20th Annual Polar Bear Plunge in Long Branch raises funds for Special Olympics

Photo from APP.COM

Check out this news segment from PIX11 about the 20th Annual Polar Bear Plunge held at Pier Village in Long Branch this past weekend!

Click HERE to watch!

An Ironclad Growth Plan

BARRY BROTHERS MAKE IRONSTATE A SUCCESS BY STICKING TO DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY

By Joshua Burd

Ironstate Development principals David, left, and Michael Barry at the site of 18 Park, a 422-unit residential building in Jersey City.

 

 

 

The ability to stick to a plan has always been a key strength of David and Michael Barry. Like their father and grandfather, who founded the development business they now lead, the brothers have stayed atop the industry by staying true to a strategy of building their multifamily and mixed-use projects around the state’s bustling urban centers.

But that hasn’t stopped Ironstate Development from evolving under the brothers’ watch. In recent years, the firm has become a player in the region’s hotel market, and the Barrys are now expanding its reach beyond traditional hubs like Hoboken and Jersey City.

“We’re not single-family homebuilders, we’re not suburban office builders, we’re not strip mall builders or any of those things,” David Barry said from his firm’s Hoboken office. “So when you talk about what we do, which is building multifamily at scale, you need places that are going to accommodate that.”

Multifamily has weathered the storms of the troubled real estate market, helping to expand Ironstate’s pipeline and portfolio in recent years. The development firm of about 50, which descends from the family’s Applied Housing Co., has added more than 1,600 residential units, 55,000 square feet of retail and two hotels since 2007.

The Barrys’ firm now owns and manages more than 6,000 residential units, and has a $1 billion project pipeline that includes another 7,100 units, according to the firm. Its upcoming projects also include 193,500 square feet of retail and some 200 hotel rooms.

Ironstate stuck to its core markets during the recession, completing the signature W Hoboken Hotel and the 93-unit Berkshire, in Hoboken, and large joint venture apartment projects like 225 Grand and 50 Columbus, in Jersey City. The firm also built and opened a luxury rental building in Harrison during the downturn, in what was the first phase of a redevelopment project with the Pegasus Group.

“On the rental side, the economics were still there,” Michael Barry said, noting that the apartment market is “somewhat countercyclical” to condominiums. “So even though the market had fallen apart across the board, there are still opportunities for good, well-placed development, particularly in the rental sector.”

But with space in those areas running low, Ironstate has looked toward new markets to extend its large-scale, transit-centric brand of development. In the past three years, the firm has stepped into the five boroughs of New York, where it now has seven properties or sites under development. That includes a $150 million redevelopment project on Staten Island, where plans call for transforming a former naval base into a waterfront village with 900 residential units and 30,000 square feet of retail.

The firm opened a Manhattan office in February, given that the city “fits that mold and (is) an area where we can leverage our expertise in a profitable fashion,” Michael Barry said.

Despite being third-generation developers, David and Michael Barry said the business was never meant to be a dynasty. The South Orange natives became active with what was Applied Development Co. in the early 1990s, with David joining after a stint as a practicing attorney and Michael after finishing graduate school.

They effectively took the reins and formed Ironstate in 2001 after their father, Joseph Barry, retired as head of the company. And while their work often overlaps, each brother as an owner has his own role: as president of Ironstate Development, David spearheads the firm’s pipeline, while Michael oversees construction and management of the firm’s portfolio as president of Ironstate Holdings LLC.

But together, the Barrys have built the firm’s reputation for creativity and a cutting-edge approach, industry colleagues say, and Ironstate has become a sought-after partner for other developers. For instance, by year’s end, Ironstate and Edison-based Mack-Cali Realty Corp. will break ground on a three-tower rental project of more than 2,000 units on the Jersey City waterfront.

Mack-Cali CEO Mitchell Hersh, whose firm primarily develops office buildings, said the Barrys “bring a great deal of local market knowledge and experience to the table,” plus the ability to put their own equity capital into the project.

