Township officials hope redevelopment of Baker Lanes kicks start beautification of Cuthbert Boulevard corridor
The Cherry Hill Township planning board approved a proposed redevelopment plan for Advanced Recovery Systems to move to the former Baker Lanes Bowling Center site. The redevelopment plan will next go before township council for approval.
For the last five years, the site of the former Baker Lanes Bowling Center on Cuthbert Boulevard has been an eyesore. Since the bowling alley’s closure in 2011, the building has fallen into disrepair, with major water damage, fallen ceiling tiles and severe damage to the structure. The outside of the building also had overgrown grass, weeds and other shrubbery.
However, a proposed redevelopment plan for Advanced Recovery Systems, a rehabilitation treatment company specializing in treating substance abuse issues and mental health disorders, to move to the site could transform one of the township’s most dilapidated properties into a model for future township development.
Township officials are on the precipice of adopting a redevelopment plan for the former Baker Lanes site. Last Monday, the planning board approved a redevelopment plan for the property. The plan will now go before township council for approval.
The redevelopment plan showcases a property unlike most of the development along Cuthbert Boulevard and the surrounding area. The plan puts an emphasis on making the area green with lots of trees and grass. Currently, much of the Baker Lanes property is asphalt.
“The goal is really to take it from being a gray field and making it green and lush, especially in the front,” Township Chief of Staff Erin Patterson Gill said.
Township officials have a larger vision including a lot of trees and green space in the redevelopment plan. Neighboring properties such as Hillside Inn, Feather Nest Inn and Inn of the Dove are also being investigated to see if they qualify as areas in need of redevelopment. Township officials envision redeveloping other nearby areas with the same green look as the proposal for Baker Lanes.
“The hope is with this being the first property on that strip that is being redeveloped, bringing that green there is going to be infectious,” Gill said.
Group Melvin Design put together the redevelopment plan. Both township officials and ARS offered input on how the proposed site would look.
In the redevelopment plan, the existing building would be demolished. In its place, a main inpatient treatment building about three to four stories in height would be constructed. The building would hold up to 90 beds.
ARS has two options for how to construct its main inpatient treatment building. One option has all of the inpatient treatment facilities in one building, while the second option includes two smaller buildings.
“We worked with them to come up with two potential models,” Gill said. “As they go through the site plan, they will figure out which one works best with them.”
Also included in the proposal is an indoor recreation pavilion of up to 10,000 square feet, with a pool and outdoor recreation area.
All of the parking will be located behind the building. Primary access to the building will be off Cuthbert Boulevard along a driveway located near the DuBell Lumber Co.
The planning board approved the redevelopment plan about a year after ARS originally applied to build a facility at the former site of the U.S.S. New Jersey №62 Free and Accepted Masons Lodge. In early September, ARS had claimed default approval of a site plan for the former lodge, saying the township planning board did not hold a hearing for its site plan 45 days after it was deemed complete. Township officials later stated they would not recognize ARS’ default approval, leading ARS to file a lawsuit against the township.
In December, Cherry Hill Township and ARS settled the lawsuit. ARS agreed to build its facility at the Baker Lanes property, while Cherry Hill Township and Camden County purchased ARS’ agreement of sale with the Masons for $300,000. Township and county officials are expected to close on the purchase of the mason lodge later this year and plan to preserve the property as open space.
There are no residential areas directly bordering the Baker Lanes property. Gill said Mayor Chuck Cahn and other township officials met with some residents in the nearby Kenilworth and Woodland neighborhoods to address concerns about the development prior to the redevelopment plan going before the planning board.
Council will consider the redevelopment plan as an ordinance. The first reading is scheduled to be on council’s agenda at the Feb. 13 meeting. If approved on first reading, the second reading and public hearing could take place at the Feb. 27 council meeting.
If the redevelopment is adopted, ARS will later go through developing a site plan based on the adopted plan. The site plan would have to go through the planning board.
To view the full Baker Lanes redevelopment plan, visit www.cherryhill-nj.com/DocumentCenter/View/4867.
