“Breathtaking,” Atlantic City Mayor Frank Gilliam said as he toured the site of the South Jersey Gas under construction as part of the city’s Gateway Project.
As the project nears its fall completion, a tour was offered to let people inside the 75,000-square-foot headquarters that will include state-of-the-art technology, an employee gym and cafe, and several floors of parking.
And the views are pretty spectacular, highlighting the city from every angle.
“There’s a panoramic view from every floor,” Gilliam said. “Imagine this as a condo. Imagine someone able to say, ‘I live on the beach and get these views.’”
Students attending Stockton University’s beachfront campus next door will be able to say that.
Both are part of the $210 million Gateway Project that spans 270,000 square feet with South Jersey Gas, Stockton University, an 879-space parking garage and 7,000 square feet of retail space.
“This is an important component of the Gateway Project,” Gilliam said. “This is the template.”
He hopes that South Jersey Gas’s facility will inspire others to invest in the city, and even challenge them to surpass it.
"Corporations are going to come here and try to top this," Gilliam said.The building represents an important partnership with and investment in the city, those leading the tour said. “We consider this return to Atlantic City as kind of a homecoming,” said South Jersey Gas President Dave Robbins. “We’re energized by the prospect of returning to our roots and helping Atlantic City return to the vibrant, bustling beach venue that we know it to be.” Inside, meeting rooms will bear the names of Monopoly properties, the original game that honored the city’s streets. It will also be the company’s sixth walk-in facility. Two to three full-time agents will be on hand to handle questions, payments and even assist those who need help paying off their bills, said Tammy Molino, director of Customer Care, Collections and Billing. Councilman Jesse Kurtz was impressed by what he saw, pointing out that the project splits between wards, but South Jersey Gas is on his side of the street. And a view from atop the site allowed him to see the home where he grew up on Hartford Avenue in Chelsea Village. "It's exciting for the city," he said. [gallery type="slideshow" size="large" ids="9340,9343,9342,9341,9344,9351,9350,9349,9348,9347,9345"]
