheel to create “fire†.In the 1970’s, Santa moved with our family 5 blocks south in Avalon to a larger, 2 story home with a real wood fireplace. The colorful exterior lights were eventually replaced with more subtle white bulbs, but the spot light literally remained on Santa.
In the off season, Santa hung proudly on the garage wall- watching us all come and go. Those little girls grew up and moved out, bringing back grandchildren for days on the beach. In the 1980’s, my young sons were fascinated by Santa, and maybe a bit intimidated based on our attempts to use him for improved behavior!
When my parents downsized to a townhouse in the early 1990’s, my father asked if I wanted Santa for our home. Of course, I was thrilled- and Santa didn’t complain as he was forced to leave Avalon and move “off shoreâ€.
Santa loyally followed us on each move- knowing that he would be given a prominent position (with a flood light) at Christmas.   Several years ago, he gratefully moved back to the island to become a Stone Harbor resident!
Now approaching 50 years old, Santa is showing some signs of wear (aren’t we all). I thought about asking an artist to do a “touch upâ€, but it just doesn’t seem right.  It’s good to remember that so much time has passed- it helps us to celebrate the journey.
Merry Christmas!
