Call it a rising, a resurrection, or just a not-so-plain old rebirth for Donovan’s Reef in Sea Bright.

Since its literal flattening by Superstorm Sandy’s wrath in October of 2012, what was an iconic summer beachfront spot for locals for decades, originally Manning’s Jetty, has been barren.

And for only the past two summers, there has been some solace for its dedicated patronage with the opening of the small hut on the beach to quench that thirst for the tradition that was the original watering hole and, many times, Rumson-Fair Haven Regional High School (RFH) reunion hub.

Now, the revival, and major expansion, of the iconic spot is nearly complete by the looks of things. When it will officially open, no one knows yet, but it will definitely be this summer, so the plans have indicated. The target was initially for the end of the month.

As of Monday, it looked like NJ Natural Gas was hooking things up and  the parking lot was paved.

Take a look …

— Elaine Van Develde