Doo Wop Architecture Named Among ‘10 Architectural Wonders’

WILDWOOD — The Wildwoods have received a major honor from one of the country’s most influential companies: America Online.
The Wildwoods’ Doo Wop architecture was named one of AOL’s “Ten Architectural Wonders of the United States” for 2010. The Wildwoods are home to the largest concentration of mid-century Doo Wop architecture in the country.
For this list, AOL selected 10 architectural wonders, located throughout the United States, which also included American landmarks such as the Gateway Arch in Missouri and the Walt Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles, Calif.
“Words can’t describe how honored we are to be listed among the nation’s top architectural wonders. Our unique Doo Wop heritage is a major part of the Wildwoods experience,” said John Siciliano, executive director for the Greater Wildwoods Tourism Authority.
“Being recognized by America Online is a tribute to everyone on our island who works hard to preserve and maintain the architectural heritage that helps define the Wildwoods.”
The Wildwoods Doo Wop District is home to the largest concentration of preserved mid-century Doo Wop architecture in the country.
The many original, preserved Doo Wop style hotels found in the Wildwoods, along with newly constructed properties designed to replicate the architectural designs of the 1950s and early 1960s, feature plastic palm trees towering over kidney shaped pools, angular roof lines and bold neon signs touting whimsical names and flamboyant themes – giving each building its own individual character and providing the Wildwoods with one of the country’s most unique “Architectural Wonders.”
“This is really a tribute to the many owners of America’s largest collection of Doo Wop design motels,” said Dan MacElrevey, president of the Doo Wop Preservation League in the Wildwoods By-the-Sea.
“These dedicated owners have preserved the eccentric designs and imaginative neon signs typical of these fascinating buildings while upgrading the interiors and maintaining the high level of resort services for which these properties are known,” he continued.
AOL is a leading global web services company with an extensive suite of brands and offerings and a substantial worldwide audience. AOL, LLC is a wholly owned subsidiary of Time Warner, Inc. with employees in 18 countries across the globe.
For more information about the Wildwoods, visit www.WildwoodsNJ .com or call 609-729-9000 or 800-WW-BY-SEA.