Wildwood Planning Board approves tiki bar project at present motel site

The owners of The Point, a popular tiki bar/restaurant concept in Somers Point and Sea Isle City, have been given the green light to bring a third location to Wildwood.

The seasonal, open-air venue was approved by a 4-3 vote of the Wildwood Planning & Zoning Board at their monthly meeting on Monday, October 2.

It can now be constructed at 3710 Ocean Avenue, pending the demolition of the Ocean Sands Motel.

While the meeting was open to public comment, no one present spoke out in opposition to the project or the razing of the 62-year-old “Doo Wop” property.

“The close vote was due to concerns about parking,” said Phil Swetsky, vice chairman of the planning board, who voted in the affirmative.

According to Swetsky, The Point’s proposed 350-seat layout categorizes the entity as a “restaurant” and would generally require 150 parking spaces. However, the applicants asked for and were granted a waiver. A total of 12 spaces for employee parking and bike racks were added.

“I feel there is ample parking in that area,” explained Swetsky. “Besides the private lots that encompass that property, the Moreys recently took the old Stardust (nightclub) property and made it two parking lots along with their Cedar Avenue parking lot.”

“I think with a project like this, the pros certainly outweigh the negatives. I think it will be a great addition to the Boardwalk area and the properties around it.”

The property sits just one block west of the Boardwalk, across Ocean Avenue. If it was on the other side of the street, it would be in the Boardwalk Zone and would not require any parking spaces.

“It’s that close to the Boardwalk, so we gave a lot of consideration to that [in granting the waiver].”

With the application approved, The Point’s new Wildwood location could be built over the winter and open by Spring 2024.

However, the Ocean Sands still stands, and whether The Point’s parent company, GMH Restaurant Holdings IV, LLC, intends to purchase or lease the property remains unconfirmed.

Representatives from The Point have yet to respond to requests for a comment on the matter.

According to public records, the Ocean Sands is presently owned by Ocean Sands Properties, LLC, which purchased the motel for $3.2 million in January 2004.