Windward Motel in Wildwood Set for Surprise Comeback?

Windward Motel in Wildwood Set for Surprise Comeback?

It Looks Like the Windward Motel Might Be Coming Back from the Dead!

Located on the corner of Bennett and Ocean Avenue, the Windward Motel stood tall for decades as one of Wildwood’s classic doo-wop motels. Its retro signage and pastel façade made it a staple of summer memories for countless vacationers.

Unfortunately, back in 2022—just before Memorial Day Weekend—a fire broke out at the motel. The blaze tore through a portion of the building, damaging several rooms and forcing the motel to close its doors indefinitely.

The fire started on the southern side of the building and quickly spread to the rest of the rooms on that end.

Luckily for us, crews were able to contain the flames before they reached the neighboring Sea Kist Motel.

For a while, the Windward sat untouched—a boarded-up shell of its former self. Many assumed it was only a matter of time before demolition crews rolled in.

In May of last year, a new application was submitted to the City of Wildwood’s zoning and planning board, calling for the motel to be demolished to make way for a 24-room hotel/condo building.

The proposal included modern amenities such as a swimming pool and an outdoor café.

We all thought that was the direction things were heading—until now.

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Over the past few weeks, contractors have been spotted on-site, and a fresh set of permits has appeared on the boarded-up office door.

Locals say they’ve seen workers hauling debris, replacing windows and flooring, and even adding a completely new roof.

All signs point to the Windward Motel undergoing a full renovation—rather than being torn down.

The Wildwood Video Archive stopped by the property this past week to see what’s happening, and yes, a full renovation appears to be underway.

Crews had just received new wood for the roof beams, and new windows were being installed.

On the side of the building that was damaged by the fire, everything was stripped down to the walls, with new framing going up in several sections.

We filmed everything we saw—check out the video at the bottom of this article.

The Windward Motel is one of the few remaining mid-century motels along Ocean Avenue in Wildwood that hasn’t yet been converted into condos or replaced by modern developments.

If this revival is truly happening, it would be a rare win for preservationists and fans of Wildwood’s unique motel culture.

Whether the new version of the Windward—or whatever it will be called—stays true to its retro roots or leans into modern upgrades remains to be seen. But one thing’s for sure: something big is happening at that corner lot. And for now, it seems like the Windward Motel just might get a second chance.

Stay tuned for updates as this story develops.

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