Ocean Place Planning to Improve Area Next to Promenade

United Capital Corp's redevelopment of Ocean Place Resort and Spa is continuing with the group's latest improvement project for the Long Branch hotel.

The group, which acquired the hotel last year, is now looking to add an outdoor pool to the southeastern portion of the property which fronts the promenade and beach.

"We have a smaller pool on the second deck, but we are trying to expand our clientele and bring in more families," United Capital Corp Vice President Michael Weinbaum said during this week's Long Branch Council meeting. "We don't have enough seating as it is right now and we are trying to activate the southeast corner of the property."

United Capital Corp is looking to install a linear pool in front of the parking garage with a seating area that will be extended out to the current bike path between the promenade the hotel. Weinbaum said the 3,000-square-foot, 4-feet-deep pool will only be open for hotel guests.

Weinbaum said a larger tiki bar will also be built and will be open to the public.

Other improvements include new signage, a water feature, lounge seating around the pool and landscaping.

Weinbaum said there will be a 4-foot glass railing that will separate pool area from bike path for safety reasons. The two access points into the pool area will also have security officers monitoring them to make sure only hotel guests utilize it.

Weinbaum said the pool are will be elevated to protect it from any future storm damage.

"During the (Hurricane Sandy), the water made it over the bulkhead and across the promenade but didn't go past that, and now we're even higher," he said.

These are part of the second phase of improvements for Ocean Place that are slated to begin this fall. They also include a new indoor spa and moving the indoor pool from the second floor to the first floor.

Weinbaum said United Capital Corp's plan to improve the outdoor area of the hotel will have to be approved by the Long Branch Planning Board before it can move forward. The application is expected to be heard by the board at its June 18 meeting.