Construction Finally Begins on New Wildwood Boardwalk Hotel – The Wild Resort
After years of planning, delays, and speculation, the long-awaited redevelopment of the Wildwoods Boardwalk has finally moved beyond the drawing board.
Work is now underway on the new hotel project at 3000 Boardwalk (at Glenwood Avenue), replacing what many have called one of the Boardwalk’s most persistent eyesores.
Construction Finally Begins on New Wildwood Boardwalk Hotel – The Wild Resort
For decades, the existing three-story structure stood in decline. First, it was ugly and yellow, then it was given a cool grey to blend in, and now the building is coming back to life.
In 2008, plans had been made to renovate the top floors, but financial difficulties after the economy plunged forced the efforts to stall.
Over time, the property deteriorated significantly. Water leaks and structural decay caused damage to both the building and the ground-floor shops.
At its worst, the property was condemned and some retail tenants were forced to close early to undertake emergency repairs.
In 2021, the property was listed for sale. The listing noted that the site sat in BA zoning (Boardwalk Amusement), allowing a wide mix of uses, including retail and hotel development up to six stories.
At that time, the proposal to add two additional floors, expand to 75 rooms, and include a rooftop pool and restaurant.
Today, after years in limbo, the project has advanced into physical construction. Hard hats, heavy machinery, and scaffolding now occupy the site where nothing but neglect stood for so long.
Those walking the boardwalk this past weekend may have seen that the roof of the building has been removed and work has started on removing the old facade.
NEW Wildwood Boardwalk Hotel – FIRST LOOK
What It Will Be
When finished, the new building, tentatively named “The Wild Resort”, is set to be a striking addition to the Boardwalk skyline.
Key features include:
- Six total floors with a mix of standard rooms and suites with balcony pools.
- Rooftop pool and restaurant (anticipated to seat up to 150).
- A refreshed boardwalk-facing lobby and café integration at street level. (that cafe is the Starbucks on the corner and will be connected to the hotel)
- A full façade overhaul to modernize the look of the property.
NEW Wildwood Boardwalk Hotel – FIRST LOOK
Many have forgotten what the project will look like once it’s done, so included and some of the mock-ups provided when the project was first announced.
Meanwhile, this isn’t the only hotel development stirring on the Boardwalk. Several neighboring properties are also in various stages of proposal or construction, signaling a broader wave of investment and renewal along the coast.
One of those projects just started this past week which is the renovation of North Wildwood Boardwalk.
The section targeted for replacement spans from mid-block at 24th Avenue to 26th Avenue. (This is in front of Morey’s Surfside Pier)
The project, officials said, is designed to replace not just the aging wooden surface but the infrastructure beneath it.
You can learn about that project in the article below.
North Wildwood To Begin Full-Scale Reconstruction of Boardwalk
Are you excited for the new boardwalk resort? It would be only the second resort on the boardwalk that has a pool and the first within the past 20+ years.
This is one of the projects that will be featured in our Monthly construction update videos so be sure to be subscribed to our youtube channel!