Ironstate also is partnering with Kushner Real Estate Group, in Bridgewater, on three upcoming projects totaling 1,500 apartment units in Jersey City. Jonathan Kushner, the firm’s president, said the relationship goes back about seven years, fueled in part by the Barrys’ “forward-thinking” approach and pulse on the market.

“In terms of apartment design and layouts, unit sizes and curb appeal, amenity spaces, lobby designs — they’re always on top of it, and they’re always ahead of the market,” Kushner said.

The brothers also try to guide their residential projects using their hospitality experience, from revamping management systems to putting art in the lobbies.

They have had plenty of practice in recent years, they said: Aside from the W Hoboken, Ironstate in 2009 opened the Bungalow, a boutique hotel that’s part of the ongoing Pier Village development in Long Branch. The firm also recently acquired the former Cooper Square Hotel, in Manhattan, and is renovating it in partnership with hotelier Andre Balazs. Meanwhile, in Harrison, Ironstate is preparing to break ground on a new 136-room hotel, part of its venture with Pegasus.

The Barrys attribute their success in part to how they manage volume, through a close circle of about 10 key executives, and refusal to stray from their expertise in development. Instead, Ironstate brings in professionals in construction, architecture and marketing to cover those project phases.

Such was the case in the early 2000s, when Ironstate set out to build the W Hoboken, one of its first hotel projects. Robert Siegel, the architect, recalled that the brothers hired a prominent consultant for Starwood’s W brand to complement their own experience in the city. Ironstate also allowed his design firm — Gwathmey, Siegel, Kaufman & Associates — to take the creative lead in the 27-story tower.

That sort of collaboration helps lead to success, Siegel said.

“A lot of it has to do with being intelligent enough to find the good opportunities to pursue, and then having the confidence to work with people to make it happen,” he said. “They’re great at that.”

 

New Jersey’s Real Estate ICONS

The Garden States commercial real estate business has a long and vast history and an even brighter future.

Neither, however, would be possible without the efforts of individuals who helped shape—and continue to influence—the market. Here’s a look at some of the people who have become regional household names in the industry.

By Sarah Wolfe/ Real Estate FORUM

DAVID BARRY

It’s said there wouldn’t be a Hoboken without the Barry family. After all, that’s where, in 1970, brothers Joseph and Walter Barry founded Applied Housing Co. and embarked on revitalization projects that cemented the firm’s reputation as an innovative large-scale urban developer.

Some 30 years after Applied’s founding, brothers David and Michael Barry continued that legacy, forming Ironstate Development, which owns and manages more that 6,000 residential units with $1 billion in projects in the pipeline. As co-president (with Michael) of both Applied and Ironstate, its development arm, Barry has spearheaded some of the state’s largest revitalization projects, including the Shipyard and W Hoboken Hotel & Residences in Hoboken; Port Liberte in Jersey City; and Pier Village in Long Branch, now in its third phase. Barry is also a member fo the boards of the New Jersey Apartment Association and Fortress Investment Group LLC, a global investment manager with an estimated $40 billion in assets as of 2010.

Jersey Shore Facelift

via gb&d/Interview by Suchi Rudra

Pier Village and the Bungalow Hotel, Ironstate Development’s latest high-end revitalization project, tempts travelers and residents with a boutique hotel and more than 500 luxury rentals

Beneath the luxurious design and natural materials of the Bungalow Hotel, developed by Ironstate Development and designed by Sixx Design, are numerous sustainable elements, including a high-efficiency, ductless heating-and-cooling system. Photo: Matthew Williams.

Stretching along the oceanfront in Long Branch, New Jersey, is a new luxury playground for locals and celebrities alike. Pier Village, a $400 million mixed-use community by Ironstate Development, is a massive reclamation project for the real-estate-development firm, and it features 536 luxury rental residences plus a boutique hotel, the Bungalow Hotel, which has a playful beach-chic interior and 24 guest rooms. Ironstate principal Michael Barry shared with gb&d his thoughts on the significance and the challenges of going green in the hospitality market.

 gb&d: Can you explain how Pier Village works as a massive reclamation project and as part of an urban-revitalization project?

