OCEAN CITY – The modern single-family home at 511 E. 16th St. in the island’s Central neighborhood is the “perfect beach house in the perfect location,” according to listing agent Chris Monihan.
Located between Central and Wesley avenues, the home is close to the beach and world-famous boardwalk. It offers three bedrooms, three bathrooms and a powder room.
“The upside-down floor plan provides privacy to the bedrooms and also an open living concept with cathedral ceilings on the top floor where the dining, kitchen and living areas are located,” Monihan said. “Head up a few steps farther to the private rooftop deck with great views — something you don’t find often with a single family home.”
The home is set alongside the alley, providing access to the one-car garage and another off-street spot on concrete and paver stones.
Its three floors are sided in tan and green vinyl with white trim and railings, creating a crisp, cohesive look.
From the curb, four round pillars hold up the front porch on levels two and three, where more pillars complete the aesthetic.
A concrete walk leads down the east side to the main entrance, which features a glass door with a grate and side panels.
Inside, the tiled foyer provides access to a bonus room, where six clerestory casement windows — about 2-foot squares set above eye level — provide natural light and a cooling sea breeze without sacrificing privacy.
The ground floor includes a full bathroom with a shower for washing beach sand away before entering the upper floors, as well as multiple storage closets and access to the garage.
Atop the first flight of stairs are the three bedrooms.
Two are situated along the rear in each corner, providing natural light on two sides. Each has wall-to-wall carpeting, a full-size bed and a closet with bi-fold doors, as well as three clerestory windows facing the side.
A hallway leading toward the front contains the second bathroom, this one with a long vanity and one-piece fiberglass tub/shower, as well as a laundry closet with a full-size washer and dryer.
The primary bedroom is in the front, where a door opens onto the wrap-around covered porch. This area is perfect for sitting on a lounger, cold drink in hand, and waiting for the rest of the crew to get ready for a night on the boardwalk after a long day of soaking up the sun on the beach.
The room has a queen-size bed, multiple windows that provide abundant natural light, a walk-in closet and full bathroom with a tiled shower and sliding glass doors.
Set on the third floor, the great room includes a tiled dining area and kitchen in the rear, as well as two sitting areas and another covered front porch.
The stairs rise into the space between the kitchen/dining area and the smaller sitting area.
To the left, the kitchen features a granite-topped center island with two stools and cabinets. More cabinets are located along two walls, where stainless steel Frigidaire appliances include a dishwasher to the left of the deep sink, a five-burner range/oven with a microwave above and a side-by-side refrigerator/freezer with an ice and water dispenser. The tile backsplash has 3D images of shells, seahorses and starfish.
Just steps away, the dining area includes a long wood table that seats six beneath a ceiling fan.
Moving toward the front of the home, the tile gives way to narrow-plank wood flooring.
The first sitting area includes a sofa bed and chair, as well as access to the conveniently located powder room.
A couple of steps ahead, the ceiling opens up to the multi-angled roofline, increasing the sense of spaciousness created by the multiple windows and sliding glass door. There’s a sofa and love seat, as well as a gas fireplace with a television nook above.
Another set up stairs rises the the rooftop deck, offering views above the other homes to the ocean and around the island.
“The home is a wonderful beach-side retreat for summer or year round living,” Monihan said.
Ocean City is one of the most popular shore resorts on the East Coast, featuring an oceanfront boardwalk filled with hundreds of shopping, dining and entertainment venues, as well as miles and miles of pristine beaches.
A great location doesn’t only mean beachfront or bayfront on this 8-mile-long island — there are 10 distinct neighborhoods, each with its own characteristics.
The beach and boardwalk — 2.5 miles of oceanfront entertainment, restaurants, thrill rides and souvenir shops — get most of the attention in this seaside resort, but the island has much more to offer.
An award-winning downtown stretches from Sixth to 14th streets along Asbury Avenue and has expanded onto other nearby streets, offering more than 100 shops and cafes.
There’s also the popular watersports district around Third Street on Bay Avenue, where the brave can rent powerboats, go parasailing, join the crew of a pirate ship and take a kayak tour of the back bays. Private and party boat fishing tours are also available.
The Gardens is popular with many for its slow pace, huge beaches and winding, pedestrian-friendly streets. The Riviera, stretching from 16th to 23rd streets along Great Egg Harbor Bay, is a boater’s paradise with many Mediterranean-style homes set right on inland lagoons. The Central neighborhood is bustling with businesses both downtown and on the boardwalk, while the Northend contains many of the island’s historic homes. The Southend is narrow with fewer homes and room to stretch out, while Merion Park and OC Home feature wetlands and wildlife along with wonderful sunset views. The Goldcoast has some of the best beachfront homes on the island, set behind a mighty system of dunes for protection.
– By CRAIG D. SCHENCK/Sentinel staff