Blogfinger photo. 2016.  Facing the Wesley Detention/Retention Basin  ©

By  Paul Goldfinger, Editor @Blogfinger

Early in its life, the Warrington was an upstanding hotel facing Wesley Lake and Asbury Park. Its address was 22 Lake Avenue in Ocean Grove.

In 1939, Gibbons reported  (History of Ocean Grove) that there were 75 hotels in town. Among them was the Warrington. H. W. Brown was the proprietor, and it offered the “European plan.”  This means that meals were not included in the room rate.

In the summer of 1955, guests stayed there in order to hear Billy Graham preach in the Great Auditorium. An ad then from the Ocean Grove Record said:

“The Warrington:   Convenient to all beach-front attractions and Auditorium. Rooms only, hot and cold running water, hot baths and showers, inner spring mat­tresses. Television. Write for folder and rates.   Wm. Baumann, Owner-Manager.”

But over the years it sunk into becoming  a run-down boarding home for veterans and physically challenged individuals.   There was a long list of violations over the years including abuses of vulnerable residents, and finally the State of New Jersey Division of  Community Affairs shut it down in  2012 because of those many  “problems.” Blogfinger called it “an absolute horror show.”

The State  said it had to be shut down because of “serious conditions affecting the health, safety and welfare of those who lived there.” The owner, Jack Ancona of Long Branch  and New York City had bought the building in 2006 for $1,275,000  and he continued to get into trouble because of violations here and in other properties that he owned.

In 2012, a Blogfinger post said, “The Warrington is now an empty and deteriorating property.”

In 2014, the  OGHOA reported on the neglect of the property including fire hazards and suspicious activities at night. They said that its notoriety was exceeded only by its derelict neighbor next door, the Park View Inn  (now demolished)   They also reported that  the owner wanted to create a 20 suite boutique hotel, but that the hotel “does not border on any street”  This is a violation of land use law in New Jersey