Bill Barlow

OCEAN CITY — Backlit by a pink and orange August sunset, diners crowd a Ninth Street sidewalk at Maria’s Café and Grille at 846 Central Ave.

The scene may not be repeated next summer, with a city plan to buy the building to expand downtown parking. On Thursday, City Council approved a $960,000 bond ordinance to buy the building, which includes apartments upstairs.

Last year, the city approved buying the neighboring building, of a similar age and design, where there had been apartments and a frame shop.

The property at 846 Central went on the market with a listed price just under $1 million, with the marketing touting the furnished apartment and year-round lease for the restaurant.

On Tuesday, the person who answered the phone at Maria’s said she was not authorized to speak

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