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Post by Doo Wop Mike D on Jan 15, 2005 14:24:38 GMT -5
Welcome to the new online message boards of the Doo Wop Preservation League!
On this board, you can talk about specific motels and other Doo Wop buildings that are in danger of being demolished in the Wildwoods. Heard a demolition rumor? Want to know which motels have been saved? Have a plan to band together and stop your favorite building from falling? Talk about it here!
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Post by Al Alven on Jan 27, 2005 18:12:40 GMT -5
Mike,
On behalf of Wildwood enthusiasts and Doo Wop lovers everywhere, I want to thank you and the DWPL for the creation of this message board!
This will prove to be a wonderful forum for all of us to share our thoughts and concerns, trade stories and opinions and (hopefully) provide ideas and solutions to the many issues currently in play on the island.
I plan to post regularly, and am looking forward to learning more about the Wildwoods and meeting new friends along the way!!!
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Post by AnthonyV on Jan 27, 2005 23:21:03 GMT -5
This is truly a remarkable site - and one which all residents of not only the Wildwoods but fans of The Jersey Shore should seek out. The Doo Wop Preservation League should be applauded for all they've tried and continue trying to do.
I've been visiting and vacationing in the Wildwoods since 1963 when I was still a toddler and the memories I've collected and gathered over these last four decades are as special as the place itself!
However all the good times, bad times, and recent revitalization over the last near decade of promoting Wildwoods "Doo Wop" style and Populuxe decor has rapidly begun to crumble with every swing of the wrecking ball and the forceful push of every bulldozer. Sadly, the plague of demolished "Doo Wop" motels is a warning sign of a cancer that has spread throughout the entire island - most notably Wildwood Crest.
Within years I fear that the Wildwoods will only be homogenized and morphed into something it was never intended to be - a resort community of uninteresting town homes and condos that stand as mediocre yet overpriced monuments that have no bearing on a place that was once known as "Little Las Vegas," which came at the expense of destroying structures that were as interesting to see as these condos and town homes are to ignore, much like the rows and rows of buildings that are clumped together like a citadel of condos and town homes down in Diamond Beach.
By obliterating the motels that have come to define this unique seaside resort community over the last half century, developers make it easy for motel owners to see a pot of gold at the end of a wrecking ball. But by doing so it allows the community to be stripped of it's past, it's culture, it's mystique, it's attraction, its quirky mid-century beauty, but more importantly its legendary identity!
Suddenly the area will become more like any other seashore community and resort and less like The Wildwoods that should be preserved and saved. Sadly, the loss of these buildings has already begun and it doesn't show signs of stopping any time soon...By then how many classic motels and other buildings will become nothing more than a memory?
If anything must be built and these amazing old motels must come down, at least replace older seemingly out dated motels with newer ones that fit the style and atmoshere of the area. It is a sad joke that Wildwood goes on to build a new and beautiful convention center and proceeds to contradict the idea of building a new center by allowing developers to tear down buildings that offer additional accomodations! I don't know anyone in their right mind who would go out and actually rent a town home or condo for a weekend convention?
The truth is that those classic '50s and '60s Motels are still part of the Wildwood experience - but once they are gone they ain't never coming back. When that happens half the reason to visit and vacation in the Wildwoods disappears with it...And if that's the case visit Ocean CIty, Sea Isle City, Avalon, or Stone Harbor instead.
Take a good hard look at the Wildwoods of today...Perhaps within ten years from now you might not be able to recognize it the way you remembered it.
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Post by Al Alven on Jan 28, 2005 12:35:03 GMT -5
Eloquent and well stated, Anthony!
I also want to echo my appreciation for all of the work the DWPL has done in efforts to preserve “Doo Wop” in the Wildwoods. I don’t know where we would be without the organization at this point. The resort is certainly in the midst of its most challenging period, with developers threatening to literally destroy not just mere buildings, but the historical value and very identity of the Wildwoods.
It is comforting to know that the DWPL exists, and is comprised of wonderful people who truly care about and value the origins and importance of the island’s architectural treasures.
Anthony, you are right when you state that once these great buildings are gone they are never coming back. My son just turned one-year-old last week, and it actually pains me to realize that he will not get to grow up with and enjoy many of the iconic Wildwood buildings that remain such a source of great memories and warm feelings to me and so many others.
To think of how the very landscape of the resort has changed since the end of September is literally mind-boggling… and quite disturbing. The Satellite, Carousel, Tahiti, Bonanza, Dunes, Silver Dollar, South Beach, Siesta, Blue Jay, Tally Ho… ALL GONE!!! And it looks like the Casa Bahama, Nomad, Rio and (ung) even the venerable Wildwood Diner are slated for demolition soon.