 Michael Barry: The single most important feature in a sustainable project is site selection. This project has many of the desirable features, which include location within a half mile of rail transportation, access to bus routes and public transportation, walkable streets, amenities, existing infrastructure, an existing urban setting, and a need for revitalization.

 gb&d: How does this development combat unnecessary sprawl?

 MB: Density and location. This project takes advantage of an existing developed piece of property with low-density housing and introduces vertical construction in an established neighborhood.

 gb&d: Talk about the difficulties of obtaining LEED certification for hospitality design. Why does LEED not always come into play with these types of projects?

 MB: Building LEED sometimes means you need to make changes from the norm. Getting guests comfortable with some of the operational aspects of LEED can be challenging. Asking guests to change their habits can sometimes be daunting. But we feel that the general sentiment, as in our residential product, is that green is beneficial and the way of the future.

 gb&d: Can you talk about the sustainability goals behind the Pier Village development?

 MB: As an owner and operator of apartments, not only in Long Branch but across the state of New Jersey, we recognize the need and value of creating sustainable buildings and projects. Our clientele is very sophisticated and values the benefits of living in green environments. So for us it’s very important to address these concerns to be competitive in the marketplace.

At the Bungalow Hotel in Pier Village, one of the most important strategies was energy efficiency. A number of measures were implemented for the Bungalow, which started with the HVAC system, which utilizes a ductless split system with incredibly high efficiency ratings, environmentally neutral refrigerants, high operator control, and seamless integration with the design. The hotel units also incorporate large areas of glass for daylighting, virtually eliminating the need for artificial lights during the daytime. In the Pier Village residential buildings, we are examining modifying the light fixtures in the garage and common areas and exploring the use of LED lighting and motion sensors. We are also working on a company-wide plan to reduce water-bottle usage by providing tenants with in-faucet water filtration.

READ MORE >>>

High marks for Pier Village

Via APP.COM

By CAROL GORGA WILLIAMS

Festival Plaza along Ocean Ave. BY MARY FRANK/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

LONG BRANCH — Crack houses, a rat-infested water slide and boarded up arcades. This was the setting where the Pier Village retail and residential complex was built in a city that had endured decades of decline.

And while the complex — the first to be built in the most recent spate of oceanfront redevelopment projects — is readied for its third and final stage, the community last week observed the fifth anniversary of the first phase with nary a hiccup.

Nonetheless, the impact on the city has been substantial, and officials foresee Phase 3 providing additional, significant benefits.

Merchants and city leaders say Pier Village has succeeded in extending the city’s tourism season, part of a long-term plan to shift the local economy to a year-round one. It is also credited with sharply increasing beach revenues, from $200,000 before Pier Village to a record-breaking $1.2 million in 2010, a figure that was surpassed this year by the end of July.

Also, the increases in tax assessments on the development property are virtually astronomical. And the jobs produced by the 13 or so restaurants, 16 boutiques, hotel and beach club has brought substantial disposable income into the city, said business leaders

“As Pier Village gets bigger, it is going to be adding assets to the city that aren’t there now,” said Mayor Adam Schneider.

“We think it has more than delivered,” said Gregory R. Russo of the Hoboken-based developer Applied Development Co.

Schneider said the final phase includes plans for adding 50 percent more retail space on the parcel that draws tourists from other parts of New Jersey and from New York and Pennsylvania. It is marketed as an upscale version of the Jersey Shore experience, complete with a luxury hotel and gourmet restaurants.

But Pier Village also contains very basic eateries like a pizza parlor and a hot dog stand; supporters say the mixture of price points allows the complex to be accessible to people with varying incomes.

“In this one little area, there was so much to do. I also felt safe because you didn’t have to go miles away” to eat or shop, said Reve Anderko. “Everything was right outside your front door.”

Anderko came from Bethlehem, Pa., two years ago to take a job in the area and thought Pier Village was about as good as it got in terms of area rentals.

