Development Mystic Island, New Jersey

a postcard 1960s of w playhouse drive looking north, between ship drive , n captains drive

after demise of tower, rca sold hickory island property @ sum of $55,000 lagoon parks, inc., land development company of 1950s , 60s, corporate partners deceased. development named mystic islands , plural, encompassing 7 small islands waterways filled in produce buildable land. construction began in 1959. lagoons dredged until 1970s, when stopped new jersey department of environmental protection passage of cafra , cafra ii. several unfinished lagoons can still seen along west end of calabreeze way , on osborn island section. mystic islands encompasses areas south of calabreeze way; locals commonly refer surrounding neighborhoods , streets part of community.

the first sections completed radio road terminus, while twin lakes boulevard section constructed 1970s. island known osborn island dubbed developers oceanview , accessible via bridge on radio road. until 1990s, homes part of original addressed confusing lot-and-block numbering system, replaced more conventional house numbers. street signs on wooden posts, names written vertically. replaced more conventional street signs, 1 on corner of twin lakes boulevard , mountain lake drive still existed late 2000s. street signs in oceanview section replaced custom signs created osborn island resident s association.

some of original bases of tuckerton wireless tower never removed. 1 located in backyard of home on north ensign drive, while 2 stand on middle of both staysail drive , south ensign drive, in roundabouts built around blocks. smaller bases found in surrounding lagoons , marshes.

home designs

radio road near playhouse drive, near former site of tuckerton wireless tower.

the original home designs basic bungalows, 2 or 3 bedrooms , 1 bathroom, , carport @ left side. homes intended sold recreational or year round homes, standard equipment included furnace , johns manville r-7 insulation. on time, several more models added, dozen during boom period. home designs included slab homes, raised homes, two-story, flat tops, raised roofs, etc. two- , three-bedroom homes available. model homes located on radio road across shops of mystic isle strip mall; homes later torn down make way model homes westwood development, of still stand , serve commercial properties.

the homes made in warehouse on intersection of radio road , playhouse drive, near site of tuckerton wireless tower. buyers ordered design catalog, , homes delivered week later. model homes located on radio road, across present-day shoppes of mystic isle shopping center.

after dredging of lagoons stopped, construction began on non-waterfront section north of calabreeze way. area east of radio road named pulaski village , consisted of small, narrow homes, while larger section west of radio road, named westwood , contained suburban-style ranches , split-level homes. while these areas not officially called mystic islands , homes of original bungalow designs constructed in these outlying areas, while @ same time, larger, suburban homes offered on original waterfront lots. however, tough economic times halted development of westwood subdivision. in early-1990s, development resumed in unfinished area, when empty lots filled in mid-size suburban homes built several different developers. homes on oneida lake drive , greenwood lake drive part of noble homes community titled fairwinds , while homes mountain lake drive , north dubbed drewes landing . however, drewes landing plagued failed loans , racketeering, , in august 1995, 1 of developers , investors, 35-year-old joseph g. paggi jr. killed himself after failed pay loans development.