For Dr. Paris Butler, his family's shore house in Cape May, New Jersey, was the source of so many cherished memories. However, he made the determination over a decade ago that a new direction would be necessary for upcoming generations to make their own memories at the beloved home.
That's when Dr. Butler decided to make Cape May 2.0 a reality for the Butler family.
"The love and the memories are what pushed my parents to do everything to keep up the home," Dr. Butler explained. "This place has been great to me. So, I thought, what if we could update it into the 21st century?"
It took many years for Dr. Butler to see his dream come to fruition, ultimately deciding to build a new home on the site of the family's old shore house. During that time, Dr. Butler reached professional heights as he graduated from the University of Virginia Medical School and eventually became an Associate Professor in the Division of Plastic Surgery at the Yale University School of Medicine and Yale Department of Surgery Vice Chair of Education and Inclusive Excellence.
When Dr. Butler was at the stage of his life where he and his wife could afford the dream, he decided to make it a grand surprise to his parents, Rick Butler and Camile Thomas Butler, who still owned the home. Before doing so, he needed to map out a plan – that is where Joe Hage, TD Wealth Mortgage Loan Officer in Princeton, New Jersey, came in to guide Dr. Butler through the process of getting a construction loan.
"My passion is helping build people's dreams of generational wealth through our programs here at TD," said Joe. "It was so much more than a transaction, as this home had been in his family for decades with a deep-rooted history. I wanted to make sure it was a seamless process, so I walked him though each detail. I will cherish how I was able to be a part of this experience for the Butler family, and I was proud to wear the TD Shield while doing so."
The deep history of the Black community in Cape May
The home was originally owned by Dr. Butler's great uncle and godfather, Aubrey Newlin, who purchased it in circa 1961.
He was a proud Philadelphian and at that time, one of the few "Temple University- made” attorneys who was a person of color, according to Dr. Butler. His great uncle wanted a place for his family to retreat from the city. The house has since remained in the Newlin/Thomas/Butler family.
Cape May is a special place for Dr. Butler and his family because of its historical significance. Harriet Tubman lived in Cape May in the early 1850s, working to help fund her cause to free enslaved people, according to the Harriet Tubman Museum located in the city. Cape May then served as both a critical stop on the Underground Railroad and one of few shore towns in the northeast to have a significant Black population in the early part of the 20th century.
Black residents comprised about 30 percent of Cape May’s total population in the 1920s, according to CapeMay.com. However, after urban renewal programs of the 1960s and other factors, the Black population declined to its current level of 2.34%, according to US Census Bureau data.
Dr. Butler has spent part of almost every summer in Cape May since his birth, and it was particularly significant as his father served in the military, which meant the family moved often. The annual visits to Cape May helped deepen their broader family connections. However, Dr. Butler wasn't aware of Cape May's historic Black roots until he grew older.
"We were really blessed that my family was able to hold onto that property," he said. "I just became increasingly proud of the house and the history of Cape May. I knew we had to figure out how to keep our family history going."
The most amazing anniversary gift
Dr. Butler and his wife, Jennifer Butler, wanted to renovate the existing house, but given serious foundation and other challenges, it was determined that the best option was to build a new home on the existing location.
They decided to design the new home as a surprise for his parents in 2023. It wasn't always easy. One time, they had to ask a neighbor to pull up pink flags placed by the surveyor to keep his parents from finding out the surprise beforehand. Adding to the complexities, Dr. Butler had recently moved to Connecticut for his role at Yale.
The plan was set to be revealed shortly before his parents' 45th wedding anniversary. He asked his architect Pamela Fine to design a rendering of the new house. Dr. Butler began the conversation with his parents saying how much the Cape May home and family meant to him, but that it was time for Cape May 2.0. He then proceeded to unveil a new plan for his parents' consideration.
"Mom immediately cried and Dad was totally overwhelmed," said Dr. Butler. His parents were totally onboard for the plans.
Then the hard work began with planning and starting construction, along with cleaning out the old house and all the possessions gathered over 60 years of family vacations. Through it all, TD Bank and Joe helped Dr. Butler and his family immensely with support and guidance.
"Joe Hage is a wonderful human," Dr. Butler said. "He was with us every step of the process." Dr. Butler added that Joe was able to provide insights and advice on all aspects of the project so he could make the best decisions for their situation.
The process for the new home took about 18 months before the family received the letter of occupancy in May 2024. Dr. Butler planned a very special weekend for his parents to see the new house, which also included new furnishings and rugs. The walls were empty except for a picture of Dr. Butler and his godfather, the original owner of the house. Dr. Butler asked his parents to film themselves so they could remember it forever.
"I could not feel more blessed to have the parents that I have," Dr. Butler said. "I always felt that if I ever had the means, I'd show them how much I appreciated what they gave to my siblings and me. It's a privilege of a lifetime as a son to be able to do this for them."
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