Downeaster Development & Tantum Real Estate break ground on The Elbie Long Branch
- MAREJ
- 19 minutes ago
- 2 min read
Mixed-use project to spur investment along key stretch of Long Branch’s Broadway Corridor
LONG BRANCH, NJ — Downeaster Development and TANTUM Real Estate broke ground on The Elbie, a 78-unit rental community that will bring refined, boutique-scale living and neighborhood-serving retail to 305 Broadway in Long Branch. The project is poised to activate a key section of the Lower Broadway Corridor, supporting the City’s ongoing vision for the area while connecting the downtown to the beachfront.
Local officials, including Long Branch Mayor John Pallone and other municipal representatives and community leaders, joined development principals at a ceremonial groundbreaking on March 24th.
Located directly across from Slochum Park and the city’s recently renovated public library, The Elbie will introduce a thoughtfully designed mixed-use building complemented by Long Branch’s civic center, downtown retail district, and the beachfront.
“Our goal was to design a building that helps shape the neighborhood and advance the area’s transformation,” said Debra Tantleff, founding principal of TANTUM Real Estate. “The Elbie occupies a middle ground that’s rare today, a boutique-scale community large enough to offer meaningful amenities but still intimate in feel. That balance will allow us to appeal to a broad mix of residents, from professionals and established households to downsizers seeking a convenient coastal lifestyle.”
Designed by Rotwein + Blake Associates, the four-story building, which transitions to three stories along Sixth Avenue to complement the surrounding residential neighborhood, will feature 78 one- and two-bedroom homes, with a limited number of one-bedroom-plus-den layouts. Select residences will offer private terraces or balconies.
An outdoor landscaped terrace envisioned by Melillo Bauer Carman | Landscape Architects will offer a barbecue station, a fireplace, and multiple seating areas.
The project will also provide 4,000 s/f of ground-floor retail, along with covered podium and surface parking.
Civil engineering services by Dynamic Engineering include the design of an extensive stormwater management system to minimize impact on surrounding streets and infrastructure.
Construction is now underway, with initial occupancy anticipated in late spring 2027.
The development is positioned within a section of the Broadway corridor that city leaders have identified as a priority for both public and private investment and activation. As part of the project, Downeaster and TANTUM will deliver streetscape enhancements to reinforce the connection between The Elbie, Slochum Park, and surrounding civic spaces. Planned improvements include an enhanced crosswalk featuring the city seal, new landscaping, and a distinctive clock tower element at the park corner, all designed to create a stronger sense of place along the corridor.
Mayor Pallone pointed out the meaningful community enhancements that Downeaster and TANTUM have included in the project at the city’s request as an example of the “special partnership” that exists between the city and the developers.
“I think that we’re together creating what’s going to be a transformative neighborhood here with new public spaces and amenities, and this project is an important part of that process,” Pallone said. “We’re excited to continue this partnership, and I’m looking forward to the ribbon cutting.”
