Landmark day for Revere Beach

On the eve of what many believe to be a long-overdue recognition of the 108-year-old Revere Beach as a National Historic Landmark, beachgoers remember the days when the ''public's beach" was the biggest attraction for working families.

Also understood by city residents and officials is that landmark status is significant for more than just the prestige. Many believe the designation will benefit the area's development, reputation, and property values.

Councilor at Large George V. Colella, who as former mayor of Revere pushed for decades to have the beach designated as a National Historic Landmark, said tomorrow's scheduled dedication (one of the first official events of the Democratic National Convention) has been ''a dream of mine." But he added that the beach, once famous for its amusement rides, grand pavilion, and bandstand, is long past its heyday. Colella, who blames the state for letting it deteriorate, is hopeful the designation will lead the federal government to take over the beach.

''I would hope in the future it will lead to the takeover by the National Park Service of the Revere Beach Reservation, so it will have proper maintenance, proper enforcement of rules and regulations, and a whole series of things that the state government has not and cannot do," said Colella, who left the mayor's office in 1992. ''I think Revere Beach could be a jewel of the East Coast, quite frankly. I think with the proper maintenance, supervision, and attention, it certainly would be. [This designation] has taken more time than I thought it would."

Revere Beach, the oldest public beach in the nation, is run by the state Department of Conservation and Recreation, formerly the Metropolitan District Commission.

''Under the MDC, [the beach] became a forgotten location and now that this new agency, which is just a change in name, they are trying, but they have a long way to go," Colella said. He said that with the designation comes a highly-admired status that could give the city an advantage when applying for competitive grant money for development.

''It's a situation where the city and state will have to become aggressive in petitioning the federal government when grants become available," Colella said.

Mayor Thomas G. Ambrosino, who frequented the beach with his parents as a child and now takes his own daughter, said that he is proud of the designation, but that it remains to be seen whether it will have an economic impact on the beach area. He added he also would like to see an improvement in maintenance, an increase in grants, and more development.

''I'm optimistic that there's going to be some good development in that Wonderland area," Ambrosino said, adding that the city is continuing efforts to attract a hotel there. ''We will have requests for qualifications for a September or October time frame for developers. Our preference is to see a hotel . . . but we'll leave it to the market to decide. All the stars are aligning. I think it's a day that's taken a long time to get here."

Though development, residential or commercial, is what is most desired today, those who frequented Revere Beach in decades past say that's what eroded the family atmosphere and tourist appeal by the late 1970s.

''I remember going to Revere Beach starting in early April until the latter part of fall as a young boy growing up in Revere," Colella said. ''It was just a delight; a joy. The vision of [beach architect] Charles Eliot was that it would be created for the enjoyment of the common person, the common American, and that's the way it came to play. Perhaps you couldn't afford going to the Cape, so we got on a trolley and came to Revere Beach.

''It became a different atmosphere as time went on. The Revere Beach of yesteryear would've been conducive to have a family go to Revere Beach. [But then] there were a lot of problems. There were more bars . . . in Revere Beach than in the rest of the city. . . . I'm not sure it could've survived the test of time."

Leonard R. Piazza, president of the Revere Society for Cultural and Historic Preservation, said his memories of Revere Beach are as vivid as the wool bathing suit he wore to the beach as a child.

''Let me tell you, a wet wool suit filled with sand is a memory forever," Piazza said. ''The togetherness of friends and families meeting at the beach brings back thoughts of the merry-go-round with the lucky brass ring, good for a free ride if it were caught. Hurling around the Virginia Reel was also a thrill. . . . Then later looking forward to the Cyclone, Thunderbolt, and Derby Racer."

Piazza also recalled how ''all the guys" would enjoy Bluebeard's Castle Fun House -- especially when one of them would press the air button ''to blow the gals' skirts in the air." Though nostalgic about the old days, Piazza said development is the order of the day at Revere Beach.

''The more visibility we get, hopefully the more clout you have. And if we get visibility from people outside the state who could be here from the convention, they [will] see the land and say, 'Look there's undeveloped potential here,'" Piazza said.

Karen Venditto, who grew up in the city and manages Karmichael Realty in Revere, said she used to enjoy some of the beach rides in the 1970s with her family and was sad to see them torn down. But the changes were necessary as the city continued to grow, she said.

''As far as young kids and the community, it's sad because there's nothing to do now" at the beach, Venditto said, adding that in the 1980s there was a surge of condominiumdevelopment along the beachfront. ''The values went way down to $60,000 and $70,000. They built so many so quickly. . . . About 95 percent of our beach is now owner occupied."

Today oceanfront condos cost between $199,000 and $400,000, and the prices have increased about 10 percent each year, Venditto said.

''There is no shortage of contractors to buy spots on the beach. But there are very few left," Venditto said.

Tomorrow's dedication, Colella said, could be the beginning of a new kind of Revere Beach.

''It's a positive notoriety," Colella said, while his wife, daughter, and grandson played at the beach. ''I believe it will bring attention of the enhancement of the beach for generations yet to come."

The celebration is scheduled to begin at 9:30 a.m. near the pavilion and the police barracks. Revere Beach Boulevard will be closed to traffic between Chester and Revere streets. Speakers include US Representative Edward J. Markey, as well as officials from the National Park Service, the Executive Office of Environmental Affairs, and the Department of Conservation and Recreation.

Katheleen Conti can be reached at kconti@globe.com.