Asbury Park: Casino & Carousel

If you liked Asbury Park's Convention Center, then this will blow your socks off.Anchoring the main boardwalk on the other end from the Convention Center is a complex which includes the 'Casino', the Carousel, and the Old Heating Plant.Also designed by New York Beaux-Arts architects Whitney Warren & Charles Wetmore at the same time period, the complex is currently in flux between restoration efforts.The carousel itself was sadly sold in 1990 but the space would be a great concert venue or outdoor cafe.The details are just amazing. Part of the building on the beach side of the boardwalk has been torn down but plans are in place to possibly rebuild it to hold an indoor food market.This space is similar to the arcade at the Convention Center but obviously needs a bit more work to become fully occupiable.Again, the details all reference the beach location.The interior retains the original polished terrazzo and a lot of really great plasterwork.Hiding renovation of the former ice skating rink is this interesting painted billboard. Graffiti art like this exists all throughout the city and lends a fun bohemian vibe. I wonder what sign was originally housed so ornately?On the backside of the complex was my favorite building, the Old Heating Plant. Built by Warren & Wetmore, the utiliarian building was given the appearance of either a strange temple or swank beach bar. The purpose however was to cover access and machinery for the steam tunnels which fueled the complex of buildings along the boardwalk.The bronze urns are where excess steam was released from the machinery.Imagine the 2nd floor as a restaurant overlooking the ocean (or better yet my personal beachhouse!).The back has a loggia facing the canal. I imagine back in the day it was quite lovely but now is a bit forlorn.Reminders of Asbury Park's heyday are all around, as in this graffiti art mentioning a Cole Porter tribute: "Is it Granada I see or Asbury Park?".

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