Brandywine Senior Living is one step closer to bringing their services to Warwick Road in Haddonfield.
The decision to approve the certificate of appropriateness by the planning board for the facility came after several hours of testimony and questions from both board members and the attending public at the Tuesday, Oct. 2 meeting at borough hall.
Brenda Bacon, CEO and president of Brandywine Senior Living, said she was thankful for the support, eager for the future zoning board meeting that will make the final decision and, ultimately, that she is ready to bring home the seniors who previously inhabited the Haddonfield Home.
During public comment, Norma Childs of Prospect Road and her sister, Helen DiMedio of Ellis Street, whose mother was transferred to Brandywine’s Moorestown location from the Haddonfield Home, voiced their support of the plan and feelings toward building dissenters.
“I’m outraged at the tone of the questions and the comments that have been raised tonight,” said Childs. “We are talking about senior citizens.”
DiMedio said that Bacon personally responded to her request to have their mother transferred to the Moorestown location, and that the move was a good experience due to Brandywine’s efforts.
But now, the pair just wants to bring their mother home.
Resident Dave Gottardi, an opponent of the plan, expressed that he felt the planning board needed to support the Historic Preservation Commission’s September decision to reject the amended proposal, citing that the move would be consistent with decisions made by past planning boards and historic commissions.
“You can’t take back this decision once it’s final,” he said.
Following hours of questions being asked by residents, testimony from professionals and the public comment section, Brandywine Representative Robert W. Bucknam, Jr. gave his final remarks.
All attempts were made to minimize the size and visibility of the building, he said, which had been a concern to the community, including Moore Lane residents.
Furthermore, he added, Bacon has been open, honest and forthright with the process.
Commissioner Ed Borden said that he would be concerned about what would happen to the 2.5-acre lot if Brandywine does not continue with the plan.
Looking at the mass and scale of the building, Borden said, 2.5 acres is much different than if it were placed on a quarter acre lot.
The most important feature to Vice Chair Doug McCollister is the streetscape.
It is not possible to make the building significantly smaller yet practical at the same time, he said, and Brandywine’s approval is better than what was presented when they previously went before the board.
The new building is proposed as 38,326 square feet, excluding an underground parking garage, which would hold 22 vehicles. Three spots would remain above ground.
Currently, there are 19 above ground spaces on site.
The replacement structure calls for more than the current 182 trees on the property, Bacon said.
It is important for the residents to have access to natural light, said Bacon, and thus walk out terraces would be constructed. Currently, the structure only has a basement recreation room.
The maximum capacity is 58 beds in 52 units. Six rooms would be for use by couples.
Showers and closets would be part of the reconstructed rooms and the building would be ADA compliant.
On the second floor, there will be memory care to help residents living with Alzheimer’s disease, she said.
“This is a better building as a result of the collaboration that we’ve had with the HPC, the planning board and the neighbors,” Bacon said during the meeting.
Betty McMichael of West End Avenue said she believes the community should continue the tradition of an assisted living facility in the location, and that Brandywine has shown incredible patience and creativity through the process.
“It’s now time to let them move on with their plans,” McMichael said.
