After several years of planning and a months-long application process, work has begun on the addition of a second floor balcony at the Boardwalk Mall that will serve as an extension of Capt’n Jack’s Island Grill.
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Expected to be completed in advance of Memorial Day Weekend, the cantilevered deck will run the length of the front of the mall, roughly 90 feet, before wrapping around the Garfield Avenue (north) side for another 35 feet; it will extend six feet over the Boardwalk (more on that below).
“This is a project we really believe in,” Capt'n Jack’s co-owner Sean Dougherty told Wildwood 365. “It’s a long time coming, but we wanted to do it right. The mall has seen some great improvements over the past few years, and we believe this facelift will help take it to the next level.”
Dougherty confirmed that the mall’s large marquee has been temporarily removed; it will be refurbished and reinstalled, along with new awnings, once the new balcony is in place. Additionally, a “Doo Wop-style” LED sign will be added to the corner of the property.
“Any time you can see a property being invested in, like with a new sign or an updated facade, that’s a big plus,” continued Dougherty. “Our goal is to help continue the Boardwalk’s revitalization by revitalizing the front of this building, while making the Capt’n Jack’s experience even better.
“We want people to walk by and say ‘Wow, look at that place, I want to go there!’ The wraparound balcony will give it a 3D look that will really stand out.”
The balcony project cleared its final hurdle on March 22, when the Wildwood Board of Commissioners passed an ordinance permitting the structure to encroach six feet over the “public right of way.”
The Wildwood Planning Board had approved the application for the balcony back in January, but City Solicitor Lewis DeLollis subsequently noted that the board did not have the authority to approve construction that would obtrude into (or, in this case, over) a right of way.
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