Doo Wop Preservation League Forum - Wildwood, NJ - Doo Wop Discussion #28: Cardinal Motel

Al Alven

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Doo Wop Discussion #28: Cardinal Motel
Feb 25^th, 2008, 5:48pm

Cardinal Motel

2300 Atlantic Ave.
North Wildwood, NJ 08260
(p): (609) 522-4078

Vintage postcard (late 50s/early 60s?) view of the main building; check out the original sign!

The main building, as it appeared recently (pic taken in 2005)

The annex, just prior to the 2005 season

Official Website:
N/A... Can't seem to find one...

Wildwood Doo Wop Profile:
http://www.wildwooddoowop.com/doowopspots/?ID=374

Previous Doo Wop Discussions:

Doo Wop Discussion #27: Crusader Oceanfront Resort (Wildwood Crest)
http://www.doowopusa.org/cgi-bin/yabb2/YaBB.pl?num=1202483733

Doo Wop Discussion #26: Oceanic Motel (Wildwood)
http://www.doowopusa.org/cgi-bin/yabb2/YaBB.pl?num=1201927959

Doo Wop Discussion #25: Cool Scoops Ice Cream Parlor (North Wildwood)
http://www.doowopusa.org/cgi-bin/yabb2/YaBB.pl?num=1201250079

Doo Wop Discussion #24: Singapore Motel (Wildwood Crest)
http://www.doowopusa.org/cgi-bin/yabb2/YaBB.pl?num=1201015596

Doo Wop Discussion #23: Eden Roc Motel (Wildwood)
http://www.doowopusa.org/cgi-bin/yabb2/YaBB.pl?num=1200346150

Doo Wop Discussion #22: Aruba Motel (North Wildwood)
http://www.doowopusa.org/cgi-bin/yabb2/YaBB.pl?num=1199283718

Doo Wop Discussion #21: Dino's Boatel & Motel (West Wildwood)
http://www.doowopusa.org/cgi-bin/yabb2/YaBB.pl?num=1198231643

Doo Wop Discussion #20: Ala Kai Motel (Wildwood Crest)
http://www.doowopusa.org/cgi-bin/yabb2/YaBB.pl?num=1198229565

Doo Wop Discussion #19: Mango Motel (Wildwood)
http://www.doowopusa.org/cgi-bin/yabb2/YaBB.pl?num=1197650815

Doo Wop Discussion #18: Jade East Motel (North Wildwood)
http://www.doowopusa.org/cgi-bin/yabb2/YaBB.pl?num=1197016280

Doo Wop Discussion #17: Waikiki Ocean Resort (Wildwood Crest)
http://www.doowopusa.org/cgi-bin/yabb2/YaBB.pl?num=1196435327

Doo Wop Discussion #16: Pilgrim's Pride Motel (Wildwood)
http://www.doowopusa.org/cgi-bin/yabb2/YaBB.pl?num=1195672361

Doo Wop Discussion #15: Panoramic Motel & Apts. (North Wildwood)
http://www.doowopusa.org/cgi-bin/yabb2/YaBB.pl?num=1195249566

Doo Wop Discussion #14: Aztec Motel (Wildwood Crest)
http://www.doowopusa.org/cgi-bin/yabb2/YaBB.pl?num=1194631484

Doo Wop Discussion #13: Schellenger's Restaurant (Wildwood)
http://www.doowopusa.org/cgi-bin/yabb2/YaBB.pl?num=1194014063

Doo Wop Discussion #12: Blue Water Motel (Wildwood Crest)
http://www.doowopusa.org/cgi-bin/yabb2/YaBB.pl?num=1188571525

Doo Wop Discussion #11: Sea Shell Motel (Wildwood)
http://www.doowopusa.org/cgi-bin/yabb2/YaBB.pl?num=1187359905

Doo Wop Discussion #10: Florentine Motor Inn (North Wildwood)
http://www.doowopusa.org/cgi-bin/yabb2/YaBB.pl?num=1186753986

Doo Wop Discussion #9: Sea Gull Motel (Wildwood)
http://www.doowopusa.org/cgi-bin/yabb2/YaBB.pl?num=1186152373

