It was an unusual house that turned heads for decades along the Jersey Shore. Now, it is no more.
The home and adjacent guest house on a remote Ocean County island came down about a month after crews started the demolition work in early June — the end of the line for a landmark that never recovered from Superstorm Sandy.
The secluded mansion was built on a private island in Barnegat Bay, and had long been a source of fascination. The abandoned mansion was only accessible only by boat, but has now left the landscape.
“It was always unique. It was always a conversation,” said Pat Hallock, a realtor in Chadwick Beach.
A crew had been bringing down the home piece by piece on Middle Sedge, situated just over a half-mile from the Chadwick Beach section of Toms River. The mansion dated back to 1991.
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“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 got worse after the devastating 2012 storm and had become a hazard, with people trespassing on there.
People were not the only ones who had been frequenting the home: 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 extended from the barrier island out to the island. But everything was shut off years ago and experts said 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 previously 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.