As depressing as all of this is, however, I am sure you will agree with me that the collective spirit of these great mid-century architectural achievements does not have to die at the hands of the wrecking ball. I feel very strongly about preserving the memories of these motels – by sharing memories, stories, old pictures, etc. -- even if we cannot save the physical buildings themselves.
Younger residents and visitors to the Wildwoods should be educated about the town’s cultural identity, both past and present. Those of us who have literally grown up there should never forget or lose sight of the origins of the resort, and the source of the memories we hold dear. Again, the DWPL has done a great job of raising such awareness, helping to promote a sense of caring and a better attachment to the tradition and spirit of the island.
As an eternal optimist, I hold out hope that Doo Wop can continue to exist and can even thrive once again in the Wildwoods. Despite all of the gloom that this offseason has provided in that regard, there are also plenty of signs of hope. Classic motels like the Caribbean and the Lollipop have been purchased by new owners who plan to maintain and even upgrade their properties. The Cara Mara and the Shalimar are also getting similar treatment this winter.
We also have to hope to win the “little battles” now. There is nothing we can do to stop the demolitions of the Wildwood Diner and the Rio Motel. However, we can take some solace in the fact that new developments on both sites will be designed to respect the Doo Wop tradition of the island. A new bank scheduled to be built soon on Rio Grande Ave. will reportedly do the same.
So many great buildings and examples of mid-century architecture have already been lost, but the cause is far from a lost one. As long as our memories and the true spirit of the island remain intact, the future of the Wildwoods will not be in doubt. That may sound a bit corny, but I believe it to be true.
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Post by JIMD on Jan 28, 2005 15:26:28 GMT -5
Can someone please explain the WW zoning laws to me ? Where I live in CT there is very little mixed use property, 95% is either residential or commercial. Are the developers getting zoning changes done to convert the hotels to Condos or were the hotels somehow zoned residential ?
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Post by Al Alven on Jan 28, 2005 16:07:16 GMT -5
The Wildwoods operate in a unique way.
In many cases, the local zoning boards are granting variances for condo/townhouse construction, if required. In many cases, though, no variances are needed.
It's unfortunate, but there always seems to be some way for developers to push their plans through.
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Post by JIMD on Jan 28, 2005 18:20:48 GMT -5
Don't the people in the area have any say when it comes to variances ? Here if you want to build with 20 feet of the property line neibhors within a 1/16 square mile of the proerty get a notice and can contest it. 1/16 seems like a small area but people who can't even see your property can object to the change. I read where the Siesta has been torn down, maybe they should cancel their website www.siestaresort.com/
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Post by Al Alven on Jan 28, 2005 19:00:55 GMT -5
Residents and neighboring business owners do have a say, but in a limited capacity. I am far from an expert on the subject of variances and such, so I am really not equipped to discuss the specifics of the matter.
All I can tell you, once again, is that developers in the Wildwoods tend to have the ability to push things through when they really want to.
Of course, there is always a "bottom line" element at play in the real estate game. Money talks, plain and simple, and is always the determining factor in whether or not something gets done... regardless of the wishes of residents and others who might oppose it.
As for the Siesta, yes, the motel was indeed torn down a few weeks back. Its website remains "up and running," but the same can be said for that of a number of other already demolished motels, including the Satellite, Carousel, Tahiti, Silver Dollar, Bonanza and Jay's Motel.
Apparently, the former owners of these motels simply haven't bothered to disable the sites. I suppose it is rather inconsequential to them, though the sites could surely cause some confusion for someone looking for a place to stay in the Wildwoods via the internet.
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Post by JIMD on Jan 29, 2005 15:34:03 GMT -5
Has someone in the area tried to get laws passed against granting the variances ? That's what needs to be done.
I think the problem will eventually fix itself within 1-2 years, people are buying those condos to rent them out, now that there are excess places to stay alot of them will go vacant. Condos are always rented by the week, alot of people who go to WW don't want to stay that long. Also alot of paeople who go to WW have been going for a long time and actually prefer the hotels over Condos.
The bad thing is Hotel prices will more than likely increase even more
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Post by Al Alven on Jan 29, 2005 22:01:03 GMT -5
There has been plenty of opposition to the granting of variancies and the uncontrolled levels of demolition/new construction that has swept the Wildwoods of late. In some cases, laws are in place, but developers simply find ways around them.
As for the problem eventually "fixing" itself, you may be right. Time will tell, but it is difficult to believe that all of these condos are going to do the kind of longterm business that would justify the current rate of the highrise boom on the island.
Maybe it's just me, but half of the condos in the Crest already in operation by July/August last year seemed to be vacant on most nights. As you mentioned, there definitely seems to be an excess of these type of buildings going up, far more than I could ever imagine being occupied on a consistent basis.
