The future of the Boxwood Hall property did not become any more clear after the public hearing on June 10.
Borough officials have proposed to buy the property at 65 North Haddon Avenue, which is a protected property due to its inclusion on state and federal historic registers.
“It is anticipated that a mix of funding sources, which could include state grants, county or local open space trust funds, municipal bond proceeds and private donations, could be used as payment for the property,” Commissioner John Moscatelli said.
While the bond ordinance was approved on June 10, the agreement for the purchase of the property has still not been finalized. Borough commissioners are seeking to borrow $1.8 million to buy the property from owner and developer Bill Burris. Burris could not be reached for comment.
“I’m confident we will have a signed agreement within the next couple weeks,” Commissioner Neal Rochford said.
According to the commissioners, as part of this purchase agreement, the current court case brought by the owner against the borough will be dropped.
Burris brought on the lawsuit after his plan to build an apartment building on the property was rejected by the zoning board.
“The lawsuit is a major part of this agreement,” Rochford said. “Not going to court will save a lot of tax payer dollars in litigation fees.”
The Boxwood Hall property includes the historic building, a small building and a large backyard that may be turned into a park. Boxwood Hall currently houses a real estate business.
The future use of the buildings is just as hazy as the future of the property itself. There are a few different ideas being tossed around by commissioners, including the potential sale of the buildings.
“Future use of the property, including the buildings and yard, as well as any division of the property for private and public ownership, will be determined, after additional public discussion and input from the residents over the coming months,” Moscatelli said.
For residents who support the purchase of the land, the issue is much the same as the 605 Warwick Development debate: the changing of Haddonfield.
Chairwoman of the Haddonfield Historic Preservation Commission Lee Albright is one supporter of the preservation of the land.
“It’s such a significant property in town,” she said. “If we can preserve it and use it, it would be a great benefit.”
Discussions between the borough and Burris are set to continue over the course of the month.
If the borough comes to an agreement with Burris, Mayor Jeff Kasko believes the borough will be able to pay off the borrowed money in about a year.
