What to Know
- The Funtown Pier at Seaside Park was destroyed in a massive blaze in September 2013
- The property owner says he won't rebuild the pier, citing economic viability concerns over the borough's 100-feet ride height limit
- The mayor says he hopes the pier will be rebuilt in some form or another
The famed Jersey Shore amusement park destroyed in a massive blaze three years ago won't be rebuilt, the property owner has decided.
The Seaside Park planning board voted Tuesday night to not allow rides taller than 100 feet to be built on the destroyed Funtown Pier, the Lavallette-Seaside & Ortley Beach Shorebeat reports.
Thrill rides that short simply wouldn't interest the public, an attorney for the property owner said. A rebuilt pier would have to feature thrill rides up to 300 feet high in order to be economically viable.
"A big concern is that these limits do not allow for construction of attractions that today's public will find appealing," Stephan Leone told NBC 4 New York.
Seaside Park residents have been vocal about their displeasure with the proposal. They've said they prefer to keep the boardwalk attractions and amusement parks to neighboring Seaside Heights, and that their borough should "strive to be a family resort with beautiful beaches and peace and quiet," according to one woman, the Shorebeat reports.
Mayor Robert W. Matthies said at the meeting he believes the pier may be rebuilt in one form or another.
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"It's hard to believe someone is going to walk away from this space," he said, the Shorebeat reports.
The community had just started to bounce back from Sandy when the fire devastated the pier and boardwalk in September 2013. It started near Kohr's Frozen Custard Shop underneath the boardwalk and quickly devoured most of the boardwalk and the businesses on it.
Funtown Pier was built over 50 years ago.
