DUI Lawyers in North Wildwood, NJ

A motel considered vital to preserving the doo-wop feel of the Wildwoods is poised for demolition after North Wildwood officials approved a housing development on the property.

The city’s Planning Board voted 7-2 on Wednesday to divide the famous motel’s property into three lots for single-family homes.

The Doo-Wop Preservation League, a nonprofit devoted to conserving the Wildwoods' vintage aspects, wants the developer to consider keeping aspects of the building on site, its president John Donio, a local business investor, said.

The Chateau Bleu, Donio said, is one of the last remaining motels of its kind in North Wildwood. In the ’50s and ’60s, these motels with their neon signs illuminated much of Surf Avenue, he said.

“It would look like a little Las Vegas with all the lights on and neon,” Donio said. “That’s gone now.”

The motel’s current owner intends to sell the property to a developer, according to real estate records obtained by NJ Advance Media. A message left for a Realtor associated with the developer wasn’t immediately returned.

The building was last sold to its current owner in 2022 for $1.65 million, according to a deed transfer that year. It was unclear when the latest sale could be finalized.

The office Corey Gilman, an attorney for the developer, said the lawyer could not comment on “active matters.”

Built by members of the Morey family in 1959, the hotel became a popular stopping point for Jersey Shore travelers. It’s best known for its distinctive heart-shaped swimming pool in front of the property and curved facade feature a large dark-blue lettering in its logo.

The motel benefited from a development boom in the Wildwoods in the 1950s, when the Garden State Parkway became a popular way to reach Shore points, said Taylor Henry, president of the Wildwood Historical Society.

As demand for overnight stays grew, motel development boomed, she said. They became popular for accommodating tourists with cars.

“With every big change in transportation comes big changes in development,” Henry said.

Around the time the motel opened, the Wildwoods were flourishing, quickly becoming a popular spot at the Jersey Shore, he said.

“It was also the height of the music scene,” said Henry. “It was an entertainment destination. So many famous performers would come down, so it was really a special time in the history of the island.”

The Chateau remained a fixture of the Wildwoods for decades, said Betty Crossen, who kept the motel in business after most others vanished. She and her husband acquired the property in 1981, purchasing it as an investment, renovating it often.

A devoted clientele from Philadelphia, Baltimore and Canada kept the Chateau financially steady throughout the 25 years the Crossens ran the business, she said.

The couple sold the business in 2005 to retire.

“We’d have families that came year after year, and it was fun,” said Crossen.

Most of her summers were spent prepping coffee and delivering newspapers to guests. Before 7 a.m., she’d clear the pool of overnight debris. She’d return to the front desk later in the morning to cater to a rush of travelers.

The hotel was nominated for the National Register of Historic Places in 2003, joining the list in 2004, according to an application obtained by NJ Advance Media. At the time, it was considered significant for representing architecture from 1962 to the mid-1970s, records show.

The Chateau remained a fixture of the Wildwoods for decades, said Betty Crossen, who kept the motel in business after most other motels vanished. She and her husband acquired the property in 1981, purchasing it as an investment, renovating it often.

A devoted clientele from Philadelphia, Baltimore and Canada kept the Chateau financially steady throughout the 25 years the Crossens ran the business, she said.

The couple sold the business in 2005 to retire.

“We’d have families that came year after year, and it was fun,” said Crossen.

Most of her summers were spent prepping coffee and delivering newspapers to guests. Before 7 a.m., she’d clear the pool of overnight debris. She’d return to the front desk later in the morning to cater to a rush of travelers.

Ahead of Wednesday’s meeting, the league released renderings showing how it envisions the homes could be integrated with the feel of the motel, with palm trees and the preservation of the motel’s iconic entrance.

Donio presented the mock-ups to the developer during Wednesday’s hearing, but the nonprofit was uncertain their suggestion would be being considered, he said.

The businessman noted preservation efforts to historic resorts in Cape May County, such as the Caribbean Motel in nearby Wildwood Crest and Congress Hall in Cape May. He questioned why the Chateau isn’t valued the same.

