BUXTON, N.C. — Another house was taken down in Buxton on Monday, but this one was taken down by bulldozers instead of the ocean. News 3 showed our viewers the beach house "Shore Break" still standing just a few days ago, but it was demolished on Monday as one of two properties being purchased and removed by Dare County in preparation for the upcoming beach nourishment project in Buxton.
"It was devastating to see something that, I have so many memories in that house and seeing an excavator just gut it," said Savannah Robbins, whose family stayed in "Shore Break" every year they came down for more than a decade.
Robbins, like many families who've spent years inside the beach house, found out about the demolition as it was happening on Monday.
"Literally yesterday," said Robbins when asked about when she found out about the demolition project.
Savannah remembers some of her earliest memories there happening when she was just a child.
"I remember making my dad do like silly games that I would make up, he would watch movies, I would always like share the room with my siblings, I remember like the storms at night, and we're so close to the water, so that was always scary," said Robbins.
What hits home even more for Savannah is that the annual trip to this beach house was driven by her mother, Laureen, who passed away in 2021.
"I remember, like, you know, my dad telling me that our trips there, even after she passed away, it was like a gift from her to us, because it was her dream vacation. It's sad because that's like one more memory of her that's like you know kind of away now and it was hard not to think about that when you're watching the building come down," said Robbins.
"Shore Break" will always have a special place in the Robbins family's heart. For Savannah, these are memories she'll never forget, but she is also looking forward to new memories being made in their trips to Hatteras Island.
"I think it's an opportunity to make new memories, and keep the tradition going where you can," said Robbins.
"Shore Break's" demolition is all part of clearing the way for Buxton's upcoming beach nourishment project. Dare County purchased the property and is in the process of purchasing another home just yards away as well. You can find our previous coverage here.
Lighthouse View Oceanfront Lodging, the owners of the property, had a livestream going during the demolition on Monday and shared a heartfelt message to help answer questions about the beach house on Tuesday as well that you can find here.
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