Russ Zimmer

@RussZimmer

Shorehenge sure didn't last long.

With a firm nudge from a backhoe, the southern wall of the Tilt-Up Sandy Monument, as it was officially known, collapsed with a thud on the sand at Highlands public beach.

The toppling of the 12-foot tall concrete panel marked the end of the polarizing monument. Watch it happen in the video above.

The one-of-a-kind structure was meant to be a tribute to the resilience of the community after superstorm Sandy, but the gigantic walls and drab exterior dominated the vista at the tiny beach and turned off many residents, many of whom said that they had no idea it was even being built until it was finished.

SHOREHENGE: Is Sandy monument a tribute or eyesore?

The Tilt-Up Concrete Association, which exists to promote a construction technique where concrete slabs are laid on site instead of trucked in, erected the monument in September 2015, for no cost to the public and with the blessing — at least initially — of borough officials. If nothing else, Shorehenge was a marvel of engineering: The canopy alone weighs 346,000 pounds and was a record lift, according to contractors who worked on the job.

Almost immediately, the 1,100 square foot monument sparked controversy, with residents derisively referring to it as "The Bunker" or "Shorehenge" on social media.

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By January 2016, it was revealed the structure was built without the proper state environmental permits and would need to either be taken down or go through a costly approval process.

A survey conducted by the borough showed more than 70 percent of respondents favored Shorehenge’s demolition.

The borough council voted to remove the monument in May 2016, but then talk surfaced in the summer of another town considering taking Shorehenge off of Highlands hands. No borough officials were immediately able to comment today.

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Russ Zimmer: 732-557-5748, razimmer@app.com