“Once they’re gone, they’re gone,” Donio said of these buildings. “Some people think it’s just an old motel. It’s just very unique to the island.”

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Eric Conklin may be reached at econklin@njadvancemedia.com.

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If you don’t have a home along the Jersey Shore (like most of us), chances are you’ve dreamed of owning one. A recent study shows that many people beyond New Jersey would love to own a home in a specific Garden State beach town. One beach area was named the best place in the U.S. for a second/vacation home while another NJ county ranked in the Top 15.

Pacaso, a second-home co-ownership marketplace, released its annual ranking of the best second-home destinations in 2024, and Cape May County ranked No. 1 in the entire country, even beating out five areas of Florida and one county in Hawaii.

Cape May County is a wildly popular vacay spot for New Jerseyans along with families from PA and NY. Its most popular towns of Cape May, Wildwood and Ocean City have beautiful beaches, fun boardwalks, lighthouses, sightseeing, great restaurants and lots of activities.

Cape May’s Victorian homes are a big reason why it’s often called the Jersey Shore’s most charming town. The Emlen Physick Estate, a Victorian house and museum dating back to 1879, offers lunch at The Carriage House Café & Tearoom. Time spent at Historic Cold Spring Village will take you back to life in the 1800s. Washington Street Mall has quaint cafes, gelato shops and boutiques. The Cape May County Park & Zoo (which is in nearby Cape May Courthouse) is free all year and includes a cute playground for kids. There are plenty of outdoor activities at the Cape May National Wildlife Refuge.

Wildwood has five areas, with Wildwood, Wildwood Crest and North Wildwood among the most visited. Spend the day at Morey’s Piers, either eating on the boardwalk, riding the rides or splashing in the water park. The Wildwoods Convention Center has concerts, shows and festivals on the calendar weekly. The Hereford Inlet Lighthouse was built in 1874, and you can tour the former residence of the guards, or head out back to the gardens or seawall. The country’s best pop culture museum, the Doo Wop Experience Museum, is filled with nostalgia.

Ocean City has lots of shopping and restaurants on and off the boardwalk, plus popular events like First Night, the Polar Plunge and the Doo Dah Parade. Plus, we’re totally obsessed with Johnson’s Popcorn and Shriver’s Salt Water Taffy, both Jersey Shore classics in their own right.

Sea Isle City (where Jason and Kylie Kelce own a vacay home), Avalon (one of the most expensive ZIP codes in the country) and Stone Harbor also have stunning beachfront areas that are quieter and less touristy.

Of course, the average vacation home price remains well above $1 million in the county, which means the majority of us will have to go the hotel or Airbnb route for that vacation week.

Ocean County came in at No. 12 on the list thanks to its 40 miles of barrier beaches. Among its most popular areas are Long Beach Island, Point Pleasant Beach and Seaside Heights.

LBI has six popular beach towns along its 18 miles of waterfront: Beach Haven, Harvey Cedars, Barnegat Light, Ship Bottom, Long Beach Twp. and Surf City. Lacey Twp., Tuckerton and Stafford Twp. (Manahawkin) also have waterside views. The area is popular with families who love its more relaxed vibe, with lots of fishing, boating and shopping. Annual events include the Hop Sauce Festival and Chowderfest.

More inland, Jackson Twp., which is the largest town in the county and the third largest in the state at 100 square miles, is home to Six Flags Great Adventure plus the Adventure Crossing complex. Toms River and Brick Twp. are also popular areas.

To identify the top U.S. markets for 2024, Pacaso analyzed second home mortgage rate lock data alongside growth trends in pricing and transaction volume. These 20 counties stand out for their significant increases in second-home activity, proportion of second homes to primary homes, and demand for properties priced above $700,000, according to the report.

2024’s Top 20 Vacation Home Markets, according to Pacaso

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Given all the history, lawsuits, letters and meetings, it can easily feel like you’re neck-deep in sand when thinking about the “Five Mile Island” project.

