Ocean City Police Department Won’t Be Moving To The Bank After All

Ocean City officials have decided not to move forward with buying the huge, seven-story former bank on Asbury Avenue as a permanent home for the police department.

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If you’ve been following along, this building has been acting as the police’s temporary HQ while the city figures out a long-term plan, and for a second there, it looked like this might be the plan. Sources now report that will NOT, in fact, be the case.

What’s the Deal with the Bank Building?

Originally, Ocean City was considering buying and renovating the former bank for full-time police use. It's a huge building, centrally located, and already being used temporarily. Makes sense, right?

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But after a closer look, the mayor and council decided it’s just not financially realistic. Renovation costs would be sky-high, and officials say the building needs more work than it’s worth.

So, scratch that idea.

What’s Next for Police HQ?

The city’s still sticking with its original plan to improve existing police facilities, that means:

• Renovating the current station on Central Ave
• Moving forward with a substation near 8th Street and the Boardwalk.

In the meantime, the Asbury Ave. bank building will keep being used for temporary police operations. But it’s officially off the table as a long-term solution.

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No new property, no huge overhaul, just back to basics with the original plan. Will it be enough for a growing town like OC? Time will tell.