Lucy the Elephant interpretive center one of the most anticipated projects in Margate this year

MARGATE – The city is moving into the future with several public projects that will provide better services for residents, beautify neighborhoods, increase values for bayfront property owners, ensure safe drinking water, improve resiliency, and give Lucy the Elephant a place to meet new people.

The city will soon begin construction on a $10.5 million Public Works facility at Benson and Winchester avenues. Designed by architect William McLees of McLees Architecture of Somers Point and engineered by Remington & Vernick Engineers, the building will be built as an “essential” facility designed to withstand emergencies during sever weather events or other emergencies. The facility will be built to withstand a 500-year flood.

“After many years of debate, the city moved forward with a bond ordinance to make the project a reality,” Mayor Michael Collins said. “It will be a critical use facility and allow the city to protect its equipment from storms and the salt air environment.”

    Schematic of the proposed Margate Public Works building
  

Replacing the deteriorating building had been discussed for several years. The two-story steel and masonry building will include 12,700-square-feet of workspace, have nine bays on the ground level, and offices, training rooms, male and female locker rooms and a break room on the second level. The design will fit in with the neighborhood. Placing the building closer to Winchester Avenue will free up 20-30 parking spaces, officials said.

After 10 years of environmental studies and legal wranglings, in 2025, the city finally received its backbay dredging permit from the NJ Department of Environmental Protection. 

Dredging Beach Thorofare over the next five to 10 years will not only improve safety for boaters maneuvering the back bay but will also benefit homeowners who have docks behind their bayfront homes. 

    Maddy Vitale/Somers Point dredged the bay in 2019 to create a new marina.
  

The dredging permit covers not only the municipality, but also private property owners who have docks behind their bayfront homes. Bayfront residents who have homes with riparian rights will be able to dredge their boat slips and canals without having to apply for their own dredging permit, saving them time and money.

“It is necessary to ensure our waterways are safe and our bayfront homeowners and marinas have access to the water,” Collins said.

The city is currently in Phase 1 of its multi-year approach to replacing lead service lines, which includes public outreach to determine where lead or galvanized steel service lines exist. The city provided notifications to the public last year, encouraging them to visit the https://lead-service-line-inventory-margatecity.hub.arcgis.com/ website to approve access to their property, and approved South State Inc. to do the work. The work will be done at no cost to residents and will be fully funded by state and federal programs.

The state enacted legislation in 2021 that requires all water service providers to identify and replace lead or galvanized steel service lines by 2031. Galvanized piping was commonly installed in homes built before 1960 and was used as an alternative to lead pipes for water supply lines.

    City of Margate/Martin Bloom Community Pavilion.
  

The city will also be replacing the deteriorating deck at the Martin Bloom Pavilion where senior citizens enjoy their lunch and participate in social activities. The deck, which has deteriorated due to the weather and salt air, has been closed for more than a year because it is unsafe. The city has budgeted $378,000 in its recently approved $8.9 million capital bond ordinance to replace the deck and build an addition at Beach Patrol Headquarters.

Visitors to the city who may not be able to climb the narrow stairs inside Lucy the Elephant’s legs will be able to learn more about the cultural icon of Absecon Island when the Save Lucy Committee builds an interpretive center next to America’s favorite roadside attraction.

“This project will allow accessibility to everyone and provide an opportunity to experience our beloved landmark,” Collins said.

    Lucy the Elephant Interpretive Center rendering
  

The original design was scaled back to a one-story building to ensure the building is not bigger than Lucy herself.

 Although a $500,000 Congressionally Directed Spending donation to upgrade Lucy’s interior did not survive the federal government’s DOGE cuts last year, the Save Lucy Committee, which works tirelessly to keep Lucy in tip-top shape to receive visitors throughout the year, has vowed to apply for other grants to fund interior improvements.

The city has pledged up to $1.5 million to build the $3.5 million visitors center while the committee continues with its ongoing capital campaign.

The Save Lucy Committee will break ground on the interpretive center in April and hopes it will be completed by Memorial Day 2027.

    Rendering Washington Avenue streetscape
  

The city will also see the completion of the long-awaited Washington Avenue streetscape improvement project, which was not without controversy. The $3.8 million project that began last fall will change the current traffic pattern to a one-way street heading toward the bay. Some residents opposed the change from two lanes of traffic to just one lane with a bicycle lane. Some changes were made and the project moved forward.

Collins said the project fulfills goals contained in the city’s 2016 Master Plan to connect the Central Business District with the Waterfront Special District. The project includes water and sewer infrastructure improvements that the engineer said would help with nuisance flooding, paving, brick sidewalks, corner ramps, bump outs, curbs and gutters, decorative lighting and street trees. 

The project is funded with $162,000 from the DOT’s Safe Routes to Transit grant program, and $1.5 million from the competitive federal Transportation Alternatives Set Aside program. The remainder is being funded by taxpayers through a bond ordinance.

    Tom Briglia/Margate's Fall Funfest by the Bay.
  

As always, the community can look forward to numerous fun public events, including those put on by the Margate Business Association, Police, Fire and Public Works departments and Beach Patrol, and the Margate City Public Library. 

“We will continue with our investments in infrastructure and continue to host our annual events that are attended by residents and visitors,” Collins said.

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