The Boss has the final say

Less than a month after the city of Asbury Park, N.J., broke ground on a waterfront redevelopment project, Bruce Springsteen rendered his verdict on a planned condominium called the Rising, the same name as his Grammy-winning album and song.

The Boss called the name a “mistake.” Almost immediately the developer agreed to change it, City Manager Terry Reidy said this week. He said the turnabout was sparked by a letter the rocker wrote to a local weekly newspaper, and he praised Springsteen, who lives nearby, for his continuing devotion to Asbury Park.

In his letter to the TriCityNews, Springsteen, who rose to fame playing Asbury Park clubs as the city’s fortunes declined, said he thought “The Rising” should remain connected to the events of Sept. 11, 2001, as he intended. “I respectfully ask the city fathers and developers to place both my and my song’s names out of the running for any new buildings, streets, hot dog stands (well, maybe hot dog stands) as the city moves toward its exciting future,” he said.