Thursday, October 23, 2003
Voorhees gives big BJ's to Developer
As a resident of Voorhees NJ, I was disappointed at the bonehead move city officials made.
It allowed a big box BJ's wholesale club, with a sea of parking, to be the towns landmark first attempt at development of the Route 73 corridor.
Voorhees was the last unspoiled spot of the strip mall line that stretches from the Ben Franklin Bridge all the way down Route 70 and which continues to spill down Route 73.
Evesham Township which sits north of Voorhees on Route 73 has done a nice job managing growth and approving quality ratables and decent design. Voorhees on the other hand has used delaying sewer extension along Route 73 as its answer to mange growth, rather than creating a stringent planning code. The BJ's project is a true spot planning boondoggle.
This shows a town without a vision on how it wants to develop.
I am all for quality growth, as the town needs development and ratables. Why...well a $350,000 new home buyer - can enjoy about $15,000 a year in taxes in Voorhees! If you don't have kids you are not going to stay in Voorhees very long.
Anything other than well planned development will turn Voorhees into another suburban sprawl mess - as any drive down Route 70 - in bumper to bumper traffic with ugly strip malls will attest. Hopefully the city will get its act together.
Overall, Voorhees will continue to benefit by the mere fact it is less developed and has newer and more modern home product compared to Camden, Pennsauken and Cherry Hill, but it will lag behind Haddonfield's home pricing power (can you imagine a BJ's in Haddonfield?). Haddonfield protects its home values and quality of life, - heck they even fought the Bancroft NeuroHealth center that wanted to expand.
In Voorhees, homes behind the BJ's, in the Sturbridge Lakes area, will not appreciate as fast as homes which are not impacted by the BJ's parking lots lights and noise. Heck, if rates rise they could even drop in value. But I guess that's a small price to pay so the rest of us can stock up with a 48 pack of toilet paper, right!?
FEEL FREE TO POST YOUR VOORHEES BOOSTERISM AND RANTS HERE!
It allowed a big box BJ's wholesale club, with a sea of parking, to be the towns landmark first attempt at development of the Route 73 corridor.
Voorhees was the last unspoiled spot of the strip mall line that stretches from the Ben Franklin Bridge all the way down Route 70 and which continues to spill down Route 73.
Evesham Township which sits north of Voorhees on Route 73 has done a nice job managing growth and approving quality ratables and decent design. Voorhees on the other hand has used delaying sewer extension along Route 73 as its answer to mange growth, rather than creating a stringent planning code. The BJ's project is a true spot planning boondoggle.
This shows a town without a vision on how it wants to develop.
I am all for quality growth, as the town needs development and ratables. Why...well a $350,000 new home buyer - can enjoy about $15,000 a year in taxes in Voorhees! If you don't have kids you are not going to stay in Voorhees very long.
Anything other than well planned development will turn Voorhees into another suburban sprawl mess - as any drive down Route 70 - in bumper to bumper traffic with ugly strip malls will attest. Hopefully the city will get its act together.
Overall, Voorhees will continue to benefit by the mere fact it is less developed and has newer and more modern home product compared to Camden, Pennsauken and Cherry Hill, but it will lag behind Haddonfield's home pricing power (can you imagine a BJ's in Haddonfield?). Haddonfield protects its home values and quality of life, - heck they even fought the Bancroft NeuroHealth center that wanted to expand.
In Voorhees, homes behind the BJ's, in the Sturbridge Lakes area, will not appreciate as fast as homes which are not impacted by the BJ's parking lots lights and noise. Heck, if rates rise they could even drop in value. But I guess that's a small price to pay so the rest of us can stock up with a 48 pack of toilet paper, right!?
FEEL FREE TO POST YOUR VOORHEES BOOSTERISM AND RANTS HERE!
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