She also supports the conceptual plan for Phase 3, noting her apartment often plays host to family visitors, particularly in the summer.

Pier Village Phase 3 is planned as a “family-friendly” area that will house a carousel, possibly miniature golf and some sort of arcade operation similar to the restaurants that also offer games and entertainment.

“It would make sense and it would definitely fit in an area such as this,” said Anderko, adding that she likes the city’s plan to rebuild its oceanfront pier as well.

Pier Village stands as a beacon to other potential investors, Schneider said.

“It sends a message that even in a tough economy, Long Branch is still a place where work is going on,” said Schneider.

While officials proceed with redevelopment plans, they acknowledge they are not likely to see developers coming in to do major projects any longer. In the wake of the eminent domain backlash, developers would have more difficulty and likely more expense assembling large pieces of property for redevelopment.

Brendan Ward, 27, has lived at Pier Village for about a year. A runner, he works part-time at The Sneaker Factory as he works toward a graduate degree in social work.

Ward said that even though it is often seen as a haven for upscale boutiques, he finds a sense of community there, among the residents and those who work in the shops.

But it is not perfect.

“There is that sense of community, but sometimes it feels like a bubble,” said Ward. “If there was one thing I would wish for, it would be to alleviate that bubble” and find a way to spread a Pier Village combination of community and retail success into the city’s downtown and along Broadway, he said.

In 2006, Pier Village received the project of the year award from the Urban Land Institute. In 2007, it was named one of 20 great American beaches by Travel & Leisure Magazine and in 2009, it received the governor’s tourism award.

Melanie Rowbotham, 21, a Monmouth University senior who hails from Sussex County, won the on-campus lottery that helps decide which students will be eligible to live in some of the 30 or so units the school reserves at Pier Village.

The English/elementary education major stayed there with three roommates her junior year as well and took advantage of her 11-month lease to spend the summer at the beach. Not a bad arrangement, she said, laughing.

She is thinking of staying at Pier Village if she gets a job in the region. Right now, she doesn’t even mind paying the extra money for the nearly-year round access to the beach, the ocean and the complex pool.

“It’s summer on the beach. It is definitely worth it,” she said.

Pier Village is not without its detractors. There have been objections to the use of eminent domain for the project and complaints of more traffic.

Monmouth University Professor John Buzza, a business instructor who monitors the local hospitality industry, said the development still is too costly for locals to embrace, although it has helped the city recover.

“I think Pier Village is a godsend and people are looking to emulate it in all these urban areas,” Buzza added.

“Before Pier Village came in, I thought it was a great idea,” said Dennis Sherman, who heads Save Ocean Avenue, a group whose goal is to ensure that other areas of the oceanfront and boardwalk are not ignored. “It would go a long way toward improving conditions in the area, and it did.”

However, as an economic engine, it has been a disappointment, he said.

“The tax-abatement program, we thought it would help taxes go down, and taxes went up,” said Sherman.

Esther Cohen, president of the Greater Long Branch Chamber of Commerce, believes Pier Village has produced an eight-month tourism season.

“Look at Deal, Allenhurst, Loch Arbor or Long Beach Island in October: The (traffic) lights are blinking yellow,” she said.

Not so in Long Branch, where if visitors didn’t know about Pier Village when they arrived, they discover it before they leave.

“It is a destination within a destination and in creating that destination … They also recreated the destination of Long Branch,” Cohen said.

PIER VILLAGE PHASE 3

The project, which already has received site-plan approval from the city Planning Board and approval from the City Council, acting as the city’s Redevelopment Agency, includes space for a second, larger hotel, condominiums and 40,000 square feet of retail space, said developer Gregory R. Russo.
Infrastructure improvements, roadwork and utilities, for example, should begin this fall, continue until the start of the 2012 summer season, and resume the following fall for partial occupancy by Memorial Day 2013.

Phase 3 is intended to be “family-friendly,” with a carousel, possible miniature golf course and some form of arcade.

Developers also proposed an enlargement and expansion of the boardwalk in certain areas to give shoppers the sense that they are actually on the boards, when they make their purchases, recalling more traditional boardwalk set-ups.