That’s the massive $54 million Jersey Shore project, which is meant to reinforce a roughly 5-mile stretch of coast in Cape May County amid severe erosion and build up defenses in the face of future storms.

The project has been in the planning, design and finalization phase for over a decade.

It has also ignited a litigious debate between mayors in the project area of Wildwood, Wildwood Crest, North Wildwood and Lower Township.

Here is the latest on the project and how (as currently designed) it is expected to reshape the southern most tip of the Jersey Shore.

In short, North Wildwood — where erosion became so severe last year an emergency beach-fill was needed — is fervently in favor of the project. Lower Township agrees it should happen too.

However, Wildwood and Wildwood Crest officials have repeated that the beach construction would threaten the size of their beaches (where events like a large country music festival are held), would sink part of the local economy and adversely limit beach access.

The state has denied the claims.

Regulators with the DEP said construction — which would build a tall dune the length of Five Mile Island — is needed especially as climate change fuels stronger storms. They also noted that as opposed to the suggestion to refill North Wildwood with sand dredged from Hereford Inlet, there are millions on hand to do this new project.

Wildwood Crest Mayor Don Cabrera and Wildwood Mayor Ernie Troiano say when they first signed off on state agreements for the island-wide project to happen, those were only partial plans.

The New Jersey Department of Environmental and Army Corps’ release of a 95% plan — and how officials say some slivers of beach could be scaled back — has meant new uproar.

The state asked the towns to re-agree to move forward with the project by March 18 or risk losing funds dedicated for it. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the state noted, had already indicated that the money could be re-diverted to other projects elsewhere in the nation.

The future of New Jersey’s project is now locked in litigation after a judge asked town officials in Wildwood Crest to pause issuing government actions to withdraw from it.

North Wildwood, which has not had a federal replenishment since Hurricane Sandy, praised the latest court actions.

Representatives with Wildwood Crest are now scheduled to appear before a judge in April.

Mark Heinzelmann, an attorney for Wildwood Crest, told NJ Advance Media on Friday that the town filed a new motion to “dissolve that portion of the court’s March 19, 2025 order that seeks to restrict Wildwood Crest from carrying out its governmental functions by requiring the parties to ‘maintain the status quo.‘”

Instead of the “status quo,” ostensibly not being able to withdraw from the Five Mile Island project through a municipal action, Wildwood Crest is currently limited by the judge.

Heinzelmann called the restrictions “unlawful.”

North Wildwood officials on Friday declined to comment on the litigation specifically.

As currently designed, the Five Mile Island project would distribute about 2 million cubic yards of sand when completed.

The project is set to be covered by about $34 million in federal funds and about $19 million in state allocations. Earlier this year, officials said construction was slated to start in 2026.

Given the latest lawsuit, that timeline may change.

Wildwood and Wildwood Crest officials have worried that “borrow areas” — where the sand will be taken from to make the project possible — are primarily in their two towns.

Is that true? Yes.

The roughly-3 mile-long borrow area is located approximately 20% within Wildwood City and 80% in Wildwood Crest, based on the 95% plan, Army Corps experts confirmed.

When first drawn up, federal officials said, the Five Mile Island plan outlined that sand could be taken from beaches in any of the four towns. However, the latest design made the most sense for the project scope and in order to be effective, they explained.

Federal engineers have noted in the past that replenishments, given wave action and other environmental factors, are very dynamic.

These coastal projects — which act as defenses for homes, power lines and other shore infrastructure — are meant to be wiped away over time.

“It’s important to again note the beach will naturally adjust as longshore transport begins to move sand back from North Wildwood along the coast and infill the borrow area,” spokesman Stephen Rochette said in statement provided by experts at the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ Philadelphia District.

Some experts and nonprofits have shared however that coastal replenishments have only encouraged more development on vulnerable parts of the shore.

