■ Real Property
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The Asbury Park Convention Hall is a Jersey Shore landmark .
The developer lives in New York , but he spends most of work week in his Asbury Park . His daughter , Morgan , son , Nicholas , and several nephews also work in the family business .
Fifty years ago , his father , Alan , started Sackman Enterprises . The elder Sackman ’ s focus was brownstones on Manhattan ’ s Upper West Side . He would rehabilitate and repurpose the historic homes .
Alan Sackman ’ s fascination and respect for historic structures continues to guide the firm .
Carter Sackman joined the company at age 22 , when he was newly married with a young family . While he might have considered other professions , Sackman said it only made sense to work with his father . Growing up , he spent his summers on the job sites and the business was often the dinner table conversation between his dad and his mother , Barbara , who was a construction foreman .
“ I like the business . It was the natural path to take ,” Sackman said . Today , the company
Photo : Getty Images / iStockphoto / littleny has offices on Manhattan ’ s Upper West Side , Asbury Park , and Austin .
At times it was a struggle , however . Sackman said . In the early days in Asbury Park , Sackman said he was sometimes a small business lender to help keep his retail tenants afloat . “ I took a proactive approach . Originally a lot of businesses turned over . But as the area grew and demand grew , we no longer needed to subsidize some of the businesses ,” he said .
The firm continues , however , to sponsor initiatives to promote the city . Like the summer series organized by Morgan Sackman , who convinced the city officials to shut down a section of the central business district one day a week to allow open air concerts on a stage . She persuaded to NJTransit to implement direct rail service to Asbury Park for the summer too .
Sackman also relied on the expertise of his attorney , Andrew J . Karas , a partner at Fox Rothschild LLP , who specializes in land use matters and complex construction and commercial disputes . Sackman says Karas has been on the “ frontline ” with him throughout all the development projects in downtown Asbury Park .
Karas credits the mayor and city council for having a vision for Asbury Park ’ s rebirth and creating a redevelopment plan . The original document was drafted 20 years ago . But Karas said the city officials successful amended it over the decades , adapting their vision to changing markets , regulations , and developers ’ recommendations .
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A rendering of one of the latest Sackman developments on Bangs Avenue .
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