Tax assessments on the Pier Village property totaled $6.67 million in 2005, before construction started.

In 2007, the land and the improvements were assessed at $84.4 million. That same year, Pier Village paid $485,818 in taxes, an abated figure. By 2011, the project was subject to full taxes, except for the Sirena and Avenue restaurants, which become eligible in 2012. Officials are considering whether Phase 3 will receive a tax abatement.

Phase 1: 320 rental apartments and 100,000 square feet of retail space; occupancy complete in August 2006.

Phase 2: 216 apartments, 1,800 square feet of retail and a 24-unit hotel; construction completed in 12 months with the hotel called The Bungalow opening in 2009.

Phase 3: 70-room hotel, 320 condominiums and 40,000-square feet of retail; to be ready by Memorial Day 2013. No construction planned for summer 2012 season.

Livingetc: American Idol

For hotels that effortlessly team laid-back with luxe, head Stateside

words NEIL McLEENAN and ROZ ERSKINE

Summer holidays are all about getting your fill of wide, open spaces, big, blue skies and glamorous beach living. And nowhere in the world does that quite as well as the US of A. The weak pound may mean a shopping spree doesn’t offer the draw it once did, but a holiday across the pond still means you can look forward to copious quantities of good food, a familiar culture, quality accommodation and great
service (with a nothing-expected-in-return smile). For urban fun, an historic LA grande dame has recently been given a complete style overhaul, while in Miami, Soho House is putting on the glitz with a newly opened contemporary beach house. On the east coast,The Hamptons usually gets all the press, but we head south from New York to check out the only boutique hotel on the more approachable Jersey Shore. God bless America.

Sun-bleached white is teamed with hits of colour and original art.

BUNGALOW HOTEL
Long Branch, New Jersey

The Jersey Shore has long been popular with Manhattanites and ‘Noo Joisey” locals, who flock to the diverse beach towns in search of rest ‘n’ rec. The Bungalow Hotel, in smart Long Branch, is the area’s only true boutique hotel, offering an intimate, informal experience with interiors by Livingetc favourites Sixx Design (see April 2010). The sun-washed vacation vibe is expressed through extensive white surfaces relaxed with textured woods, and made modern with poppy contemporary art, surfboards and evocatively named suites. Chill at the local beach or head to Atlantic City to recreate your own 21st century Boardwalk Empire, Doubles from £173 (bungalowhotel. net).

All rooms are large, with kitchen facilities and comfy seating.

See the full clip: Livingetc – American Idols

Jersey Shore Chic in Long Branch

Photograph: courtesy of Avenue/Le Club

Head to the Garden State for private pools, pinball machines, lobster rolls and ocean views.

By Lisa Ritchie
Time Out New York

Travel time: One and a half hours from NYC by train

Photograph: courtesy of Avenue/Le Club

Why Go: Although it’s not the high-society retreat it was in 1869, when President Ulysses S. Grant made it his summer base, Long Branch is in the midst of a revival that has nothing to do with girls with poufed hair or guys with overdeveloped abs. Years after a 1987 fire reduced its amusement pier to a charred skeleton, Jersey boys David and Michael Barry took over the decrepit boardwalk to create Pier Village, comprising apartments, restaurants, shops and a boutique hotel. Nearby, Asbury Park is also poised for a comeback.

Photograph: courtesy of Avenue/Le Club

Stay here: The design of Bungalow may have been chronicled in a reality-TV show—Bravo’s 9 by Design—but that doesn’t dilute its cool factor. A handcrafted wood bar by upstate New York artist John Houshmand, a vintage pool table, old board games and a 1960s foosball table encourage hanging out in the lobby. In the 24 guest rooms, whitewashed wood floors and mixed-media works by British artist Ann Carrington evoke the feel of a private beach house. (bungalowhotel.net). Rates start at $189; mention TONY for a 10% discount Mon–Thu and Sun through May 26.

