Wildwood Motel Could Be Demolished For Tiki Bar

GMH Restaurant Holdings IV, LLC, has submitted an application to the Planning/Zoning Board of the City of Wildwood, New Jersey, for an ambitious development project that promises to revitalize the heart of Wildwood’s resort district.

The project, which involves preliminary and final major site plan approval and variance relief, focuses on the property at 3710 Ocean Avenue, Wildwood, New Jersey 08260 (Block 166, Lot 18), situated in the “T” – Tourism Zoning District.

The Tourism Zoning District, as defined by the City of Wildwood Municipal Code, is strategically positioned to support and enhance the vibrancy of the city’s resort district.

Wildwood Motel Could Be Demolished For Tiki Bar

GMH Restaurant Holdings IV, LLC, plans to transform the existing “Ocean Sands Motel” into an exciting outdoor tiki bar and restaurant, bringing a new dimension of entertainment and dining to Wildwood’s visitors and residents.

The project also includes provisions for dedicated off-street parking for employees and the creation of additional on-street parking spaces through the removal of an existing curb cut along the Garfield Avenue frontage.

This means that the existing motel will be completely demolished to make room for this application.

Looking into the public records of GMH Restaurant Holdings IV, LLC we find that they already own properties that are very similar to what is being asked in the application.

The LLC is the same owner of The Point in Sea Isle City and Somers Point. They are looking to make the Ocean Sands Motel lot into their third location.

The Point’s origins trace back to 2019 when it initially opened its doors in Somers Point. In 2021, the proprietors acquired the Springfield Inn in Sea Isle, where they promptly razed the existing structure and erected their second establishment.

Based on this history, one can speculate that they plan to maintain the same design and style at this new location, although without viewing the application, it remains a mere assumption.

The applicant seeks variance relief, in accordance with NJSA 40:55D-70c, from specific provisions of the Zoning Ordinance of the City of Wildwood. These variances relate to essential bulk/area standards, including but not limited to:

Minimum Required Lot Depth
Minimum Required Front Yard Setback (Principal Building)
Minimum Required Side Yard Setback (Principal Building)
Minimum Required Off-Street Parking Spaces
Maximum Number of Freestanding Signs
Minimum Required Sign Base Area Landscaping
Maximum Permitted Fence Height (Front Yard)
Maximum Permitted Fence Height (Side Yards)
Maximum Permitted Fence Height (Rear Yard)

The applicant is also open to any additional variances, approvals, or waivers that the Planning/Zoning Board may consider necessary during the application review.

This is only one of the few times the public has any kind of say in an application.

A public hearing has been scheduled to allow community members to voice their opinions and concerns regarding this exciting project.

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The hearing will take place on Monday, October 2, 2023, at 6:00 PM in the Commissioners’ Meeting Room located on the second floor of City Hall, 4400 New Jersey Avenue, Wildwood, New Jersey. Residents and interested parties are encouraged to attend and actively participate in the discussion.

The Wildwood Video Archive has reached out to GMH Restaurant Holdings IV, LLC for comment on this article but hasn’t heard back since the time of publishing.