An unusual house that has turned heads for decades along the Jersey Shore is coming down, as crews are working to demolish a mansion on a remote island in Ocean County.
It marks the end of the line for a landmark that never recovered from Superstorm Sandy. Its secluded location on a private island in Barnegat Bay has long been a source of fascination.
“It was always unique. It was always a conversation,” said Pat Hallock, a realtor in Chadwick Beach.
The abandoned mansion was only accessible only by boat, but is now leaving the landscape.
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“We were hired by the homeowner to knock the house down about six months ago,” said Erich Kremer, of R. Kremer & Son Marine Contractors.
The company has been tearing down the home along with an adjacent guest house on Middle Sedge Island, situated slightly more than a half-mile from the Chadwick Beach section of Toms River. The mansion dates back to 1991.
“Back in the day it was a beautiful house,” said Chadwick Beach resident Phil Liantonio. “Then the storm just kind of messed everything up and they never repaired it.”
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Superstorm Sandy left the home in ruins. The condition of the property only worsened since the 2012 storm.
“It's been a hazard, a lot of people hanging out on it,” said Kremer.
People are not the only ones who have been coming to the house: Scores of seagulls made their home in the former haven for luxury and privacy. Those birds appeared to be quite agitated to be displaced by the demolition.
Utility lines extend from the barrier island out to the island. But everything was shut off years ago and experts say building anything new on the island would be extremely challenging.
“A lot of the island itself was washed away, the bulkhead was destroyed,” said Hallock. “There'll be environmental issues, there'll be issues we'll have to discuss with the government.”
The owner of the mansion told NBC New York that the future of the island is still undecided. The job of clearing away the rubble will likely take a couple weeks, as the familiar and curious sight finally disappears years after nature’s wrath led to its downfall.
