Diane Fiske, a Philadelphia-based architecture writer, wrote a great piece in ARCHITECTURE WEEK in November 2001 about Wildwood and the Doo-Wop effort that could save the town.

Over 2 years later, in 2004, Wildwood real estate is hot.

Indeed, thousands of clients use www.smarteragent.com to find and buy real estate in what was once a town on the ropes.

Here are excerpts from Diane’s piece that give insight in how what's old and funky, if there is enough of it, can be preserved and become the core of revitalization and economic development.

EXCERPT:

“The blue-collar summer resort of Wildwood reached its pinnacle of popularity when Cadillacs had fins and television was novel.”

Steven Izenour, a principal architect with Venturi Scott Brown & Associates, “called the 1950s and 60s architecture "Doo-Wop" after the a cappella singing style of the period, and he led efforts in its study and preservation.”

In the article, an architect, Mr. Stokes, explained to Diane: "The most important part of the Doo-Wop style is the signage — neon signs in lollipop colors. The motels pick up the colors of the signs, and it is these signs and colors that make the buildings different."

Stokes adds: "The style shows a period in our history when there was a lot of interest in the space age so motels were given names like 'Satellite' and 'Astronaut.' Many people had recently acquired automobiles and they to wanted to be able to see their cars from their motel rooms. The 'motor hotel' was a new concept at the time; you could drive to the door of your room."

“Wildwood's Doo-Wop style should be preserved," says Stokes, "because it is unique and has not changed since the 50s and 60s. The resort suffered a decline in the 1980s and became 'tacky' or 'unreal' to some because of the heavy use of plastic for everything from furniture to palm trees."

In "Learning from Wildwood" Izenour advised planners and architects to "look at the area and evaluate the taste and needs of the people who use it and not to indulge in further homogenization of the culture with the architects' or design professionals' own aesthetic values."

Diane ended with noting, “The revival of Wildwood is being taken seriously. When the Starlux motel was dedicated last spring, former New Jersey Governor Christie Whitman, who is now U.S. Secretary of the Environment, came to the ceremony and "planted" a plastic palm tree.

A robust Wildwood helps all the adjacent towns such as North Wildwood and Wildwood Crest. Check it all out at www.wildwoodhomesandrealestate.com!