Atlantic City Plan: Bader Field, Boardwalk & Gardner’s Basin

Atlantic City Gardner's Basin bader field
AC Mayor Guardian Addresses Attendees

Atlantic City Council chambers were packed with 250 attendees on Monday, March 16 to talk about the future of Bader Field and Gardner’s Basin.

Mayor Don Guardian, Councilman Frank Gilliam and Elizabeth Terenik, head of city planning and development made introductory statements before Maser Consulting lead the interactive presentation.

Discussion & Presentation Topics:

  • 140 acres at Bader Field, a former airport, converted into site for sporting events, athletic fields, retail, dining.
  • Gardner’s Basin: 22-acres of city-owned land in Northeast Inlet section. Hidden jewel that could be like Baltimore’s Inner Harbor.
  • Construction to start this spring on the Gardner’s Basin project. Army Corps of Engineers will extend Boardwalk to the basin. Great Atlantic Hurricane of 1944 destroyed that part of Boardwalk. A protective seawall will also be built. 18-month project.
  • Existing tenants lease buildings from the city; Atlantic City Aquarium, two restaurants, the Back Bay Ale House and Gilchrist, and a handful of small retailers/craft shops and water sport & fishing/cruise  vendors. Guardian and Terenik want to add more dining and craft / retail shops, enlarge the aquarium, add a parking lot and a fishermen’s park. Project should be completed by the end of 2016.

Some believe the expansion of the Atlantic City Boardwalk to Gardner’s Basin will ignite development.

“Things will gentrify from that. The Boardwalk will be the greatest feeder to that area.” said local resident and former Philly newscaster; Tom Lamaine.

Download: Atlantic City Bader Field RFP March 2015

Gardner’s Basin RFP will go out soon

Read more at Philly.com