BERKELEY – Those who grieved over the closure of the Island Beach Motor Lodge can find some solace that furniture and other amenities from there will find new life in homes being built.
Local developer Arya Properties purchased the motor lodge recently. They also purchased all the land from Route 35 to the ocean in the South Seaside Park section of Berkeley, just north of Island Beach State Park.
The lodge and the restaurant will be demolished and replaced with the Island Beach Estates – 16 single-family houses. The dune walkover to the beach will continue to exist. The beach itself was donated to the township.
Speaking of donations, furniture and other household items that were still in good shape inside the lodge were given to Northern Ocean Habitat for Humanity. Tables and chairs, and even doors and cabinets, were loaded into a box truck in the winter weather.
“We are deeply grateful to Arya Properties for their thoughtfulness and generosity during the redevelopment of the former Island Beach Motor Lodge,” read a statement from Habitat.
“Throughout this transition, Arya Properties ensured that usable furniture and household items were donated to Northern Ocean Habitat for Humanity, allowing these pieces to find a meaningful second life supporting local families across Ocean County,” they said. “This partnership truly reflects the spirit of community – honoring the past while investing in a future that promotes comfort, dignity, and stability for those in need. We sincerely thank Arya Properties for their commitment to responsible redevelopment and for helping us continue our mission of building homes, communities, and hope.”
Habitat acquires land, through donations, to build homes for working class families seeking “a hand up not a hand out.” A brand new house is built on that property. The new house comes fully furnished, so the donations will make it easier for the next several homes to be built. Many of these homes have been in Berkeley.
Northern Ocean Habitat for Humanity was founded in 1999. They vet the families who apply, choosing the perfect one for the perfect home. They require the future homeowner to earn “sweat equity” by helping with the construction in any way they can. Often, when the family is showing off their house for the first time, they’ll point to stairs they built or rooms they painted.
Habitat also conducts home repair and preservation for people who meet certain financial and other requirements. The projects generally keep people in their homes and include such items as winterization and building ramps. They have performed more than 400 critical home repair.
For more information, visit northernoceanhabitat.org
