After years on the drawing board, Crest Arts Pavilion coming into focus

In the years since it was last occupied, it’s gone by several monikers and working nicknames - “the old library,” “the abandoned police station,” “the Living Room.”

Of course, the building at 6301 Ocean Avenue was, literally, the former borough library, prior to the opening of its sleek, modern successor one block east on Atlantic Avenue; and its exterior doubled for a police station in the moody 2017 film, Wetlands, giving rise to a local inside joke.

Now, as Wildwood Crest’s long-awaited mixed-use venue and communal gathering enclave nears realization, a new identity has begun to emerge.

“We’ll call it the Crest Arts Pavilion, or simply ‘The Pavilion,’” said Wildwood Crest Mayor Don Cabrera. “That looks to be the name we’ll be going with. I think it encompasses what we’re aiming for this entity to be, better than ‘the Living Room’ could.”

Cabrera explained that the Pavilion will feature “a little bit of everything the Crest has to offer and a lot of our personality,” with functional space for meetings and local organizations, hosting options for weddings and other special events, two dedicated retail areas (one to sell official Crest merchandise, the other offering food and beverage) and more.

“The building will have a solarium, similar to a sunroom, a space ideal for our Crest Green Team and Love Blue, our beach clean-up non-profit,” Cabrera explained. “It’ll have an environmental feel, something a little different.

“Outside, there will be a terrace and a great lawn, where you’ll be able to enjoy fire pits and different kinds of entertainment during the summer. The whole thing is going to have a really cool, hip feel to it.”

The Crest Arts Pavilion is being designed with form and function in mind. The building will include ADA accessible restrooms that will be open to the public, in addition to electric charging vehicle stations, a bike repair station and additional parking to support larger gatherings.

“The inclusion of ‘arts’ in the name is very important, as we believe that’s something we need more of in the Crest, and the Pavilion can be a home for that,” Cabrera noted. “We plan to add more sculptures and statues, like our bike statue at Rambler Road. One of the things we’re working on is a Crest version of the famous Philadelphia ‘LOVE’ statue.”

“The Pavilion will have artwork inside and out, and will house a lot of the Crest’s historical artifacts, which will be on display throughout. The outside will eventually feature botanical gardens and the grounds will be connected to the nearby bike path.”

Cabrera said that the concept that evolved into the Crest Arts Pavilion began percolating before the old library closed in 2015. The project has seen many conceptual changes while on the drawing board, but is now rounding into its final form.

“We had this building and, more importantly, a highly desirable location,” Cabrera said of the tract, nestled between Ocean Avenue and the Wildwood Crest Bike Path and beach, bordered by Wisteria and Columbine Roads to the north and south, respectively.

“The question was, ‘what could it be?’ I think the answer always pointed toward something that could greatly benefit the community and serve multiple purposes, while taking advantage of its natural setting.”

Like both Centennial Park and Sunrise Park to the south, Cabrera envisions the Crest Arts Pavilion as another prime destination for locals and vacationers.

"We're just blessed to have this great amount of open space, green space, running alongside our beachfront," he said. "And with some of the recent changes and upgrades we’ve implemented, we're really starting to take advantage of it. Obviously, the Crest doesn't have a boardwalk and our vibe is a little different down here, more laid back.

"I truly believe these are some of the most attractive spaces in Cape May County and Southern New Jersey."  

Cabrera confirmed that the Pavilion project is a bit behind schedule due to supply chain issues and material delays, estimating that interior construction is about 50-60 percent complete. He anticipates a grand opening ceremony sometime in July. 

“We’re looking at completing this in two phases,” he explained. “Phase 1 will include interior and exterior work and will be done this year. We went out for a Cape May County Open Space grant and are hoping to finish up the site work toward the end of this year or early next year, and have it 100 percent completed before Summer 2023.”