Another abandoned NJ landmark is luring TikTok teens — and police say it’s a disaster waiting to happen

✅Howell police warn people to stay out of the abandoned Xscape theater

✅Officers say TikTok videos are encouraging others to trespass

✅ Police urge parents to discuss the legal and safety risks with their children

HOWELL — Would-be TikTok stars and urban explorers have been warned to stay away from another "phantom" building.

The Xscape movie theater on Route 9 screened its final movie in 2021 after it could not survive COVID-19 restrictions on indoor gatherings. The 14-screen theater has become the latest zombie building that attracts visitors in the form of teens taking TikTok videos despite efforts by property management to reinforce entrances.

Videos posted online make it attractive for others to trespass, Howell police say. One video shows the theater with clean carpets but trash on the floor.  A blue sign still flashes "movies" in the lobby, and some of the mirrors around the theater entrances are broken. There are open boxes of 3D glasses spilled in one area.

"Entering this building is both dangerous and illegal. Due to the extensive damage, throughout the property, anyone who enters is exposed to significant safety hazards," Howell police said.

Police asked that parents talk to their children about the consequences of entering the property.

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Other abandoned New Jersey landmarks have faced similar problems

TikTokers recording inside abandoned malls is a fight faced by many police departments. Livingston police said in June there would be zero tolerance for anyone visiting the abandoned Livingston Mall "with criminal intent."

The Raritan Mall also went zombie when it was down to two stores. The borough's Planning Board approved plans for Raritan Lofts, which will replace the mall with 276 rental apartments in a 70-foot-tall building. It would include 42 affordable units and 20,000 square feet for commercial development, including 10,000 square feet from existing buildings.

One of New Jersey's most infamous zombie buildings was the Amboy Cinemas on Routes 9 and 35 in Sayreville. It closed in 2005 after an inspection found the theater was sinking. The building fell into serious disrepair but was not torn down until 2023.

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