Introduction

The former Atlantic Club stands as a sleeping giant on Atlantic City’s boardwalk — a reminder of the casino era and the volatility it left behind. Faith Frontier sees it as the future home of Tillerstead Sanctuary, a multi-floor center where hospitality, agriculture, recovery, and lawful civic support come together for New Jersey residents.

Vision

Tillerstead Sanctuary will convert the Atlantic Club into a sanctuary governed by Faith Frontier. It will prioritize New Jersey neighbors: stabilizing those in crisis, training workers in trades and agriculture, and welcoming guests into a safe, prayerful environment that refuses exploitation.

Acquisition & Capital Stack

Faith Frontier will pursue acquisition through a mix of public redevelopment grants, impact investment, charitable contributions, and community equity reserved for New Jersey residents. Partnerships with agencies such as NJEDA and CRDA can help align financing tools with public benefit. All capital will respect nonprofit and charitable-use standards.

Planning & Zoning Pathway

The project will move through Atlantic City planning and zoning processes, honoring local redevelopment plans, building codes, and board approvals. Faith Frontier will engage professional engineers, architects, and counsel to ensure compliance with New Jersey redevelopment law and to address life-safety requirements from day one.

Phased Renovation Plan

  1. Life-safety and stabilization: Secure structure, fire protection, egress, and core systems.
  2. Ground floor activation: Open a sanctuary hall, community lobby, and a build-your-own lunch market featuring microgreens and produce grown upstairs.
  3. Agriculture build-out: Install hydroponics, microgreens labs, and seed rooms to feed the market and teach urban agriculture.
  4. Training and trades: Develop workshops for tile, carpentry, maintenance, hospitality, and facilities operations.
  5. Recovery and health integration: Partner with licensed detox and rehab providers to dedicate floors for stabilization, counseling, and peer support.
  6. Worker housing: Prepare suites for stabilized workers and staff with clear tenancy guidelines and wage compliance.
  7. Governance and gathering spaces: Create upper-floor prayer rooms, mediation areas, and meeting rooms for oversight and community events.

Conceptual Floor Plan Overview

  • Ground floor: Lobby, sanctuary hall, and a fresh market built around in-house produce.
  • Mid floors: Trade workshops, tile and carpentry labs, maintenance training, a legal and civic empowerment center, and counseling rooms.
  • Agriculture floors: Hydroponics, microgreens, seed labs, and guided tours for students and partners.
  • Rehab/recovery floors: Dedicated areas operated with medical and detox partners for stabilization and follow-up care.
  • Live-in worker suites: Housing for stabilized workers and staff tied to clear employment terms and housing standards.
  • Top floors: Governance offices, prayer and meditation spaces, and meeting or event rooms for civic partners.

Economic & Social Impact

  • Quality jobs with training ladders for Atlantic City and statewide residents.
  • Reduced homelessness through safe sleep, recovery, and transitional housing.
  • New local food supply and education through urban agriculture.
  • Safer, more dignified streets as people find lawful work and pastoral support.
  • Restoration of a blighted property into a faith-rooted public benefit site.

Risks & Safeguards

The plan requires significant capital, complex engineering, and sustained operating discipline. Faith Frontier will seek professional underwriting, code review, and legal counsel at each stage. Transparent governance through the Faith Frontier Ecclesiastical Trust will keep the site dedicated to sanctuary, agrarian, and justice purposes.

Transparency, records, and oversight

  • Publish key permits, approvals, and environmental reviews so neighbors and agencies can track compliance without guesswork.
  • Maintain clear separations between ecclesiastical work, charitable use, and any revenue-generating entities to avoid alter-ego risk.
  • Keep summaries subordinate to official dockets, and invite corrections from regulators, residents, and industry partners.
  • Use plain-language updates that explain decisions without hype, conspiracy framing, or adversarial posturing.

For partnership inquiries and public support requests, see the petition to New Jersey and the Trust & governance overview.