Luxury Bay Club celebrates golden anniversary in Ocean City ‣ Ocean City Sentinel

OCEAN CITY – The views of Great Egg Harbor Bay, the spectacular sunsets and the people – that’s the winning combination that has made the luxury condos of the Bay Club the hottest place in Ocean City for half a century, say long- and short-term residents.

The Bay Club Condominium Association hosted a celebration party on Saturday, June 22, to mark the 50th anniversary of its founding in 1974. It featured a champagne toast attended by some of the original residents and a visit from Mayor Jay Gillian, who read a proclamation noting that the seven-story bayfront high-rise will always be an important part of America’s largest family resort.

“My wife and I bought here in 2019. We are young,” said Patrick Montgomery, president of the Bay Club Condominium Association.

“We really enjoy living here on the bay. It’s very peaceful and the views at night and at sunset are just amazing. It was the view that sold us,” he said. “As soon as we saw the view … we were ready to sign on the dotted line.”

Montgomery said he and his wife have been coming to Ocean City since they were children. “Ocean City is like a second home,” he said.

Montgomery said he was excited to be part of a historic event in Ocean City and felt fortunate to be in charge of the celebrations.

In 1976, two years after the Bay Club was built, Herb Collins and his wife Bernadine were looking for a second home after frequently visiting their parents at the resort.

“We wanted a little independence because we had three daughters,” Collins said. Widower Catherine Murray and Marguerite Bernstine are the three original owners who still live at the Bay Club.

“My husband and I fell in love here,” said Murray, also a widower. “We were racing at the Yacht Club back in the day and were looking for a place to build our summer home. It was his dream and it was great. He’s gone now, but I have children and grandchildren who love it here. I’m certainly in good company.”

Murray said when she and her husband celebrated their 25th wedding anniversary, they had a band upstairs at the Bay Club.

“You can’t do that anymore,” she said, laughing.

“We have a good group now and that’s why we celebrate. We have a wonderful social committee,” she said, noting that they have many activities.

She enjoys the view during the “Night in Venice” when the boats pass the building and there is a fireworks display over the bay.

“If you want to see the fireworks, this is the place to be. I’ve never been this close to a fireworks display. Watching the boats come back is a wonderful sight,” Murray said.

Collins, whose wife of 67 years died last year, has designed the Bay Club’s decorations every year since 1977. (“He’s Mr. Night in Venice,” said his daughter’s friend.)

“I was in advertising, so that was one of my talents,” he said.

Collins was a former president of the homeowners association.

He said that often a popular movie comes out during the year and the Bay Club is decorated accordingly. One year the theme was “Jurassic Park” and the next year “Titanic.”

Murray said one year the decor consisted of keyboards on all the balconies – each of the 42 units has a private balcony overlooking the bay. The theme was “Puttin’ on the Ritz.” They also had a 30-piece band playing on the roof.

Murray and Collins agreed that it was one of their favorite pieces.

This year’s theme is a tribute to the late singer-songwriter Jimmy Buffett.

Collins said there will be palm trees for decoration and a guy sitting in a hammock on the dock playing guitar – Bay Club amenities include 31 boat slips, a pool, sundeck and clubhouse.

“If we thread him over the main dock, everything will be fine as long as he doesn’t fall in,” Collins said, laughing.

As residents gathered before the toast, Mayor Gillian mentioned that he was 9 years old when the Bay Club was built. “I love the view,” he told them. “You have a gem here.”

Montgomery put the golden anniversary into perspective and earned laughter from the group.

“We found an ad from 1974 for apartments in the Bay Club that started at $47,500,” he said. “With 75 percent financing available. Can you imagine that today?”

He pointed out that they would continue to invest in the property “so that we have another 50 great years ahead of us.”

Collins’ daughter Patricia (Collins) Zielinski of Abington, Pennsylvania, said their childhood in Ocean City was wonderful and they made the most of it.

“We came on the day school let out. Dad picked us up,” she said. “We wore our little school uniforms and came and stayed for the summer. We didn’t go back until school started again in the morning.”

Zielinski worked at the boardwalk throughout high school and college and a little afterward.

“It was hard to leave to find a real job,” she said, smiling. “In my opinion, it’s probably one of the best places to live in Ocean City.”

About twelve years ago, Zielinski had a nice surprise: her childhood friend from Abington, Beth Anne (Kelly) Cavanaugh, and her husband moved into the Bay Club.

“We bought a house right next door and I didn’t even know about it,” Cavanaugh said. “What are the chances?” They have been friends since first grade. “We always went to proms together in high school. We’ve known each other for a long time,” she said.

She was thrilled when she found out that Zielinski was her neighbor.

“We couldn’t believe it. The world is so small,” she said. “It’s just a great community. Everyone is so nice. It’s a really great group of people.”

– STORY and PHOTOS by DAVID NAHAN/Sentinel Staff