We all like Benny's at the Beach. It certainly seems to me that not only are the "visionaries" on the city commission in-love with Benny's on the Beach, so is the city manager.
We had a commissioner who was always talking about that proverbial football and never getting improvements done at our beach park. She loved Benny's too. After the beach got redeveloped, she still was talking about it just like some of our present day commissioners who aren't happy about anything there even though we just spent $13 million on it a few years ago. They think the beach park should be making tons of money rather than thinking of it as an amenity. We made more money than we spent there in 2014. That IS the objective.
Recently the city manager moved 23 decal parking spaces to the south end near Benny's without any commission discussion or approval. One day we all looked up and poof--23 decal parking spaces moved. Was this to placate to Benny's owner, Lee Lipton, especially as he pays $20,000 a month rent for his restaurant space at the Lake Worth Pier? Benny's will pay the same rent for ten years that began in February 2013. Even that date changed on the Lease amendment which now indicates the commencement was February 2014. On negotiated terms, they have one 8 year option as well as a second option for 2 years minus a day,
Hudson Holdings has promised the owner of Benny's the 2nd floor casino space if Hudson gets the "bad" deal that is supported by Mayor Pam Triolo and the Vice Mayor, Scott Maxwell so that they can expand and give over control of our casino complex on a long-term lease. No one knows for sure where Commissioner Amoroso stands on this extremely important issue. He has yet to play his hand.
Since March 2015, Benny's on the Beach installed some tables with umbrellas and potted plants on our public property. This was not part of their leased space. As of August 5, 2015, Benny's is now renting this space from the city at a rate of $15 per s.f. for 400 square feet or $6,000 a year which passed on a 5/0 vote. They also paid the city for the months they were using it without an agreement.
Old Benny's
New Benny's
12 comments:
Lipton is SUCH a Jersey garbage man ! I bet Bornstein was afraid not to do what Lipton told him to do !
Peter Timm said that Lipton was making tons of money and therefore he should get what he wants. What a reason for insanity.
He must be making small fortunes there. Consider the fact that he is now paying $20,500 a month rent. Wow! No wonder Hudson Holdings wants to grab our beach complex. Can you even imagine the possibilities with the right city staff in place and what the city could achieve with what we already have? Something to ponder instead of accepting excuses.
Both brothers are Heir to the Jordache clothes line.
$15 per square foot on beach front property. Gotta give him credit for outsmarting the dullards we have negotiating on our behalf. We'd make more from a hotdog cart.
Well at least Bennys admitted fault for using the area without rights and took action moving forward they backpaid for for the time they used. The owner is a Huge Millionare, he bought that resturant to give his son a job. So i highly doubt he was using the space on the sly to save a buck. Ive been going to Bennys ever since John & Peter owned it. The chef, "Jeremy" is a great person and a great asset to the community.
Its nice to see someone in the city admitting fault and moving forward with their heads held high... Unlike Maeir who skated from his acusation. Go Bennys!
You just won't let it go, will ya? I have been told by everyone involved that there is NO merit to the Maier accusations.
Lipton knew perfectly well that he was encroaching on public property and didn't do a thing about it until staff complained/reported it and he was forced to either move his personal property OFF our public right of way or present his case that he wanted it. Then the city gave him an offer to lease it.
Bennys is very high priced but thanks to Jeremy the food is GREAT!! Plus the staff is very friendly
this guy Lee Lipton, who I've met in person as well, knows an easy mark when he sees one. Lee is making money hand over fist, and he gets sweetheart deal after sweetheart deal from the City. First, he expand to dinner time, with little additional compensation to the City, then he expands onto public land with no compensation, etc. I don't understand why the City can't negotiate a lease with an escalation clause. We should have such a clause in every lease. He could be making a $100,000 a month and he still pays the City the same amount. This is public property, we, as a City should be fairly compensated for its use. You want to know why the City says we are losing money at the Beach, b/c they are bozos and can't negotiate their way out of a paper bag.
Lee also went on record saying our pool is an "embarrassment", our beautiful pool which we spend hundreds of thousands of dollars to renovate is anything but an embarrassment.
The pool area is a embarrassment! The building is falling apart as well as the pump room. The lifeguard locker room is atrocious and the bathrooms are roach infested. The pool itself is nice but everything around it is a disaster.
Yes, it's too bad that the city didn't rebuild this area like they were supposed to. Instead, they allowed John Szerdi's firm to design new bathrooms at the south end...the money went there. Now the city has proposed spending hundreds of thousands building out the upstairs vacant space. What about the locker rooms and public bathrooms at the Casino pool area?
The city takes care of everything the same--neglect.
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