Wildwood Laundromat To Be Demolished For Condos

A new public notice has hit the pages, and it’s indicating that another longtime Wildwood building could soon be gone.

According to a recent legal filing, the property located at 5211 Park Boulevard, most commonly known as the site of a public laundromat, may be headed for demolition and redevelopment.

The notice, submitted by 5211 Park, LLC, details a proposal to tear down the existing laundromat and replace it with a brand-new four-unit multi-family residential building.

The property, situated in Block 12, Lot 8, falls within Wildwood’s R-1 Residential Zoning District, an area largely reserved for low-density, single-family housing. However, the developer is seeking significant zoning and planning relief to move the project forward, as multi-family dwellings like the one proposed are not permitted by right in this part of town.

To make the project a reality, the applicant has requested a variety of variances and waivers from the City of Wildwood’s Planning/Zoning Board. These include allowances for:

A multi-family use in a single-family zone
Smaller than the required lot area, frontage, and depth
Increased building and lot coverage
Reduced setbacks for the front, rear, and both sides of the property
Less off-street parking than what is typically required
Curb-related variances, including distance from intersections and contiguous raised curb requirements

If approved, this would mark yet another example of Wildwood’s ongoing shift from commercial and public-use properties toward denser residential development.

With demand for housing on the island continuing to rise, developers have increasingly turned to underutilized or aging properties for new projects.

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While the laundromat has long served locals and summer renters alike, its removal could represent a turning point for this part of Park Boulevard and the island in general.

The transformation of older, functional properties into high-end residential units has become a trend in recent years, particularly as investors look to capitalize on Wildwood’s growing popularity.

One thing to keep in mind is that when most of these coin-operated laundromats were first built in the 1950s, not too many people had their own private machines at home.

Back then, laundromats played a vital role in daily life, especially in seasonal communities like Wildwood, where summer renters and year-round residents alike relied on them. They became neighborhood hubs, places where locals gathered, swapped stories, and waited for the spin cycle to end.

But times have changed. With the widespread availability of in-home washers and dryers, especially in newly built or renovated properties, the demand for public laundry facilities has steadily declined.

What was once a necessity is now seen by many as an outdated convenience, particularly in areas undergoing rapid redevelopment.

For some, this may feel like progress; for others, it may feel like one more piece of “old Wildwood” disappearing in the name of development. Either way, change could soon be coming to 5211 Park Boulevard.