Asbury Park was once the pride of the New Jersey Shore, some 50 years ago. The was well planned with it's wide and tree-lined streets and large and impressive Churches. The boardwalk, which is one mile long, once bustled with strolling couples, perhaps enjoying the famous salt water taffy made at one of the nearby shops. The city's lakes and parks were where families went out for a picnic and downtown shops once thrived with crowded shoppers. Asbury Park has always been known as an artistic community. Convention Hall, the centepiece of the boardwalk hosted great names in music such as Glenn Miller and Harry James. In the 1960's the Hall was the only place on the North Jersey shore to hold large rock concerts, with such performers as the Dave Clark Five, The Rolling Stones, Jefferson Airplane,The Who and the Doors, and of course Bruce Springsteen in the 1970's. Work is continuing on the rehabilitation of the Hall and concerts have taken place there in 1996, the first events there in years. The Asbury Park Press reported"[the city's] artistic community has taken off in recent months, reinforcing those businesses including artists, that did not leave the city or have relocated here in the past decade." These artists and business owners are determined to move forward in renewing the downtown area, and developers and investors have been talking with city officials to restore Asbury Park to its original splendor as a first class shore resort. A $550 million redevelopment plan was started in the 1980's, but has ben caught up in a developers bancruptcy.