Distinctive new signs mark the streets in Ventnor’s St. Leonard’s Tract.
VENTNOR – The members of the St. Leonard’s Association will formally unveil the historic area’s distinctive new street signs 2 p.m. on Memorial Day, Monday, May 27 (rain date Friday, May 31) on the boardwalk at Suffolk Avenue.
Residents who live in the prestigious neighborhood, which is often referred to as “the jewel of Ventnor,” wanted to give back to the city and obtained the city’s permission to replace all the signs that previously marked the neighborhood’s boundaries.
Attractive black and white signs now designate the area from Atlantic Avenue to Inside Thorofare and from Surrey Avenue to Cambridge Avenue as part of the historic neighborhood.
Although the area between Atlantic Avenue and the boardwalk is not officially in the tract, the project included installation of signs on the boardwalk to identify the neighborhood to visitors strolling the boardwalk.
Most of the homes in St. Leonard’s Tract were built in the 1920s, before Ventnor’s zoning regulations were created, and have housed such notables as NJ Gov. Walter Edge and department store magnet John Wanamaker.
At that time, residents created uniform deed restrictions to assure the unique character of the neighborhood would be preserved. St Leonard’s Association was established in 1921 to enforce the deed restrictions, which include building luxury homes on larger lots.
The St. Leonard’s Association works to ensure the neighborhood maintains its historic character with a small town feel, according to a release.
The public is invited to attend the ceremony. Mayor Beth Holtzman and City Commissioners Tim Kriebel and Lance Landgraf will be on hand to recognize the neighborhood’s historic properties and its residents.
The association welcomes new residents of the historic neighborhood to join the organization, which holds members-only events during summer.
For more information about St. Leonard’s Tract, the association and membership, see www.stleonardstract.org/news, email stleonardstract@gmail.com, or on Facebook @StLeonardsTract.
