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I have not been able to trace the origins of Cozy’s Motel (not to be confused with the Cozy Inn on Burk Ave. in Wildwood proper). Per Al Alven, it became the Alante in the ‘80’s, and was named after the Cadillac Allante, with a change in spelling for use here. This seems to fit in time-wise with the closing of the Club Avalon in 1988, as the Cadillac was new for model year 1987. Given this, I’d guess Cozy sold the Motel around the same time. The choice for its then new name is interesting in that was the first car related one for a Wildwood Motel for quite a while. I believe the Daytona has used the only car related new name since this. Accommodations Directory listings seem to be non-existent in my collection, as do vintage images online under either guise. Like many of our Motels, it was likely built on then vacant land. It is located on the Northeast corner of 8th Avenue & JFK Beach Drive. It is not located directly on the beach like many Motels in the Crest, but very few Motels in North Wildwood are. With only JFK dividing the Alante from the beach, it’s in a great beach oriented location that’s as close to it as the area will allow.
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The Alante is a two floor reverse J-shaped, masonry structure. Units are located on both levels along the long section of the “J”, and the bend in it. The office is here as well, with a sundeck above and continuing thru to form the short end of the “J”. An awning covered walkway leads to the office. Parking is available along part of the 8th Ave. border, with more located in a small lot towards the eastern portion of the property. The Alante’s basic structure is white, with magenta/plum colored solid doors. Each unit has a fairly large area of glass, though not floor to ceiling, with wall mounted lights between the units. Light blue vinyl strap chairs with white trim coordinate well outside each room, with matching lounge chairs in the rectangular pool area located in the central part of the property. Similarly colored canvas loungers are on the sundeck. The pool itself is also rectangular, is of good size for the complex, and features a simple waterfall spray. Simple, but neat and effective white vertical railings are used along the 2nd floor common balcony in front of the units there, along the sundeck, and surrounding the pool area. A handful of masonry posts, in matching colors, each with a light atop, break up the railings here and there along the ground level and sundeck. A large mural is painted across the long 2nd level southern facing wall on the eastern end, where oceanfront units are located. ALANTE is mostly in blue, with a magenta/plum swish going through it, with a seagull and starfish at 10 & 4 o’clock, respectively. A small, somewhat shell shaped, sign is at the corner of the roof near the mural. It has “Alante” with a star above it, both in aqua, with a white background. The bottom portion of the sign is plainer looking, with MOTOR INN written (without neon) in aqua, and also has a white background. A relatively small area of grass (not commonly seen by motels in Wildwood) and a few plants sectioned through the middle, separates the property from the JFK sidewalk. Per Al Alven, “The Alante also has a two-story annex, located "behind" the main building (on 8th Ave., with all rooms facing east). If I had to guess, I'd say that the annex was likely built first, as the building directly faces the back of the motel.” Overall, the Alante has a very clean, bright, cheery look, appropriate for the style of the Motel.
To see past discussion on the Alante (and Cozy Morley), and if you wish to contribute further to it, please visit the thread linked below from the Doo Wop Preservation League's Message Board.:
http://www.doowopusa.org/cgi-bin/yabb2/YaBB.pl?num=1269398318
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