Photograph: Joshua McHugh

Do this: A day badge to access the pristine Long Branch beach is just $5–$7 for adults and $3 for ages 14–17 (free for kids under 14 and seniors), but for $25 per day, guests at the Bungalow hotel can luxuriate at Le Club—an exclusive stretch that opens Memorial Day weekend. Lounge under imported palm trees and sip cocktails from upscale eatery Avenue. Atop the restaurant is a private pool deck and bar, which morphs into a slick nightclub where fist-pumping is highly discouraged. For a grittier seaside vibe, catch the 837 bus from New Jersey Transit’s Long Branch Station to Asbury Park. Here, continuing redevelopment is bringing indie businesses to the boardwalk opposite the Boss’s old stomping ground, The Stone Pony (stoneponyonline.com); Kid Cudi hits the Pony’s outdoor Summer Stage on July 3. You can join die-hard pinheads at Silverball Museum Arcade (silverballmuseum.com), where collector Rob Ilvento lets the public play on 200 of his prize pinball machines, dating from 1932 to 2005, for a small admission fee (starts at $7.50 for a half hour). Stroll along the hip strip of Cookman Avenue and make a detour off the main drag for FIT graduate Casey Pyle’s loftlike shop, Humor and Grace (humorandgrace.com), for up-cycled vintage rompers ($25) and handmade wallets embellished with pop-culture images ($15).

Photograph: Joshua McHugh

Eat here: Order the spicy, orange-spiked lobster roll in a brioche bun ($16) at the David Collins–designed beachfront brasserie, Avenue (leclubavenue.com), which offers lovely ocean vistas and a 120-seat outdoor deck. In Asbury Park, get a taste of exotic destinations at Langosta Lounge (langostalounge.com), where surfer-chef Marilyn Schlossbach’s menu is inspired by “vacation cuisine.”

Read the full article from Time Out New York.

The Good Life for Less: Places to Stay – The Bungalow Hotel in Long Branch, NJ

The white-on-white decor at the Bungalow in Long Branch adds to the aura of coolness. Photo by Colin Archer/Agency New Jersey

Bungalow
50 Laird St, Long Branch;
732-229-3700,
bungalowhotel.net

This ultra-cool Pier Village boutique hotel has a Girls’ Night Out package through April 30. You and your gal pals can overnight in a two-bedroom Kahuna suite, complete with fireplace and wet bar. The six-person package runs $600 and includes a $100 voucher toward dinner at the oceanfront Avenue restaurant, VIP access to Le Club Nuit and a bottle of champagne on ice for your room. For something more romantic, the Love is in the Air package starts at $219 midweek and $249 per weekend night for an Aloha suite, with oversized king bed, wet bar and fireplace. The package (available through April 30) includes a $60 dinner voucher for two at Avenue, champagne, chocolate strawberries and late checkout upon request.

Jersey Shore Cheat Sheet

Jersey Shore Cheat Sheet

BY JEN MURPHY, TRAVEL EDITOR

 The Jersey Shore’s hip new Bungalow hotel.

 I sheepishly admit that I call the Jersey Shore my home. I grew up in the tiny beach town of Pt. Pleasant and yes, from the months of June through August, some parts do resemble the MTV reality show, which I stubbornly boycott. But for the most part, many Shore towns are Snooki  and JWoww-free, particularly post-Labor Day. I travel all around the world and still consider it one of my favorite quick city escapes. Here, a hit list of insider’s tips on the real Jersey Shore.

 *I had to laugh when I saw the Shrimp Box, a family-run, waterfront restaurant where I spent my summers waiting tables, reviewed in today’s Wall Street Journal. Its new patio is where locals head for summer drinks. For food, I prefer Red’s Lobster Pot, a super-casual, BYOB restaurant set on the water just next door.

 *Lines for the house-made ice cream at Hoffman’s in Pt. Pleasant spill out the door, but the Coconut Joy and cookie-loaded Coffee Oreo are worth the wait.

