The Official Newsletter of the Atlantic City Special Improvement District

The makeup of any
great small town or city often revolves around its rich history. A big part
of that historic charm often can be found in the
detailed architecture of its many historic building's that dot the
landscape, like Dock's Oyster House (right) which has stood since 1897.

Over the years, many of the grandiose architectural gems, which at one time made Atlantic City the most sought after destination in all of the land, were left to fall into disrepair and subsequently met an unfortunate ending courtesy of the wrecking ball.

Doing Their Homework

In the late 1990's, to help reverse this trend, the Atlantic City Special Improvement District (ACSID) began to investigate the possibility of establishing a program that would assist in preserving the past, beautifying the present and becoming proactive leaders for the future.

Programs, most notably facade improvement programs designed to reinvigorate a city's traditional downtown district, throughout the State of New Jersey and the country have given once-abandoned downtown's a new lease on life.

After the ACSID's Board of Directors voiced their initial concerns over the lack of visibly inviting storefronts throughout the city, several model towns, such as Red Bank, NJ; Ocean City, NJ; and Manyunk, Pa., were visited in order to learn first- hand what it took to achieve their levels of success.

The First Year and its Many Challenges

Initially, property owners were reluctant to participant in this latest revitalization
effort. Many other similar programs over the years had failed to fulfill the property
owner's most pressing needs. This time around, though, the ACSID made it a priority to target these valid concerns and to do whatever possible to make sure that these issues were addressed.

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