For this reason, coupled with (again, as you pointed out) many folks' preference to stay in familiar motels when they vacation in the Wildwoods, I do not see the resort's motel industry ever dying out. It is just a matter of how many classic Doo Wop motels are lost before everyone realizes this.
In the meantime, yeah, some motels may have to raise their prices to compete with the new condo developments. That's an unfortunate, but necessary, function of business.
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Post by JIMD on Jan 30, 2005 2:49:36 GMT -5
I own a condo in NWW. I bought it in 1999 and only use it for myself and family as I love the area. I'm also a builder in CT and I can tell you that things like finding ways around variances don't work that way up here. A perfect example is many of the towns I have built in have STRICT laws about the land involved to build, it can be from 1/4 acre per house up to 1 1/2 acres. To make a long story short , if you don't have the land you don't build, simple as that and I've overpaid many times buying land from neighbors to get us up to the minimun standard.
I'm only down there a few weeks a year but I'd be more than willing to file a lawsuit for any variances that are given when the public objects. My guess is the hotel owners and people with influence in the town like what's going on so they won't oppose it.
The Doo Wop people need to get a high profile lawyer on their side and start filing lawsuits
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Post by Al Alven on Jan 30, 2005 4:13:29 GMT -5
My sense of the situation is that the motel owners are relatively split on the matter.
On one hand, there are the owners who see and understand the value of the Wildwoods' Doo Wop identity, and they feel that everything (within reason, of course) should be done to ensure that that spirit is preserved.
Then, there are the other owners, the ones who are all about "progress," regardless of the cost. Many of these folks operate in a world where neon signs are inconsequential and dollar signs are all that matters. It's business, business, business... 365 days a year, 7 days a week, 24 hours a day.
I am not very savvy when it comes to zoning issues, real estate and the law in general. Thus, I have no idea as to whether or not a lawsuit (or a series of lawsuits) would have any impact on the effort to stop developers from running amok on the island.
Do you really think that a high-profile lawyer would be attainable and, if so, would he/she truly be able to throw a monkeywrench into developers' current plans?
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Post by FlyinGN on Jan 30, 2005 17:04:10 GMT -5
You guys all make great points. I, Like Anthony, have been vacationing in WW since I was a toddler in 1963 too:) We take out 11 year old Son there every summer and he loves it. I sit him down and try to explain how important these family vacations in WW are.. I remember mine like it was yesterday as some of the happiest times of my childhood.. It ties my stomach in a knot just thinking how much I LOVE wildwood. In fact i am planning now our vacation this summer down there. It saddens me to see all the changes I see every summer too. Some day it will be like all the other shore resorts unless we all do something to stop this greed by the developers.. In fact we love WW so much we decided NOT to go to Disneyland last summer and go back to out beloved South jersey resort called Wildwood.
Frank, Terry and Frankie.. Philadelphia pa
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Post by Al Alven on Jan 30, 2005 18:35:56 GMT -5
That's awesome, FlyinGN!
My first Wildwood vacation was as a newborn in the summer of 1978. I have been back every year since, and my love for the resort is stronger now than it's ever been.
My family's annual, two-week vacaton in WW remains one of the major highlights of my year, something I look forward to with great excitement and anxious energy (almost as if I were still 7-years-old).
This past summer, my son (he just turned one last week) became the first member of the sixth generation of my family to vacation on the island. Like you with your son, I can only hope that he will grow up with the same wonderful childhood memories of the Wildwoods as I did.
It saddens me also that he will not get to enjoy many of the great institutions (old rides, motels, etc.) that have already been torn down, but there are still so many great places left and I believe that the character and spirit of the people who live and vacation on the island remains very strong.
For this reason, I remain confident that the Wildwoods will not deteriorate to the point where they become nothing more than clones to many of the other formerly-great resorts of the South Jersey Shore.
Towns such as Sea Isle, Avalon and Stone Harbor have been sapped of their character and appeal thanks to rampant, uncontrolled and poorly-thought-out waves of new construction over the past few years.
Way too much, way too soon.
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Post by JIMD on Jan 30, 2005 18:53:41 GMT -5
Lawyers can do wonders to keep people in line, the right person will also cut you a break on the price if he believes in what he's doing.
There are only a couple of ways this can pan out and none of them are good for the local people.
1. More hotels are torn down and replaced by Condos, people who stay in Condos will cook their own food thus spending less money and time on the boardwalk and at restaurants causing them to close
2. The area becomes (it already is) saturated with Condos that will be next to impossible to rent out and the market will become loaded with Foreclosures that will kill the value of the property.
3. The people moving into these condos actually live in them and start sending their kids to school in WW which will drive the taxes through the roof and the increased population will also creat other costs involved with a bigger city.
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