Brandywine Senior Living received approval from the zoning board for a use variance following nearly four and a half hours of testimony from professionals as well as questions and comments from the public on Tuesday, Dec. 18.
“I’m thrilled for our residents that hopefully will get to come home soon,” said Brandywine President and CEO Brenda Bacon. “I’m thrilled to have the opportunity to provide these services in borough of Haddonfield.”
The next step for the for-profit assisted living facility will be approval from the Department of Community Affairs for its plans.
As weather allows, construction will commence, and Bacon hopes that it will take between eight to 10 months for project completion.
The use variance allows the company to expand the existing historic Haddonfield Home structure and existing nonconforming use on Warwick Road.
Bacon said that many changes would occur, including larger rooms to allow for in-room showers, kitchenettes and rooms designated for couples.
The hallways will be made wider for residents to become compliant with regulatory requirements.
According to the revised site plan presented, the number of current units, 52, would remain the same, but the capacity would rise to 58 beds due to the rooms for couples.
The total square footage of the addition will be 38,326 square feet, while the below ground operational space will be 9,333 square feet.
“There was no recreational or activity space on the first floor,” said Bacon of the existing structure.
Residents, she said, had to be taken downstairs in an elevator to the basement, which provided for no natural light.
The plan calls for a terrace level Center Stage Theater, “Escapades for Life” room and more social space.
Plans for 25 parking spaces, 22 in an underground parking garage and three above ground, sparked contention among Moore Lane residents in attendance.
In the past, the residents said, visitors and employees have always parked on the lane and walked to the facility.
The question many raised: What will be done to make sure that doesn’t happen again?
Previously, the property had 19 above ground spots.
Bacon said that the steps to Moore Lane will be removed, employees will be banned from parking on the lane and commercial vehicles will not be overwhelming in size, often being box trucks.
The executive director of the property would monitor the road several times per day to ensure that the guidelines are being followed, she said.
Moore Lane resident Mike Moyer said that all residents of his road recognize the shortage of parking spots at the Brandywine site.
“Our street does not have sidewalks,” he said, and many drivers turn around in private driveways or speed to the end of the street.
“It’s not safe,” he said.
Susan Garra, who has been a resident of Haddonfield since 1971, said the parking issue would change the way life is lived on Moore Lane.
“We hope you’ll do something to fix this,” Garra said. “I don’t think you get it.”
“There’s never going to be enough parking to accommodate all of these employees and visitors,” added resident Michael Stilwell. “I think this should be denied across the board.”
Longtime opponent Dave Gottardi pointed out that he sings in an all-men’s chorus that performs at several senior living centers in the area.
The members, he said, drive from work and there would not be enough parking for all 25 of them.
To resident Norma Childs, whose mother was relocated from the Haddonfield Home to Brandywine’s Moorestown location, parking is something that residents of the borough have to overcome.
“This is what we deal with when we live in a community like ours,” Childs said.
To deny Brandywine for parking issues, she said, “Would be horrific.”
“I want my mother back,” added Helen DiMedio.
Brandywine had a long road to reach the zoning board meeting.
The company began moving residents out to other locations in November 2011 and completed that effort in May, Bacon said.
The Historic Preservation Commission twice and the planning board has rejected them as well. In October, the planning board approved the certificate of appropriateness based on the amended plan.
“Prior to this evening, we had been working down a fairly long road to get here,” said Brandywine Representative Robert W. Bucknam, Jr.
All of the developments through the months, he said, were a “product of the process.”
Learn more about Brandywine Senior Living by visiting http://www.brandycare.com/communities/Haddonfield/detail.php?4bf0e61288f8cab1106a7f2f40e8803f.
