Marven Gardens: A Downbeach community for nearly 100 yearss
By Mark Arbeit
Back in 1922, Developers Frank Pendrick & Sons built 20 unique homes in a circular configuration, calling it Marven Gardens. The name is derived by combining Margate and Ventnor (Mar-Ven). The real estate project was marked as “the most highly restrictive residential development in the country” where “living is a full and rich experience.” Marven Gardens is a neighborhood neatly tucked in between the beginning of Margate City and the south end of Ventnor. It’s a one of a kind community that has attracted the attention and admiration of many people ranging from Hollywood filmmakers to Charles Darrow, the inventor of Monopoly, to the residents who have called it home for nearly 100 years.
In addition, each home would be built to individual taste, assuring owners that the “best architectural skill has been applied and remarkable results achieved.” The styles of the homes, which can still be seen today, included Tudor Revival, Mission/Spanish Revival, and Colonial and ranged from $18,000 to $25,000.
Perspective buyers would meet at the developers’ Boardwalk office opposite Steel Pier. From there, they would receive free bus transportation to Margate to check out the new houses and the gardens bursting with rose bushes, junipers, and hydrangeas.
Most Monopoly players of the Monopoly game do not realize that Marven Gardens is the only property that is not an actual street in Atlantic City and that the property is a neighborhood. It was misspelled Marvin Gardens. The other “yellow” properties in the game are Ventnor Avenue and Atlantic Avenue. As the last of the yellows, Marvin Gardens is also one of the most expensive. In Monopoly, a house on Marven Gardens would cost you $120.00. In reality, you would need to add several more zeroes to the Mavin Gardens real estate price to own property in this neighborhood. An average home in Marven Gardens today would be at least $550,000.
In 1972, the Jack Nicholson film, The King of Marvin Gardens, again used the incorrect Marvin as opposed to the correct Marven. The movie was primarily shot in Atlantic City. Ironically, the film crew never ventured down beach to actually film the framed yellow property that bears the name of the movie. If they had, the crew would have been greeted with the Welcome to Marven Gardens sign in front of the neighborhood – spelling correct!
Locals recall childhood memories of Margate, including going to see Christmas decorations in Marven Gardens where “the lights attracted so many holiday gawkers that cars were let in on a quota.”