Jersey Shore fight ramps up as mayors fear project could shrink the beach https://t.co/F9AXC1nmXt

— NJ.com Politics (@NJ_Politics) March 19, 2025

Many variables are at play when considering how a beach replenishment project will impact a shore.

Asked by NJ Advance Media, Army Corps experts provided the following on how the Five Mile Island project as designed today would impact Cape May County’s coast (figures are based on 2024 surveys of beach sizes):

Therefore, at most a Jersey Shore beach would lose around 230 feet of beach on average as part of this project.

North Wildwood’s beach — an average width for which was not immediately available — would increase to 530 feet after project completion but right away “start to erode post-construction,” the Army Corps said.

Wildwood residents have seen their beach grow to as much as 1,600 feet in the past, according to Stockton University experts.

A combination of particularly harsh coastal erosion up north and winds pushing sand toward Wildwood and Wildwood Crest previously took a 10-block chunk off North Wildwood’s beach.

“My focus is on preserving a 50-year federal commitment to shore protection for the Wildwoods,” North Wildwood’s Mayor Patrick Rosenello said Friday of the latest project updates and litigation. “Our entire island is ultimately in this together.”

There have been multiple community meetings to involve towns and stakeholders in the planning of the massive project, the state has previously said.

“The Army Corps and DEP have continuously worked with the four communities along five-mile island to ensure that existing activities along the beach are compatible with the coastal storm damage reduction project,” spokespeople with the Army Corps’ Philadelphia District said Thursday.

“The design team has made multiple revisions over the years at the request of the local communities concerning the dune alignment to best meet the needs of the community” the federal agency added. “The project will reduce the excessive beach widths in Wildwood and Wildwood Crest and still allow current beach activities.”

The DEP commissioner has also said Wildwood and Wildwood Crest will still be able to host large-scale events even after the massive project is done.

As far as community input, private homeowners on Diamond Beach in Lower Township have criticized the process. Among other issues, they say Lower Township’s agreement to the latest 95% plan acted was a tacit agreement on their part too. But they never got a chance to give their own OK.

Residents there claim to have been left out of design and planning conversations.

Chris Adam, one such homeowner at Seapointe Village in Lower Township, said Friday: “NJDEP (is) currently dealing with the town officials directly and not the private owners of the beaches particularly the condo associations.”

Adam said overall he was in support of the goal of the Five Mile Island project, but worried the latest design would reduce his beach and homeowners could face future costs after the project (such as expenses tied to a walkway).

The Army Corps referred questions about Diamond Beach to the DEP, which did not immediately comment on the concerns.

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Steven Rodas may be reached at srodas@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Bluesky at @stevenrodas.bsky.social.

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WILDWOOD, N.J. (WPVI) -- A list of performers has been released for the "Thunder Over the Waves" air show that will be held this summer in New Jersey's Wildwoods.

Organizers say the early September show will include 11 headlining acts, including a number of military performers.

It is being presented by The Greater Wildwoods Tourism Improvement and Development Authority and David Schultz Airshows.

When is the Thunder Over the Waves air show?

The main event can be seen on Sept. 6, 2025.

A practice day will be held on Sept. 5.

Where is the air show?

It can be seen from the beaches in The Wildwoods, which includes Wildwood, North Wildwood and Wildwood Crest.

How long is the air show?

The 'main event' air show on Sept. 6 will be about four hours long.

What is the schedule of events?

