Boat Line and Private Developer Have Plans for Oak Bluffs Center

By MARK ALAN LOVEWELL

The Tivoli, a lost landmark of Oak Bluffs, may come back. This week two young Island businessmen proposed to build a pavilion resembling the old dance hall on the same site where the former town hall stands today. Their plan competes with a second proposal from the Steamship Authority, which would turn the old town hall into a ticket office.

Oak Bluffs selectmen accepted the two proposals for consideration this week and made no decision, but it was clear they favored the idea of bringing back the Tivoli. From 1901 to the early 1960s, the Tivoli ballroom was a centerpiece in the town, but it fell on hard economic times. The dilapidated building was torn down in the winter of 1964 so the town hall could be built.

Ted Rosbeck, 27, of Edgartown and his friend and partner, Doug Abdelnour Jr., 26, of Oak Bluffs, are behind the proposal to build what they call the Tivoli Pavilion.

As submitted this week, neither the SSA nor the Tivoli proposal met all the guidelines of the town's request for proposals. Selectman and chairman Richard Combra said Wednesday he hopes to have a joint meeting with the applicants, in executive session, next week to discuss the matter. He said: "We will come out of that meeting and award a provisional approval to one of the groups."

The front-runner is the proposal for a building that recalls Will Hardy's Tivoli Casino, as it was first known at the start of the century. The original Tivoli included a dance hall on the second floor and shops on the ground level. Many still remember the building in its heyday.

Renee Balter, executive director of the Oak Bluffs Association, is an enthusiastic supporter of the Tivoli concept. She cherishes childhood memories of being on the dance floor of the old hall. "I remember in 1958 going to the Tivoli dance and experiencing this wonderful summer seaside resort. It was truly romantic and just a once-in-a-lifetime feeling. The place was airy," she said.

The idea of reincarnating the Tivoli dates to last year's annual town meeting, when the selectmen got their instructions from the voters: Decide what to do with the old town hall before renovating and making improvements to the town hall on School street.

At their special town meeting in December, Oak Bluffs voters approved granting selectmen authority to enter into a 99-year lease, subject to legislative approval. Town administrator Casey Sharpe said yesterday that the issue needs to be addressed so that any future developer can get the necessary financing. She said State Rep. Eric Turkington is already moving in that direction.

Mrs. Balter said: "I am involved with the town's economic planning and development committee. We recommended to the selectmen to go out for this kind of developer. The town would rent the property and let the developer do the developing with the approval of the town. Whatever they came up with, they'd have to go through the newly created Cottage City Historic District. And I am on the district."

The proponents of the Tivoli Pavilion are familiar faces in the community. Ted Rosbeck's father is Peter Rosbeck, who developed a number of Island subdivisions in the 1980s. Ted works with his father in the development investment firm, First Equity Corp. "My brother, Peter, is president of Rosbeck Builders," Mr. Rosbeck said on Wednesday.

Doug Abdelnour Jr. is the son of Doug Abdelnour, a longtime commercial property and business owner in town. Doug Abdelnour Jr. is a manager at Nancy's Snack Bar, a 43-year-old business. Doug Abdelnour Jr. and Ted Rosbeck have done a number of restaurant business projects together in Florida, according to Mr. Rosbeck. The two like to spend their recreational time together here, fishing for big fish offshore.

Mr. Rosbeck said their idea is still in the early stages of development. They have yet to form their corporation, Tivoli LLC. They did hire architect Patrick Ahearn to prepare the renderings that were seen by the selectmen on Tuesday night. "We've met with the town a couple of times. It is a fantastic idea. To have this building come back to the town and the Islanders is great," Mr. Rosbeck said.

"I was really impressed. I thought they did a remarkable job. It is a similar structure to the old Tivoli ballroom," Mrs. Balter said.

Mr. Combra said the site is an important gateway to visitors to the town. "Stepping off the boat it will be the first thing they see," he said.

Mr. Combra said voters at their December special town meeting authorized the selectmen to move forward with a 99-year lease. He said that any plan approved by the selectmen will have to go through all the town boards, meet the approval of neighbors and the neighborhood and probably also be reviewed by the Martha's Vineyard Commission.

"For the selectmen this has obviously been on the table for a long time," said Mr. Combra. "It has been an irritation to the town for a long time. People want that building to be active. When we went to the town meeting, a year ago, we wanted to do reconstruction and renovate the old school site. The town told us, figure out what to do with the old town hall. We got that message. We will resolve it and then proceed to work on the town hall campus," Mr. Combra said.

Selectman Todd Rebello said whatever is proposed for the property will be one of the biggest issues facing the town, other than the golf club. "This matter is going to have to go through the ultimate scrutiny of the public. I don't know if we will ever find an overwhelming majority who will support any project or solution. I do believe we will come to a majority consensus," Mr. Rebello said.

Mr. Combra has many memories tied to that site. "People are nostalgic about that site. A lot of folks had an important part in my life, my brother Burt, my brother-in-law Tubby [Anthony Rebello], Everett Rodgers. Those are the folks I remember. By the same token, it is a town-owned property and the town wants to realize the value of that property, to look at the best opportunity."