(Atlantic) Mackenzie Bandow, President of the local 501(c) (3) non-profit organization, SHIFT-ATL appeared before the Atlantic City Council on Wednesday, stating that they have incurred high costs from the 22nd Street Road Construction Project. Bandow stated that the driving range has been negatively impacted.
Bandow explained that gravel in the re-seeded grass limits the organization’s ability to care for the lawn and keep it looking nice.
Bandow says their primary concern is that the construction company did not leave a lane for some of the residential houses, particularly one of those homes bordering the range. Part of the driving range was used to access their home over the sloppy winter months. She says this has caused an ugly driving range approximately 40 feet from the road. Bandow says they contacted Green Acres to provide an estimate for what is needed to fix the damage, which included a large thistle outbreak.
Bandow left the City Council members with photos of the damage and invited each of them to come out, tour the range, and gain a full understanding of it. Bandow says they are bringing this issue to the city council to be transparent and to work together to find a resolution. She explained that SHIFT-ATL tries to be fiscally responsible, and any money generated from the non-profit groups’ Airbnbs is reinvested in the community. However, she says it is hard to stomach the five-figure invoices resulting from damage caused by the construction project.
Atlantic Mayor Rob Clausen says they will take the matter under advisement.
SHIFT-ATL is a 501(c) (3) nonprofit, formed in 2019, with a mission to advance its broad vision to revitalize Atlantic through projects, services, and programs. One of the group’s main projects was to purchase and renovate the former Telegraph building on both floors, converting it into an Airbnb. In 2023, SHIFT-ATL purchased the former Sunnyside Putt-‘Em Up, now known as Sunnyside Range.
