The plan includes the development of 370 residential units on one half of the site and lists some uses for the other half.
The vision for the future of the former Victory Refrigeration site near Woodcrest PATCO station is becoming clearer five years after the site was declared an area in need of redevelopment.
Cherry Hill Township Council approved a redevelopment plan on first reading for the Victory Refrigeration site. The approval is the first of many steps for the township to turn the area into a new, transit-oriented community.
“We’re focusing this to transit-oriented development, looking for that young professional who’s looking to commute to Philadelphia or maybe an empty-nester who’s no longer willing to commit to a four-bedroom, single-family home,” Township Director of Community Development Lorissa Luciani said during the caucus portion of the meeting.
The redevelopment site, located along Woodcrest Road across the street from the PATCO Station, will be split into two sites named Victory West and Victory East, according to the plan. The plan includes 370 residential units dispersed among six, four-story apartment buildings on the 18.75-acre Victory West side of the property. Fifteen percent of the units would be designated for affordable housing. The complex would include a pool, clubhouse, open space and a dog park.
The Victory Refrigeration site is one of a number of properties falling under the agreement between Cherry Hill Land Associates and Cherry Hill Township to develop housing in exchange for preserving Woodcrest Country Club. In 2016, CHLA and the township amended their originally agreement to shift 370 units slated for the site of Subaru headquarters on Route 70 to Victory Refrigeration.
The plan also details possible uses for the Victory East side of the property. Some of the uses detailed for the 15-acre Victory East include offices, small retail with a footprint of less than 15,000 square feet, commercial, hotel, a continuing care retirement community and a place of amusement.
Mayor Chuck Cahn noted the township prohibited certain uses in Victory East that would be inconsistent with transit-oriented development. Some of the prohibited uses include gas stations, drive-thrus, industrial development, big box retail and multi-family residential developments. Luciani noted hotels are also a permitted use in Victory East.
Luciani added any proposed development for Victory East would be subject to amendments to the redevelopment plan. The plan will then have to go back through council again for further approval. Cahn noted this was important as it allowed the township to make sure Victory East was transit oriented and would have connectivity to Victory West.
“As the plan develops, we maintain control over Victory East of whatever the developer would like to see there,” he said.
In March, the township hosted a public outreach session where residents could voice their opinion about what they wanted to see happen with the Woodcrest PATCO area. At the meeting, township officials talked about installing new sidewalks, crosswalks and staircases to make the new development walkable to the train station. Residents and township officials also discussed how to relieve traffic congestion along Woodcrest and Burnt Mill Road.
Luciani said public feedback played a big role in coming up with the list of uses for Victory East and will also be a factor when more specific plans are presented in the future.
“A lot of that is still being synthesized with the public outreach that we did back in March, trying to solidify that with the design and also not to pigeonhole the developer into one particular use,” Luciani said.
The public hearing on the redevelopment plan will take place at the next council meeting on Monday, June 25.
