A North Wildwood Motel Is Transforming
Visitors who kicked off the summer season in the Wildwoods may have been surprised to see some big changes in North Wildwood.
During the off-season, two beloved motels — the Ivanhoe Motel (430 E. 21st Ave) and the Chateau Bleu Motel (911 Surf Ave) — were demolished.
A North Wildwood Motel Is Transforming
Their removal was thoroughly documented by the Wildwood Video Archive, and you can watch those videos at the bottom of this article.
Both sites will be redeveloped into residential properties: the former Chateau Bleu lot will hold three homes, and the Ivanhoe property will be divided into five.
But just ten feet west of the Ivanhoe stood another familiar sight — the Panoramic Motel and Apartments — which, until recently, seemed untouched by the wave of change.
When it comes to Doo-Wop architecture in the Wildwoods, the Panoramic Motel was a standout.
Built in 1964 by the Buckingham Brothers, the motel retained much of its original charm — especially its iconic flagcrete brickwork, that faux-stone texture many associate with classic Wildwood motels.
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But its most recognizable feature was undoubtedly its sign.
The Panoramic Motel Apts sign was a true piece of Googie-era Americana: bold typography, colorful geometric shapes, and a playful aesthetic that captured the spirit of postwar roadside culture.
Each letter in “PANORAMIC” stood in its own geometric panel, with alternating colors and styles that emphasized mid-century whimsy and asymmetry.
Then, two weeks ago, everything changed.
The sign is gone. The building is undergoing major renovations.
Naturally, the question we’re asked most is: “Is the sign coming back?” Based on the renderings we’ve obtained, it doesn’t look like it as the renderings show the motel now being called “The Beach House.”
So, what happened to the original sign? That’s the second most common question — and the answer remains a mystery. Workers were seen removing the sign carefully, suggesting it wasn’t simply discarded. But where it ended up is unknown.
Crews over the past few months have been working inside and outside rehabbing the entire building making her like new.
In a world where we are losing motels to single family homes, it is a better option to see a motel left standing and refurbished.
The renderings show that the building will still be Doo-Wop in a Mid-Century modern way.
Ultimately, visitors want to come to the Wildwoods to stay in these Doo-Wop motels, but they want the modern amenities.
The refurbishment will allow guests to do that regardless if it stays a motel or if most of it’s units become condos.
For now, one of Wildwood’s most visually iconic motels is entering a new chapter — and we’ll be watching closely to see what happens next.