Ocean City Beach Makeover

Beach-bound travelers may notice some improvements in Ocean City. Engineers have completed a $9-million beach replenishment effort to pump 900,000 cubic yards of new sand onto Ocean City’s beaches. Officials say visitors may notice the change most around 81st Street. Officials also plan to crack down on businesses that litter with handbills. A longtime fixture, the Phillips Beach Plaza Hotel with its familiar rocking chairs, has been updated. The Victorian decor had a facelift, and the Phillips by the Sea restaurant has been replaced with a new eatery featuring Latin and Asian small plates. Jim Waggoner of Long and Foster realty says bookings for resort rentals are up 11-percent over last year in Ocean City and the Delaware beaches.