Writer: Joey Garrand
2 min read September 2022 — For those moving out of the center of Philadelphia and into the suburbs, Moorestown and Haddonfield are on the short list of communities considered. With Invest:, Mayor of Moorestown Nicole Gillespie and Mayor of Haddonfield Colleen Bianco Bezich shared the growth underway in their respective communities and why they are so highly desirable by prospective residents.
Nicole Gillespie, Mayor, Township of Moorestown
What have been some recent developments in Moorestown, and what is there to look forward to in the coming years?
A few big things have happened. We have a final judgment of compliance on our housing settlement, so we are going to be adding close to a thousand new residences as part of that agreement. Some of the housing is affordable, some of it is market rate, and I think we have some pretty innovative solutions, including 375 apartments at the Moorestown Mall, reshaping a retail mall into a mixed-use center. Cooper Health has moved into the old Sears center and will be starting construction soon. We are also currently in the process of trying to attract an entertainment business, for example, something like a Dave & Buster’s that can move into the old Lord & Taylor. What was an old, decaying retail mall will become a new mixed-use town center.
Moorestown is really known for our schools. We are working on our amenities to make more parts of town feel like you can live there and walk to get what you need. I mentioned our mall, and our Main Street is also one of those areas. We are also developing Lenola Neighborhood, which is on Camden Ave. and will serve almost as a second downtown. We are about to start a streetscape improvement plan there in order to improve the aesthetics, adding benches, decorative crosswalks and lights. At the same time, our council is working to attract businesses to really uplift the area and create something that’s a place of pride for the people that live in that area.
Colleen Bianco Bezich, Mayor, Borough of Haddonfield
What industries or sectors would you say are driving Haddonfield’s growth?
We are probably one of the few communities that is all small, local businesses for the most part. We don’t have a large warehouse or industrial corridor. We don’t have a significant presence of big-box or chain stores. So we really are looking to the small, independent stores and microbusinesses on our main street in Downtown as the backbone of the local economy. Again because of the pandemic, our retailers, restaurants, those food and beverage businesses and retailers were hit hard. Coming out of the pandemic, one focus of mine has been on supporting and promoting local: shopping local, spending local.
We certainly have a large number of professional offices. We are opening a new facility in Haddonfield for gynecology and gastroenterology and primary care for women. Virtua has also invested in our community as has Jefferson. They’ve all invested in existing practice groups as well as expanding their presence here; one example is a practice that offers services and resources including services tailored to meet the needs of women and LGBTQIA members of our community. We’re not just talking about being able to take care of people but bringing attention back to preventive medicine and things that people might have stopped doing or put off during the pandemic. I think the presence of medical centers here and the physicians’ offices are critical. Additionally, we have a significant number of professional service firms such as law firms, engineering and architectural firms here in Haddonfield.
We have very strong home and property values here in Haddonfield, and real estate is something that I’m looking at in terms of market trends, particularly after this last market boom. Our property values continue to increase and that’s a challenge for people who want to remain in their homes and age in place as their incomes become fixed, or they’re living on retirement income. I also see a shift in some of the housing trends. For these reasons, we see changing demands regarding things like accessory uses and zoning overlays.
Gillespie
What are the front and center attractions of Moorestown that make it appeal to possible residents and businesses?
The big one is who lives here. Moorestown is a relatively affluent community that people are drawn to because of the schools. There is a built-in customer base that’s pretty ideal for most businesses. There are also more medical facilities moving in, like Cooper Health at the mall, Reconstructive Orthopedics, Virtua Cancer Treatment Center and Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. We are becoming a great epicenter for world-class health centers with access to great facilities and care. People from nearby towns are drawn here because they appreciate that. The mall development is going to be our front and center project, as a destination for entertainment, restaurants and hotels, but also for people who live there.
Bianco Bezich
Being so close to Philadelphia, what are some of the benefits and challenges?
The No. 1 benefit is that it’s quicker to get to Philadelphia from Haddonfield than Mainline. That’s the main reason a lot of our younger families move here. When they’re moving out of the center of the city, they’re usually deciding between Morristown, Moorestown, Haddonfield and Mainline, and ultimately that commute is a plus. You can be in and out of the city in about 15 minutes. I don’t see any challenges with the proximity to Philly. It’s a bonus from my perspective – arts, culture, history, incredible educational institutions and premier hospitals all make Haddonfield a very sought after place to be.
Gillespie
What new business sectors are beginning to take root in Moorestown?
One of the big ones is cannabis. Our council decided last summer that we would permit all six types of cannabis business in New Jersey. We worked very hard to figure out where those would be allowed to go and what other controls we would have to keep concerned residents content. We have received quite a bit of interest from cannabis businesses. We have three applications, one for cultivation and two for retail, which the township has already supported. We have the possibility to support three more that the council has not made decisions on yet, but our interest is leaning towards micro businesses as well as veteran-, women- and minority-owned businesses. That’s why I am very proud to say that the three we have supported so far all fall into one of those categories.
Bianco Bezich
How do you think the new cannabis industry will affect Haddonfield?
I think it’s tremendously positive. We opted out of recreational cannabis last year around this time. We didn’t know what the regulations would mean. With our small size, we had issues with proximity to schools, and we felt that the best thing to do was opt out because when the regulations were finalized we could opt in if we wanted to. There’s a lot of opportunity for growth and I hope that’s what we see. I think from a revenue perspective and, importantly, if we address the public safety concerns, it could be a great thing overall. It’s great to destigmatize what has long been used by many people and has many benefits, especially when we look at public health challenges.
