From the very beginning, Max Gurwicz Enterprises has had its finger on the pulse of Atlantic County. The company began in 1954, when aspiring developer Max Gurwicz and his son Edward made a rather daring move — they purchased land in Northfield. With all the hustle and bustle of Northfield today, this might seem like an obvious choice, but in those days, most people lived on Absecon Island.
As it turns out, they were onto something. That Northfield property became Ridgewood Estates, a large community with some of the area’s first state-of-the-art residences, and it drew families from the island to the mainland. That was just the beginning.
For the next almost 70 years, Max Gurwicz Enterprises has grown exponentially. Currently under the leadership of Edward Gurwicz (who now in his 90s continues to come to the office daily) and his two sons, Joseph Gurwicz and Mitchell Gurwicz, this family business spans three generations. This trio continues the company’s core mission of providing quality developments of all types in the Greater Atlantic County Region. Evolving with the times, the company has developed a multitude of real estate projects including but not limited to several low and high-rise condominiums, townhouses, single family home communities, apartments, hotels, shopping centers, and one beloved golf course — Harbor Pines Golf Club.
“Our company started from building single family homes,” says Mitchell. “In the late ‘80s, early ‘90s, there was a big trend nationwide on residential golf course communities. At that time, we accumulated a lot of raw land in Egg Harbor Township for a single-family development, but when the trend exploded in the late ‘90s, we were ready to provide this very popular product in this area.”
In 1995, Harbor Pines Estates opened and a year later, so did Harbor Pines Golf Club. This community boasts more than 650 acres and includes a residential neighborhood in addition to a full-service golf club that’s open to the public. And rather than simply moving on to the next project, in true Gurwicz fashion, when Harbor Pines Golf Club celebrated its 25th Anniversary in 2022, the company used that milestone to do what it has always done — evolve with the times with the announcement of a three-part expansion plan. As Mitchell said at the anniversary celebration, “25 years isn’t a time to rest, it’s a time re-invest.”
When Harbor Pines first opened, the golf business and customers were very different. Now golfers are more sophisticated, residents are more engaged and the general public and golfers alike seek new and more modern entertainment and dining venues. With that in mind, stage one of the expansion was to build a new state of the art pro shop that was completed in 2022. Stocked with the latest clothing and equipment trends, the pro shop, like the course and club, is open to the public with experts on hand to guide your purchases.
The new pro shop opened the space needed for stage two — a new dedicated bar and restaurant with an independent kitchen and new deck overlooking the 1st and 18th holes.
“Over time it became apparent that we needed an additional dedicated venue for daily food and beverage, in addition to our banquet and event space, situated in a way that took advantage of the amazing views we have here at Harbor Pines,” says Mitchell.
With that, The Roost Pub & Grill, a modern, hip space with a great vibe that includes 2500 sf of indoor space and 2000 sf of outdoor seating, opened in May 2023. With its exposed brick and beams, thick butcher block tabletops and a leathered granite bar top, the indoor space can be characterized as “industrial farmhouse.” The outside space features both high and low-top dining under umbrellas, comfy lounge seating and Adirondack chairs by the fire pit — providing that perfect laid-back spot for enjoying food, friends and amazing sunsets over the golf course.
“The Roost promises to be a go-to spot to enjoy delicious and hearty pub food, cocktails with friends and of course, post-round drinks. Also, with the introduction of weekly live music, it’s pretty spectacular, if I do say so myself,” says Mitchell.
The final stage of the Harbor Pines Golf Club expansion is updating the banquet facility, which is happening now. The existing ballroom will be completely re-done, enlarged and modernized, capitalizing on its prime location and unbeatable views. It will be ready to welcome weddings and special events this spring.
With a huge renovation to an already thriving golf course, one might think that Harbor Pines Golf Course was the crown jewel of Max Gurwicz Enterprises. However, while Harbor Pines is definitely special to the Gurwicz family, there isn’t a favorite project. Just a favorite way of doing business – evolving with the times.
For more information on Harbor Pines Golf Club and The Roost Pub & Grill, visit harborpines.com
