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As the Baltimore-based
Cordish Company, a well-known nationwide retail developer, finalized plans
earlier in the year to proceed with its long-awaited shopping and entertainment
complex, beautifully landscaped streets and parks needed to be sacrificed. Slated for the bulldozer
was a two-block stretch along Michigan Avenue from Atlantic to Baltic
avenues, a small park across from the Convention Center, which will subsequently
be converted into a 75-space parking lot and Atlantic Park, located in
front of Caesars parking garage between Arkansas and Missouri avenues
on Atlantic Avenue. The park, with its lush green turf, shady trees and
numerous benches, had delightfully greeted millions In early March, crews
descended upon Michigan Avenue and Atlantic Park to begin the arduous
task of unearthing nearly 135 trees, 1,700 shrubs and 4,250 perennial
flowers. Some of the trees reached heights of nearly 20 feet. In total,
20 evergreen trees, 23 flowering trees and 91 shade trees were removed.
In order to achieve this, landscapers used modern equipment, such as jack
hammers and bulldozers, and muscle to remove bricks, rock and the trees
from the ground (above left) over the course of two weeks. Trees were delicately
dug and raised by a giant mechanical spade (above right) and wrapped with
thick wiring. Timing was imperative in this project since the trees needed
to be Trees, shrubs and
flowers were not the only victims of progress. Light fixtures, benches
and fencing were also removed, while the Miss America Rosewalk, a collection
of pageant-themed plaques built in 1997 along Michigan Avenue were removed,
as well. A new site for the Miss America Rosewalk has yet to be determined. Coinciding with this project was the commencement -
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It
just wouldn't be another summer season without a monumental project undertaken
by the Special Improvement District's Landscaping Division. In early March,
the landscapers, headed by Manager Jon Bitzer, were selected by the Casino
Reinvestment Development Authority, at a cost of $396,000, to engage in
Atlantic City's own, smaller version of the "Big Dig."
of
visitors entering the city from the Atlantic City Expressway.
removed
prior to their spring bloom.