Seaside Heights & Seaside Park

In Seaside Heights, A $50M Flagship Building Rises Over the Boulevard in a Famed Location

by
Daniel Nee
February 5, 2025

Renderings of the future Coastal Edge property in Seaside Heights, N.J., replacing the famed ‘Karma’ nightclub. (Credit: MODE Architects)

Jersey Shore nightclubs – even ones that have forged their place in pop culture history – come and go. In Seaside Heights, as the town continues to rapidly evolve from what was long portrayed on national television to the trendy, modern resort community officials have envisioned for many years, investors have also come and gone. But the property that once was home to the Karma nightclub, enshrined in fame – or infamy – on MTV’s “Jersey Shore,” is home to one of the most significant investments in the history of the seaside community. And it’s rising quickly over the center of the re-imagined Boulevard business and restaurant corridor.

Known as Coastal Edge, a mixed-use project that its developers touted as a “flagship” building along the Boulevard, construction started soon after the nightclub was demolished in December 2023. Plans were finalized, permits were issued, and shovels were soon breaking ground on what would be a $50 million investment in the community, coming in the form of an innovative project that is designed to “activate” the corridor and set the standard for its future. A year later, the building has grown into its shape, with stairwells having been completed over the last few weeks and the first residential units being listed for sale. Passersby often slow down to take a closer look at the new, modern building that fulfills a major milestone in the town’s redevelopment.

Renderings of the future Coastal Edge property in Seaside Heights, N.J., replacing the famed ‘Karma’ nightclub. (Credit: MODE Architects)

The 38-unit residential complex between Hamilton and Webster avenues was approved to stand at a height of 52.5 feet and mix the luxury condominium units with a first-floor offering of commercial and restaurant space. An elevator shaft that will take residents to the open rooftop will stand an additional 14-feet above the building. Inside, a majestic, indoor heated pool is surrounded by floor-to-ceiling windows with views of the surrounding seashore community, with a meticulously-designed sauna nearby. The rooftop deck evokes images of top-flight resorts around the world.

Previously, representatives of the project’s developers have said the idea behind the building’s design is to “activate” the Boulevard with a modern mixed-use complex that aesthetically fits in with a larger redevelopment effort along the entire Boulevard corridor. Plans call for additional mixed-use projects along the thoroughfare, including a 10-story building that is proposed for a vacant parcel. Developer K. Hovnanian has also received approval to construct a townhome community at the southernmost portion of the Boulevard, and plans are advancing for yet another mixed-use project at the site of the former Bamboo nightclub, which had been operated in tandem with Karma.

The past, however, is the past.

“This has been a big week where we finally got our approval from the state to be able to market the properties through the multiple listing service, so we went live yesterday with our first listing,” said real estate broker Mike Loundy, who has spearheaded many of the redevelopment partnerships blooming in town. “We’re just very excited with this being the premier project in the Jersey Shore area, especially in our immediate area where there’s been nothing this large.”

Renderings of the future Coastal Edge property in Seaside Heights, N.J., replacing the famed ‘Karma’ nightclub. (Credit: MODE Architects)

Seaside Heights is quickly becoming a magnet for development, including a proposed hotel that would stand more than 100 feet tall on the oceanfront. Coastal Edge is leading the effort off the boardwalk, where officials have adopted a redevelopment plan that would see shops, restaurants and a luxurious streetscape with Shore-themed accents.

“We’ve got an amazing building that has amenities that you don’t see anywhere else in this area,” said Loundy, including a large elevator that takes residents from street level all the way through the to their residences and up to the rooftop. “We’re very excited with the unit layouts where we’ve got two and three bedroom units on one level – you don’t lose any square feet in the in the total, so 1,500 square feet means 1,500 square feet of actual living space.”

The building will feature a rooftop terrace with ocean and sunset views, plus a gym and the aforementioned pool and spa. Each unit will have its own private terrace as well. The main ground-to-rooftop elevator renders the entire building handicap-accessible and was designed by MODE Architects, a fast-growing firm that has made major impacts on redevelopment projects in Monmouth and Ocean counties and recently expanded to South Florida along Boca Raton’s Plaza Real, known worldwide for its Mediterranean coastal architecture.

Renderings of the future Coastal Edge property in Seaside Heights, N.J., replacing the famed ‘Karma’ nightclub. (Credit: MODE Architects)

While officials have occasionally bristled at the pace of some redevelopment projects, Coastal Edge got to work immediately after approval.

“We’re able to start walking people through the building now safely,” said Loundy. “I mean, the fact that you can be on the roof and have panoramic ocean and bay views if amazing – and if you’re in one of the units on the side streets, you can actually see the ocean and bay from your own private balcony.”

The residential portion of the building will feature two and three bedroom units starting in mid-700K range. The first units are expected to be fully completed by July, Loundy said. Making the building particularly attractive to investors is its value, Loundy explained, with an entry price comparatively lower than most complexes of equal stature. Early buyers, he said, are expected to build significant equity as the “Seaside renaissance” continues to evolve.

When the construction portion is settled, the commercial portions will be marketed and, according to officials, one of the first pieces of the Seaside Heights renaissance will be complete. The Boulevard will have moved one major step closer to what has been envision – but just out of reach – for years.

“We wanted to create that pedestrian-friendly feel that will activate the Boulevard,” said architect Jason Hanrahan. “We’ll condition the space properly, we’ll have proper glazing, and this is intended to be a full year-round building with amenities year-round – not just the summer.”

Renderings of the future Coastal Edge property in Seaside Heights, N.J., replacing the famed ‘Karma’ nightclub. (Credit: MODE Architects)

The fact that the first major redevelopment project to burst onto the scene replaces Karma, and will be surrounded by other already-approved new development, is important for what it represents, Loundy said.

“This is a huge investment, and it’s showing what’s taking place in Seaside Heights,” he said.

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Seaside Heights & Seaside Park

In Seaside Heights, A $50M Flagship Building Rises Over the Boulevard in a Famed Location

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Seaside Heights & Seaside Park