 *In the Lily Pulitzer-loving town of Bay Head, the restaurant Dorcas is set in an old Victorian house with green-and-white striped awnings. Sit at the old-fashioned soda fountain and watch the counter girls make floats and egg creams. They also serve a quirky “curly” hot dog on a hamburger bun and thick, crispy onion rings with a side of Ranch dressing (a brilliant pairing).

 *In the August issue, I wrote about America’s best new hotels by the sea. Among them, Long Branch’s super hip Bungalow hotel from SIXX Design. Just a few doors down is Avenue, a chic restaurant with the Shore’s best raw bar, a 200-plus wine list and a sceney rooftop club.

 *In Asbury Park, Bruce Spingsteen’s stomping grounds, Bistro Olé is my favorite spot for insanely good Spanish and Portuguese food like paella and ropa vieja. An added bonus: It’s BYOB and there’s usually live music. Late-night, I head to the legendary rock club where the Boss is known to make the occasional surprise appearance.

Jersey Shore’s Alluring Design

Jersey Shore’s Alluring Design

New York–based Bravo reality stars Robert and Cortney Novogratz talk to T+L about the allure of (yes) the New Jersey Shore.

 By Michael Gross

 “You can have oysters and rosé by the beach,” says Cortney Novogratz about Monmouth County, on the New Jersey Shore—where she and her husband, Robert, recently designed Bungalow, a chic Long Branch hotel with access to a St.-Tropez–style club. “It feels European, and it’s sophisticated.” An hour from New York City, the area is a far cry from the toasted coast that many people picture, thanks to MTV’s Snooki and The Situation. “There’s hip shopping, good food, a nice mix for adults and kids,” Cortney says. Bungalow showcases the couple’s signature urban-bohemian aesthetic, which can be seen on their reality-TV show, Bravo’s 9 by Design, which they star in with their seven children, as well as in Downtown Chic, the book they published with Rizzoli. The public spaces are decorated with a mix of pieces picked up during their travels, from a portrait of Queen Elizabeth made out of pearl buttons by contemporary British artist Ann Carrington and a collection of surfing photos to vintage furniture found at flea markets in Paris, London, and Brazil. The Novogratzes love the fact that in Long Branch, you can walk to everything and don’t need a car—the train from NYC stops three blocks away from the hotel and year-round ferries from downtown Manhattan dock a 15-minute cab ride up the coast. They have also come to know neighboring towns, including Rumson and quaint Asbury Park, the longtime base of Bruce Springsteen. “It has really good antiquing and amazing architecture,” Bob says. Next up: a second Long Branch hotel called Cabana, just two blocks from Bungalow and inspired by 1960’s Palm Springs.

 Long Branch Address Book

 Bungalow A stylish 24-room oceanfront hotel with interiors by the Novogratzes. 50 Laird St., Long Branch; 732/229-3700; bungalowhotel.net; doubles from $199.

 Antique Emporium Cortney and Bob head here for European and American pieces. 646 Cookman Ave., Asbury Park; 732/774-8230.

 Stone Pony The music venue is “a piece of history,” according to Bob—where Springsteen used to perform regularly. 913 Ocean Ave., Asbury Park; 732/502-0600; drinks for two $10.

 Avenue “Amazing French food,” Bob says. “We eat here ninety percent of the time.” 23 Ocean Ave., Long Branch; 732/759-2900; dinner for two $100.

 House of Modern Living With a range of Midcentury furniture, this is another shopping favorite. 718 Cookman Ave., Asbury Park; 732/988-2350.

 Monmouth Park Racetrack “We take the kids here to see the horse races,” Cortney says. “We enjoy it, too.” Oceanport; 732/222-5100; monmouthpark.com.

 Nirvana “Designer jeans, cool T-shirts—this place is a one-stop shop for all the things you need and love,” Cortney says. 66 Centennial Dr., Long Branch; 732/222-7004.

 PNC Bank Arts Center “It’s a fun place to see music outdoors,” says Bob. Recent acts include Aerosmith, Maroon 5, and Crosby, Stills, & Nash. Garden State Pkwy., Holmdel; 866/614-4183; pncbankartscenter.org.