▁renov ations ▁by ▁Land mark ▁Studio ▁of ▁Pitt st own . ▁ ▁History ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 1 6 , ▁As bury ▁Park ▁Mayor ▁Clar ence ▁E . F . ▁Het rick ▁h ired ▁f amed ▁architect ural ▁firm ▁McK im , ▁M ead ▁and ▁White ▁to ▁design ▁a ▁convention ▁center ▁for ▁the ▁block ▁just ▁north ▁of ▁the ▁city ' s ▁Atlantic ▁Square , ▁between ▁ 6 th ▁and ▁Sun set ▁Aven ues . ▁The ▁firm ▁submitted ▁a ▁plan ▁that ▁called ▁for ▁a ▁ 5 0 0 0 - se at ▁ven ue ▁cost ing ▁$ 7 5 , 0 0 0 ▁to ▁construct . ▁However , ▁city ▁founder ▁James ▁A . ▁Brad ley ▁owned ▁the ▁block ▁in ▁question , ▁then ▁home ▁to ▁the ▁ag ing ▁As bury ▁Park ▁Aud itor ium , ▁and ▁refused ▁to ▁sell ▁the ▁plot ▁to ▁the ▁city . ▁After ▁Brad ley ' s ▁death ▁in ▁ 1 9 2 1 , ▁department ▁store ▁sc ion ▁Arthur ▁Stein bach ▁purchased ▁the ▁Aud itor ium ▁property ▁from ▁Brad ley ' s ▁estate , ▁demol ished ▁the ▁aud itor ium , ▁and ▁constructed ▁the ▁Ber keley - C arter et ▁Hotel ▁on ▁the ▁plot . ▁ ▁The ▁completion ▁of ▁the ▁third ▁Mad ison ▁Square ▁Garden ▁in ▁New ▁York , ▁and ▁the ▁appro val ▁of ▁Atlantic ▁City ' s ▁new ▁Convention ▁Hall , ▁put ▁Het rick ▁under ▁considerable ▁pressure ▁to ▁construct ▁a ▁similar ▁ven ue ▁for ▁As bury ▁Park . ▁" Wh ile ▁we ▁have ▁hes itated , ▁Atlantic ▁City ▁has