Air show organizers have released the following schedule, while noting that it is subject to change:

11:30 Airspace Closes. TFR in effect. Radio Remote Broadcast Starts

11:50 Opening Ceremonies

12:00 National Anthem with Army Golden Knights Flag Jump

12:06 Army Golden Knights Mass Exit Show

12:14 Military Flyovers Window

12:24 Mark Meredith DHC-1 Chipmunk Aerobatics

12:34 Scott Francis MXS Aerobatics

12:49 Jerry Conley DH-115 Vampire Jet Aerobatics

1:04 USCG MH-65E Search & Rescue Demo

1:14 Jersey Jerks 4-ship SNJ Formation Demonstration

1:24 Kevin Russo SNJ-6 Aerobatics

1:39 Patrick McAlee Pitts Aerobatics

1:54 Full Throttle Formation Team

2:10 Army Golden Knights Mass Exit Show

2:30 ACEMAKER T-33 Jet Aerobatics

2:45 P-5D Mustang Demonstration

2:58 Fighter Jets MiG-17 Jet Aerobatics

4:00 Airspace Re-Opens, Airshow Ends

How many people are expected to attend?

Organizers estimate the four-hour airshow will draw some 400,000 spectators.

Will the air show return in 2026?

The GWTIDA said it is in discussion regarding potential air show events for 2026 and beyond, with the goal of making it an annual event.

Scaled-back Atlantic City air show returns

The Wildwoods lineup was released two days after the return of the 2025 Atlantic City air show was announced.

The event in A.C. had originally been canceled, but it is being revived as the "Soar and Shore Festival."

It is being described as a civilian air show. No acts have been announced.

Report a correction or typo

Copyright © 2025 WPVI-TV. All Rights Reserved.

Jersey Shore towns are fighting over sand — and it’s getting uglier.

The spat is over a shore protection effort, known as the “Five Mile Island” project.

Why the squabble? Most recently, because the four mayors of Wildwood-area towns disagree on whether the plan — which calls for moving large batches of sand from areas of certain beaches to others — is sensible for their particular slice of the shore.

After more than a decade of prep work — plus over $1.5 million to design and plan — the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection drew a line in the sand this month.

Wildwood, Wildwood Crest, North Wildwood and Lower Township had until Tuesday to re-commit to the Cape May County project or risk losing it entirely, NJDEP Commissioner Shawn LaTourette, said in a letter to mayors in those towns last week.

The message was meant to clarify the future of the $54 million project once and for all.

But things have only gotten messier since.

After a virtual hearing Tuesday between the towns and the state, the future of the project appears to now be on standby.

What that means depends on who you ask.

Lower Township and North Wildwood have re-agreed for construction to move forward.

However, the “NJDEP has not received responses to its March 11 request from either the city of Wildwood or the borough of Wildwood Crest,” department spokesman Larry Hajna told NJ Advance Media on Wednesday. “NJDEP is aware that, on March 17 North Wildwood sought a preliminary injunction against Wildwood Crest in Superior Court.”

North Wildwood officials said Tuesday night that — in short — the judge allowed the town to reaffirm its position. The mayor there won’t let the project, set to provide expansive shore protections to the area’s shoreline for the next half a century, simply be canceled, he said.

“During the hearing, the court issued temporary restraints enjoining Wildwood Crest from withdrawing pending further briefing to be submitted by the parties to the court and a court hearing to be conducted at a later date,” North Wildwood said in a statement provided to NJ Advance Media on Tuesday night.

North Wildwood’s Mayor Patrick Rosenello did not provide comment beyond the statement. A date on the next court hearing or proceeding was not immediately provided.

But Mark Heinzelmann, an attorney for Wildwood Crest, said in an email: “We think it is less than clear what the court did during the hearing. When asked directly by counsel for Wildwood Crest, the court responded that it is simply asking the parties to maintain the status quo.”

Heinzelmann said Wildwood Crest was asked by the judge to inform the court if the municipality issues any ordinances or resolutions related to the project.

“We intend to follow up with the court today seeking clarification,” Heinzelmann said Wednesday, noting that Wildwood Crest reserves all rights based on what a court order ultimately says. So far, such a court order has not been issued.

Wildwood Crest Mayor Don Cabrera added that his town “remains open to continuing the dialogue on the dune project with state and local officials.”

Earlier this month and since December, both Wildwood and Wildwood Crest have signaled they want to withdraw from the Five Mile Island project.

