OCEAN CITY, Md.- Tom Parker, the Chief Engineer at the Majestic Hotel is excited, "I think it's fantastic. They're not blocking anybody with the street. It's gonna be high enough for the fire trucks to get under."
The owners of the Majestic Hotel have plans to tear down the building as it stands today and make two new buildings.
But there's a problem the hotel doesn't own the air rights in the alley where the two buildings would connect.
They need town council's approval to move forward and Tom doesn't get the hold up, Parker said, "It's not hurting anybody and it's it's for the community. I don't know what else they would use it for. It's not blocking the sun. It's not blocking nobody."
Some people are concerned about the density of the alleyway, they are worried that it's gonna look bad but other people don't see it as an issue like Ocean City local, Josh Flores, "There's already a couple buildings around here like that and I think it would be fine."
For the more nostalgic like Brian Norford all this quote "progress" elicits another feeling, he said, "It is sad to see it go but you know they're changing a lot of things in Ocean City and the Ocean City isn't going to be the Ocean City anymore after a while."
The town says the next steps would be a public hearing that will be open to public suggestions as to what to do with the air space above the alley. After that process they will take a vote making it an ordinance or not. Then if necessary there be a first reading of that ordinance.