Two decades ago, there was a sudden rediscovery of “Doo Wop” motels in the Wildwoods. These futuristic, island-themed accommodations have been frozen in time from an era when singers like Chubby Checkers, Frankie Valli, and Supremes congregated at local clubs.
But at the same time that tourists fell in love with these tacky designs, came a real estate boom that put them at risk of demolition. a A wave of dismantling wiped out about 200 of these motels, and conservationists had completely given up on creating a historic district dedicated to this twisted decade in architecture. Now, a new generation of historians is determined to salvage what is left.
“We are trying to capture the cuttings and come up with an effective conservation strategy,” said Taylor Henry, president of Preserving the Wildwoods.
Her plan is to create a historic district, but this time, to expand the range of architectural styles To include the old Victorian homes and handcraft-style bungalows that can also be seen on the five-mile barrier island. This will not be the first attempt of its kind. In 1993, the late architect John Oliveri surveyed the city of Wildwood. In fact, his report led to the formation of three eclectic historical regions that, for some strange reason, have been ignored during most – if not all – of their existence. Most puzzling, these areas existed during the apartment craze in the early 2000s and could have saved a number of landmarks had local legislation been enforced.
Writing in her book Wildwood Homes Through Time, before the building boom, the Wildwood Historical Preservation Commission (HPC) was formed in 1997 in response to Olivieri’s study, Taylor wrote. “The SSC did not last, likely due to a lack of conservation enforcement means, combined with hostility from landlords towards municipal influence on the aesthetics of their properties.”
Henry said that while searching for her book, she confronted City Hall officials about these ghost areas and why they weren’t enforced. It’s really baffling,” Henry told Jersey Digs. “I’ve asked people who were around at the time or who were involved, but not many people seem to want to talk about it.”
Wildwoods, as we know them today, began after World War II, when more working-class families had cars and spendable income. Garden State Parkway just opened and the Doo Wop craze is in full swing. This was the dawn of the motel – usually a two-story L-shaped hotel that wraps around a pool.
“Much of what made these hotels visually appealing was the decorations — the redundant decoration that gave each individual hotel a sense of place on an island filled with hundreds of other motels identical in structure and layout,” said Stephanie Hoagland, architectural historian, at a recent session hosted by Preservation New Jersey.
Hoagland, who worked for the Doo Wop Preservation League while trying to create the Doo Wop Historic District, has completed an architectural survey of hundreds of motels. It was a race against time. In just two years, its proposed historic district has shrunk from 43 buildings to 23 due to a wave of demolitions.
“While many hotel owners seemed enthusiastic about the idea of Doo Wop, when developers showed up offering double what their properties were worth, they were still ready to sell,” Hoagland said. “Unfortunately, by this time, the Office of Historic Preservation felt that the integrity of the area had fallen below the point of creating a coherent historic district.”
The failed attempt to create a Doo Wop became a cautionary tale in the conservation world. Among the points to follow is the need to provide better incentives to landlords to compete with developers’ offers. Fortunately, downtown Wildwood was selected this year for the statewide Neighborhood Preservation Program, which will provide the municipality with $125,000 in grants.
Meanwhile, most Doo Wop motels are listed separately on the state registry. A number of mid-century landmarks, such as the Lollipop Motel, have also been saved through sensitive conversions to condominiums, but these scenarios depend on the good graces of owners who understand the value of preservation. Henry said creating local historic districts is the best way to protect, as long as the city enforces them this time.
“I know Stephanie said the safety of the area was destroyed — and she was probably right,” said Henry, who was honored this year with the Young Preservationist Award from Preservation New Jersey. “But I’m also wondering, maybe there’s still a way.”