Those two towns have worried the project (as drawn up) would cut down on beach size and access — and by extension hurt local tourism — and harm the makeup of the coastline in ways local taxpayers might have to pay for in the future.

NJDEP officials claim leaders in Wildwood also seem not to want to share their sand with neighboring towns.

“In recent weeks,” North Wildwood officials said in a statement, “the borough of Wildwood Crest has made public statements about potentially withdrawing their commitment to the project, despite signing off on the state aid agreement for the project on March 1, 2022.”

Although Wildwood Crest has not formally withdrawn, their comments “have placed the vital commitment” of federal and state governments in jeopardy of being canceled, North Wildwood said.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' shore protections — which like others include periodically sprucing up the shore for 50 years — were sketched out to benefit all the towns.

And yet, officials in Wildwood and Wildwood Crest, where “borrow areas” are located to make the coastal project possible, had recently said they wanted to pull back their support.

The NJDEP said such a withdrawal would mean losing funds parsed out for the project and federal Army Corps officials diverting them to other needs elsewhere.

Wildwood Crest Mayor Cabrera and Wildwood Mayor Ernie Troiano have repeated that the current project design, which is much further along compared to when they first signed the state agreement to support it, threatens the very wide beaches the towns need for massive gatherings and overall public access.

“Wildwood Crest values a cooperative relationship with North Wildwood and all other parties, but not at the cost of our beaches,” Cabrera said in a statement sent to NJ Advance Media prior to LaTourette’s Tuesday deadline.

Besides impacts to beach conditions, Wildwood Crest’s mayor has also said access to a fishing pier would be adversely affected by the work.

The Five Mile Island project — which is slated to be covered by roughly $34 million in federal funds and about $19 million in state allocations — appears to now be on hold despite North Wildwood hoping construction would start in 2026.

A NJDEP spokesperson said Wednesday the state did not have further comment, citing pending litigation.

North Wildwood, which had an emergency beach replenishment last year, has not had a large-scale federal sand replenishment since Hurricane Sandy in 2012.

A day after the DEP’s letter asking the four towns to re-affirm their support for the federal project or risk losing it, Lower Township Mayor Frank Sippel told the state his town continued to be committed.

“The township understands that the project’s success depends on the cooperative participation of all municipalities involved, and we are dedicated to upholding our commitments outlined within the state aid agreement that was executed in March of 2023,” Sippel said in a letter obtained by NJ Advance Media.

Jersey Shore towns' beach fix on the brink of getting canceled because mayors can’t agree https://t.co/lKfrg2HGnf

— NJ.com Politics (@NJ_Politics) March 13, 2025

Mayor Rosenello also said last week that North Wildwood agreed again for the project to happen too.

“We hope that we can continue to work cooperatively to make positive strides towards construction of this critical shore protection project,” Rosenello said.

An attorney for North Wildwood — in a different letter — acknowledged Wildwood Crest was signaling it would withdraw from the project. He told officials there that North Wildwood would take legal action if they pulled away. Rosenello has taken the state to court in the past too.

As part of a suit, North Wildwood would also seek legal fees from its neighboring town as well, the lawyer said last week.

Wildwood Crest Mayor Cabrera declined to comment on the litigation itself.

Wildwood Mayor Troiano said last spring he would accept it if the Five Mile project simply did not happen.

That, despite state environmental regulators urging that severe coastal erosion and fierce storms are a Cape May County-wide problem — especially given future risks posed by climate change.

The commissioner has also emphasized that suggested alternatives for addressing erosion problems in North Wildwood, like taking sand from Hereford Inlet, would come with additional and separate costs — and don’t have dedicated funding like the Five Mile Island project does now.

Moreover, Private homeowners on Diamond Beach in Lower Township have also separately been critical of the federal process over the Army Corps work.

They said they’ve been mostly left out of planning conversations.

North Wildwood officials on Wednesday said they were waiting on a court order to help clarify next steps for the project.

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Steven Rodas may be reached at srodas@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Bluesky at @stevenrodas.bsky.social.