The Circus Drive-in restaurant in Wall Township is up for sale, but the township has agreed to delay approving any application for its demolition.
WALL TOWNSHIP - The township has agreed to temporarily postpone approving any application for the demolition of the endangered Circus Drive-In restaurant, according to a New Jersey 101.5 report.
The 1.64-acre property was put on the market in November with a purchase price of $2 million.
A public effort to save the Circus, one of the state's most iconic drive-in restaurants, soon followed.
An online petition urging the township to turn the property into a historic site gained more than 2,400 supporters. However, township officials said they do not have the authority to make such a designation. Nominations for state or national historic status are made through the state Historical Preservation Office.
The Circus, identified by its smiling-clown neon sign, opened in 1954 and was owned by Richard Friedel until seven years ago.
The restaurant, which was generally open from April through September, was known for its soft-shell crabs, going through about 800 a day in season.
A redevelopment deal that was in the works would not include the iconic restaurant staying open, Broker Gerald Norkus of Harold Wien Real Estate has said.
On Wednesday, the township committee heard the pleas from the public and agreed to temporarily postpone the approval of any application for the demolition of the restaurant, New Jersey 101.5 reported.
Township Administrator Jeff Bertrand said lawyers for the township have looked into what the town can do to save the drive-in, but that at this point they "don't really have any options that will do anything to save it," the report said.
Rob Spahr may be reached at rspahr@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @TheRobSpahr. Find NJ.com on Facebook.