Doo Wop Discussion #8: Astronaut Motel (Wildwood Crest)
http://www.doowopusa.org/cgi-bin/yabb2/YaBB.pl?num=1185547540

Doo Wop Discussion #7: Bonito Motel (Wildwood)
http://www.doowopusa.org/cgi-bin/yabb2/YaBB.pl?num=1184945900

Doo Wop Discussion #6: Carideon Motel (North Wildwood)
http://www.doowopusa.org/cgi-bin/yabb2/YaBB.pl?num=1184339880

Doo Wop Discussion #5: SurfSide West Diner (Wildwood)
http://www.doowopusa.org/cgi-bin/yabb2/YaBB.pl?num=1183739599

Doo Wop Discussion #4: Jolly Roger Motel (Wildwood Crest)
http://www.doowopusa.org/cgi-bin/yabb2/YaBB.pl?num=1183094699

Doo Wop Discussion #3: Pink Champagne Motel (Wildwood)
http://www.doowopusa.org/cgi-bin/yabb2/YaBB.pl?num=1182520248

Doo Wop Discussion #2: New England Motel (North Wildwood)
http://www.doowopusa.org/cgi-bin/yabb2/YaBB.pl?num=1181906799

Doo Wop Discussion #1: Isle of Capri Motel (North Wildwood)
http://www.doowopusa.org/cgi-bin/yabb2/YaBB.pl?num=1181234853

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Here we go again, with another edition of the 'DWD' after a brief hiatus...

This week, we'll take a look at one of the more 'overlooked' motels in North Wildwood. The Cardinal Motel is a neighbor of the much larger Carideon and much more-heralded Lollipop, on Atlantic Ave., very close to the Wildwood border. This stretch of Atlantic is set back a bit from the busier Surf Ave. strip in NW, in a more quiet, residential area.

The Cardinal actually consists of two L-shaped building, located on the west side of Atlantic, between 23rd and 24th Ave. The larger 'main' building faces 23rd, while the annex sits right on the corner of 24th & Atlantic.

The motel's design is not dynamic in any way, but it is another in a long line of tried-and-true Wildwood originals that have stood the test of time. It's most notable design point is probably its bright red room doors, which contrast nicely with the building's white exterior. As you can see from the photos above, the Cardinal's original roadside sign was much more imaginative than the rectangular backlit version that stands in front of the motel today...

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hulk007 Ultimate God Member If I had one day left on earth i'd spend it in WW Posts: 5010 Gender:	Re: Doo Wop Discussion #28: Cardinal Motel Reply #1 - Feb 25^th, 2008, 6:54pm What motel became the Cardinal's annex?
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crazyaboutwildwood Ex Member	Re: Doo Wop Discussion #28: Cardinal Motel Reply #2 - Feb 25^th, 2008, 7:29pm Al, That old sign looks real nice. Its a shame they cant put back up neon again.
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FlyinGN Ultimate God Member Wildwood fan since '61 Posts: 5752 Gender:	Re: Doo Wop Discussion #28: Cardinal Motel Reply #3 - Feb 25^th, 2008, 7:57pm not one that I am familar with... boy.. it seems every hotel you pick Al, I am not too familiar with .. lol.. looks nice tho
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hulk007 Ultimate God Member If I had one day left on earth i'd spend it in WW Posts: 5010 Gender:	Re: Doo Wop Discussion #28: Cardinal Motel Reply #4 - Feb 25^th, 2008, 8:25pm I've passed this place abunch of times but never thought much about it.
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MMM

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Re: Doo Wop Discussion #28: Cardinal Motel
Reply #5 - Feb 25^th, 2008, 9:03pm

It's funny, whenever I pass the Cardinal, I think I'm always going north. I didn't even recognize the main building - I thought the "annex" was "the" Cardinal. I have to take a better look!

Love that old original sign. Looks like the tried to duplicate the font where the Motel's name is written from the original sign, and also included a bird.

