Where the Ocean City Boardwalk once stretched across the dunes from St. Charles Place to Fifth Street, all that remains is a skeleton – scattered supports, piles of wooden rubble and splintered boards pressed into the sand by heavy construction equipment.
The boardwalk's removal for this period is the first step in a multimillion-dollar renovation of the north end of Ocean City's most popular man-made attraction.
The $4.2 million project is funded by a grant from New Jersey's $100 million Boardwalk Preservation Fund.
Renovations include new foundation pilings, decking, stairs and railings, as well as ADA-compliant entrance ramps designed to improve access to the Boardwalk. The upgrades will not increase the width of the boardwalk.
“Crews are working on this section from the ground up, removing old pavement, replacing structural supports and ensuring each access ramp is fully ADA compliant so all residents and visitors can safely enjoy the Ocean City landmark,” Mayor Jay Gillian said in a video posted to Facebook by OCNJ Biz.
Reconstruction of the Boardwalk from Second Street to Fifth Street continues to make good progress and demolition is nearly complete. The project remains on track and will be completed before the end of March, Gillian said.
Henry Dimmick, a longtime Ocean City resident and frequent boardwalk visitor, said it felt strange to be on the beach without the familiar boards along the dunes.
Still, he said he appreciates the city's efforts to keep the boardwalk in good condition.
“Someone needs to pay attention to everything here in town, including the boardwalk,” Dimmick said. “The boardwalk was old in that section and had suffered a lot of damage over the years. It's good to take care of the boardwalk. I think it keeps the city alive.”
On a recent day, Dimmick said he watched the Boardwalk's demolition for hours and called it an impressive process.
Crews cut the decking into sections and then transported them to Fourth Street, where they were torn down and loaded onto trucks.
Only small parts of the boardwalk are still standing, around where the light poles are.
Demolition of the promenade from Second Street to Fifth Street is nearly complete, Mayor Jay Gillian says.The renovation project will replace Atlantic City's existing electric lights with decorative pole lights maintained by the city.
The city's economic administrator, George Savastano, said the new light poles on the Boardwalk would be similar to those in the downtown shopping district.
“By directly managing the system, the city can ensure that the Boardwalk is well lit and beautifully maintained year-round,” Gillian said of the lighting.
Ocean City, TO residents Elsie Epps recently went to Fifth Street and the Boardwalk to check out the construction site. They said they were glad the project was underway and described the sight of the torn boards as remarkable.
“The boardwalk was in poor condition and needed repairs, so we are glad this is happening,” TO Epps said.
“We've been coming here for over 30 years. We've seen the boardwalk repaired, but only a few boards at a time,” noted Elsie Epps. “We have never experienced such a total renovation.”
Ocean City residents Elsie and TO Epps watch the construction work from behind a fence.Contractor L. Feriozzi Concrete Co. is expected to complete the project by next spring, in time for the start of the tourism season
Gillian said the second phase of the project, the renovation of the Boardwalk from 14th Street to 16th Street, will begin in summer 2026.
Ocean City is one of the coastal communities that are planning or have begun rebuilding or improving their boardwalks with the help of $100 million in funding from the state's Boardwalk Preservation Fund. Ocean City received nearly $4.9 million in financing.
Other coastal cities in Atlantic and Cape May counties benefiting from the Boardwalk Preservation Fund include Atlantic City ($20 million); North Wildwood, $10.3 million; Wildwood, $8.3 million; Ventnor, $7.1 million; Cape May: $6.7 million; Sea Isle City, $2 million; Brigantine, $1.2 million; and Wildwood Crest, $1.1 million.
Examples of projects include replacing old and crumbling decking along the promenade with resilient, longer-lasting materials; replacing deteriorating pilings and boardwalk infrastructure; Improving access and safety by constructing ADA-compliant ramps and railings; and expansion of an existing section of the promenade.
The boardwalk's support poles will also be replaced at the north end.