A New Hotel to Rise on Route 1 South in Avenel, Woodbridge
A new five-story hotel is set to rise on Route 1 South in the Avenel section of Woodbridge, marking the end of an era for the old City Hotel, Star Hotel, and the iconic dive bar, The Spot.
### When Route 1 Was the Beating Heart of New Jersey Road Trips
There was a time when motels ruled New Jersey’s highways. After World War II, families hit the road for vacations in record numbers, and motels popped up everywhere—especially along Route 1 and other roads leading to the Jersey Shore. These motels were affordable, convenient, and embodied the spirit of the 1950s and ’60s road-tripping family.
### From Family Vacations to Faded Signs: The Decline of Route 1 Motels
But times changed. With the completion of the interstate highway system, travelers began bypassing local roads like Route 1. Flying became more popular, and the once-thriving motels started to fade away. While some classic motels survived—some even enjoying a retro revival in places like Wildwood and Cape May—most met a common fate: they became “cheap motels,” eventually closed, and were demolished.
### City Hotel and The Spot Make Way for Cambria Suites
Demolition is now underway for the City and Star Hotels, as well as The Spot, which has been closed for about 15 years. Rising in their place will be a Cambria Suites hotel at 939-943 Route 1 South—a five-story, 104-room building that will also feature a restaurant on the first floor.
### Avenel’s Route 1 Rebirth: From Blight to Boom
Woodbridge Mayor John McCormac has described the project as a long-overdue improvement. He called the old motels “one of the ugliest sites on Route 1,” adding that the township has worked hard to clean up blighted properties in the area.
“Route 1 in Avenel has experienced a rebirth,” McCormac said. “New stores and businesses have opened along Route 1, Avenel Street, and Rahway Avenue ever since the Station Village apartment complex took over one of the worst contaminated sites in the township at General Dynamics.”
### The End of an Era, A Fresh Start for Woodbridge
It’s the end of an era for the old Route 1 motels, but like much of Woodbridge, this stretch of highway is getting a fresh start and a brighter future.
https://nj1015.com/woodbridge-route-1-development/