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Martin Melucci

...no matter how much you like an old building, someone will eventually come along and knock it down to build a "better" one. But that rarely happens. - Tony Visconti

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WildMan Ultimate God Member Posts: 5700 Gender:	Re: Doo Wop Discussion #28: Cardinal Motel Reply #6 - Feb 25^th, 2008, 10:53pm Quote from hulk007 on Feb 25^th, 2008, 8:25pm: I've passed this place abunch of times but never thought much about it. Same here. It always looked nice but seemed to pass it on by without thinking much about it.
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Znorfmond Senior Member Home of the worlds finest and safest bathing beach Posts: 331 Gender:	Re: Doo Wop Discussion #28: Cardinal Motel Reply #7 - Feb 26^th, 2008, 4:55am I agree with Martin but even heading south your eye is drawn towards the Lollipop and it's easy to overlook the Cardinal.
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mike Senior Member Posts: 432 Gender:	Re: Doo Wop Discussion #28: Cardinal Motel Reply #8 - Feb 26^th, 2008, 8:40am i stayed here in 86 or 87 it was nice then.
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beachrat God Member Posts: 967 Gender:	Re: Doo Wop Discussion #28: Cardinal Motel Reply #9 - Feb 26^th, 2008, 8:32pm I can't really add anything to the discussion, as this isn't a place I'm familiar with. However, I did find a webpage for it: http://www.members.aol.com/cardinalmotel/ And I'd like to second the motion to bring back the old sign, or a reproduction thereof.........
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wildre

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Re: Doo Wop Discussion #28: Cardinal Motel
Reply #10 - Feb 26^th, 2008, 8:42pm

It's a few blocks west of the area you usually see motels. It's always seems well kept, I think it's open in winter.
Mike, may be a place to check out on your off season visits?
When we renovated back in winter '01, we made reservations there, but we didn't stay. They wanted to charge us $5 per minute to connect to our own local (Wildwood #) dialup for our laptops. Since we need our laptops, it wasn't going to happen.

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hulk007

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Re: Doo Wop Discussion #28: Cardinal Motel
Reply #11 - Feb 27^th, 2008, 10:15pm

Quote from beachrat on Feb 26^th, 2008, 8:32pm:

I can't really add anything to the discussion, as this isn't a place I'm familiar with. However, I did find a webpage for it:

http://www.members.aol.com/cardinalmotel/

And I'd like to second the motion to bring back the old sign, or a reproduction thereof.........

Looks like a nice place on the inside from looking at those pictures.

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Al Alven

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Re: Doo Wop Discussion #28: Cardinal Motel
Reply #12 - Feb 29^th, 2008, 11:01am

Quote from MMM on Feb 25^th, 2008, 9:03pm:

It's funny, whenever I pass the Cardinal, I think I'm always going north. I didn't even recognize the main building - I thought the "annex" was "the" Cardinal. I have to take a better look!

Love that old original sign. Looks like the tried to duplicate the font where the Motel's name is written from the original sign, and also included a bird.

Until Hulk and Martin raised the question about the annex, I had never really thought of it. For as long as I've known, going back 25 years or so, the Cardinal has always been as it is. I am curious as to whether or the not the annex was another motel altogether, as it is not pictured (or mentioned on the back of) the old postcard above. Also, there does appear to be the design of an original office at the lower eastern base of the annex building. Interesting...

That old sign looks like it was a beauty. It reminds me of the Blue Jay's sign, basically because of the 'bird' theme, and the vertical letter arrangement. I don't remember the sign, only the current plastic backlit version, so I'm sure it's been gone for a long time.

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WildMan

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Re: Doo Wop Discussion #28: Cardinal Motel
Reply #13 - Mar 4^th, 2008, 10:01am

Anyone know when that third floor was added? I'm thinking it might have been recently (or at least recently compared to when other additional floors were added) because the railing is different. Something tells me that if the floor was added not too long after the motel was built, it would have been possible to get the same railing. The fact that they don't match might be saying something, although I could be making something out of nothing.

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Al Alven Forum Moderator Through this magical arch... Posts: 5827 Gender:	Re: Doo Wop Discussion #28: Cardinal Motel Reply #14 - Mar 4^th, 2008, 10:38am That's a good question. The Cardinal's main building has had three stories for as long as I can remember. I'd say, for sure, going back at least 15-20 years. So, I don't think it was a recent addition. The difference in railing pattern is interesting; I hadn't noticed that...
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