The Baglivo apartment battle; simply a dispute between two Margate neighbors?
Mr. Baglivo is developer of a new apartment complex on Ventnor Ave at Coolidge Ave.
At odds: Are there 6 or 12 units? Was the Baglivo property properly inspected prior to CO, certificate of occupancy?
Listen to APRIL 19, 2024 Margate Commission Meeting.
Neighbor Geddes: I guess I’m going to have to get more proof. I think he’s (Baglivo) lying to you. I think he’s trying to run this city more than you folks are. Somebody’s not telling the truth.
The Margate solicitor placed blame on the internet. The atty representing Baglivo pointed a finger at COVID restrictions.
Esteemed Margate Solicitor John Scott Abbott, Atty Eric Goldstein, Zoning Officer Roger Mclarnon and Building Inspector Jim Galantino met with developer, Steve Baglivo.
Abbott: I think we have a resolution. I know there’s a lot of misinformation out there.
Baglivo Atty Goldstein: This is really not a matter for the city, it’s more between 2 private property owners.
Baglivo will soon convert the properties into condos, says Abbott.
Baglivo claims there are no parking restrictions.
This entire project was initiated, started construction and finished all during COVID. There could be some disconnect between what could be inspected or what could have been approved.
I don’t know why this has become such a big deal, but we’ll deal with it as the city would like us to.
Abbott: Well, he (Baglivo) knows the spotlight is on him and we’ve said to him, you gotta let your residents use this parking lot.
Neighbor: Has anyone in the last six weeks gone into any of those units to inspect?
Geddes: When the kitchens had to get ripped out, was it re-inspected after they were ripped out and was the CO given then, or was it assumed that he was going to take them out?
Did Baglivo get an unconditional CO? That’s what I have a feeling might have happened here.
Baglivo Atty: I don’t know if the city has really any jurisdiction or ability to enforce something based upon a rumor, but Mr. Baglivo remains available to discuss.
Public comment: I know the construction code officials are empowered to have a search warrant issued if they wanted to. Abbott responded: Need probable cause though. We’ll continue to monitor it.
Who’s lying here? Something Shady here.
Baglivo is the tip of the iceberg. We have entrusted our city to well entrenched elected leaders.
Presently there are so many issues that are not enforced appropriately.
Our commissioners and our planning board need to have term limits.
Once cemented into their positions little or no creative thought goes into governing Margate.
How about a well publicized open request from city hall for imaginative improvement ideas that will benefit our city to be added to a new proposed city plan?
This input could serve as an eye opener.
Addressing these issues between private property owners is nonsense. It will never have any resolution. The City needs to stand in and up for the greater good of neighbors and residents.
Owner of the liquor store told me and a friend that the parking lot is hers from 10a-10p.
I have seen for months people walking (with their dogs) from the condos and parking on Coolidge Ave.
This is a major problem. Not fair to residents that live on the street.
Someone is lying!
Money talks, liars walk.
What has happened to Margate?
Thursday’s Margate Commissioners meeting was a real eye opener to how Margate City government works.
A developer suspected of zoning violations is asked if he has more units then 6 and he says no, there is only 6. His attorney uses Covid for some reason that I couldn’t figure out and that he’s going to be converting to Condos, and this is just a ‘neighbor’ issue not a ‘zoning’ issue. Margate City agrees.
There is no more number A/B on all doors, but now, there are just last names. BTW, there are 12 doors with signs on them with 2 names being the same (Mother/Son) and the rest of the names are unique. Did the city notice this? No, they didn’t.
Questions to Margate Solicitor Abbott about the leases. Mr Abbott did not really know what was in the leases, except that there are only 6 units.
Questions to Margate Code Enforcement officer Jim Galantino about inspections and ripping kitchens out, were a surprise to him. Galantino stumbles a bit and says yes, they were inspected after the kitchens were ripped out. ‘Photos were taken’.
I recently talked to a guy who had signed a Baglivo apt lease a few weeks back. He said he was renting a one bedroom in the Baglivo complex.
After some conversation, he said that in his lease, he wasn’t allowed to park in the lot between 10a and 10p.
I also spoke with the owner of the new liquor store. (which is very nice by the way and she is really nice) She told me the parking lot is hers during business hours.
I asked her if all of the Baglivo apartments were rented and she confirmed and said all 12 units are rented.
Wondering what the current renters are thinking about these units going condo? How much time will they have? Will Baglivo be ripping out the extra kitchens again before the apt to condo conversion?
I asked Baglivo Atty Mr. Goldstein, on Friday morning, if he would like to walk the second and third floor of that complex and he said he would not.
I’ve contacted the Atlantic County Prosecutors office to investigate the zoning violations and the city officials allowing this to happen. I would encourage others to do the same.
We need to make sure that any new projects that Baglivo does is watched closely by construction/zoning officials, maybe new officials who will not allow him to run the city.
If any renters, both residential and commercial at 9710 want to talk about this, please reach out to Mayor Collins (mcollins@margate-nj.com), he is good about getting back to you.
Margate had the ability to ask to inspect the inside of these units, and chose not to do so.
Margate had the ability to ask a Margate judge for a warrant to inspect these apt units based on suspected zoning violations, and they did not. I still can’t figure out the reason for that unless they’ve known all along that there were 12, Baglivo apt units.
We need to keep this going so Margate can go back to being a nice beach town to purchase a home / condo, and to not allow people with wads of cash to get away with anything.
remember this? Imagine building a FULL SIZE home on a Margate waterfront. Now imagine the lot is about the size of a large driveway….and it’s been deemed ‘un-buildable’.
This is nothing new for the Margate Planning Board. But this month’s festivities (brutally long, 5+ hour meeting) featured a long-shot move by the esteemed Margate City Solicitor, John Scott Abbott that got shot down.
https://downbeachbuzz.com/margate-real-estate-squeeze-play-on-rumson-squashed-by-planning-board/
Margate city officials keeping their campaign promises to those who financially supported them with the most $.
This is a massive cover up which enlisted city employees from Collins, Horn, Abbott, McLarnon, all the inspectors and Galantino.
What a shame. We, all residential property owners and taxpayers being taken for a ride.
Why? So a few can make a bunch of money.
We need to report this to the State Attorney and FBI.
Nucky Johnson is back from the dead in the form of Collins and Amodeo and the hand picked officials we now have in office.
Stand up Margate and make calls and send letters and e mails.
I fully support a RECALL election. Petitions anyone?
Esteemed Solicitor Abbott, does he sleep?
He is Margate Solicitor, AC Planning Board Solicitor, Longport Planning Board Solicitor, has a private practice appearing before a few cities for zoning planning issues.
His wife gets real estate deals so they can make money as fast as they can. Abbott and his wife have screwed other Margate Real Estate Agents out of listings and sales.
He was tossed out of Ventnor as their Solicitor because of his poor performance and questionable dealings.
Where there is smoke, there is fire. Protected as one of the good ole boys.
Time for Abbott to go!