But in the latter half of the 20th century, Long Branch wentinto a steep decline from which it has never recovered--until now.A redevelopment plan has been in the works for a number of years,and that plan just got a major kick with the announcement thatthree state agencies will donate $11.2 million to help fund PierVillage, a 16-acre mixed-use project that will be the cornerstonefor a larger 135-acre oceanfront overhaul.

According to Jane Kenny, commissioner of the state Department ofCommunity Affairs, the money will be used for property acquisitionand construction costs.

About a year ago, the city council designated AppliedDevelopment Co. of Hoboken, NJ as the developer of Pier Village.The council simultaneously awarded the contract for a nearby27.5-acre site called Beachfront North to Applied, which hasestablished a track record for this kind of project, especially inits hometown.