Instant Alert: Haunting images of the Jersey Shore's disappearing retro motels

MANAGE SUBSCRIPTIONS   |   UNSUBSCRIBE   |   VIEW ONLINE   Haunting images of the Jersey Shore's disappearing retro motels by Jack Sommer on Sep 29, 2015, 11:00 AM Advertisement Wildwood, New Jersey, holds a special place in photographer Mark Havens' heart. His family has a long-standing tradition of visiting the resort town during the hot summers.  The Wildwood area is best known for its retro motels, as well as its easy access to an enormous beach. Built in the 1950s, the motels were hugely popular throughout the following two decades. In the town's heyday, as many as 200 motels lined the roads. "Because I grew up with these motels as the backdrop of my summer for as long as I could remember, they seemed as immovable as mountains to me," Havens told Business Insider. It turns out they weren't so permanent after all.  While there are still dozens of motels left today, many have been demolished because they weren't making enough money throughout the year. Others have been turned into condos or more modern hotels.  Havens knew he had to do something to preserve Wildwood's mid-century motels. Racing against the clock and the always-swinging demolition ball, Havens set out to document them while they were still standing.  SEE ALSO: Go inside the rarely seen underbelly of New York's famed Woolworth Building DON'T FORGET: Follow Business Insider's Lifestyle page on Facebook! Wildwood rests at the southeastern tip of New Jersey, below Atlantic City in Cape May County. Wildwood is known for its large beaches, which stretch for over five miles. There's also a boardwalk that's 38 blocks long and filled with places for visiting families to shop, eat, and find endless sources of entertainment. During the economic boom that followed World War II, motels built in the "doo-wop" style began sprouting up along the Wildwood coast. A term developed in the '90s, "doo-wop style architecture" refers to buildings from the '50s and '60s that incorporate sweeping angles, space-age imagery, tropical themes and colors, and neon signage. See the rest of the story at Business Insider   Share the latest business news with your network: Email sent to: nguyenvu1187.love5@blogger.com   |   Manage your email preferences   |   Unsubscribe Terms of Service   |   Privacy Policy Business Insider. 150 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10011