Next Steps For Glenlora Site Development Underway In Chester Township

CHESTER, NJ — In the ongoing process of redeveloping the Glenlora site on Route 24, the Chester Township Council has recently opened the Request for Proposals (RFP) to develop the Glenlora site on the township website.

The township purchased the former Glenlora nursing home site in 2005 as a suitable location for affordable housing, which is mandated by the State of New Jersey.

In a newsletter back in 2018, former Chester Township Mayor Marcia Asdal explained that Chester Township concluded litigation with Fair Share Housing in 2018, which “brought the discussion about what to do with the Glenlora site out from closed sessions to the public arena where it belongs,” she said.

Asdal stated that governing bodies in neighboring towns ended up settling in court on the constitutional mandates for affordable housing, whereas Chester Township not only reduced its legal expenditures but also allowed locals to participate in project ideation.

Now, over five years after Chester Township finished its affordable housing dispute, the RFP is being released, transferring decision-making for affordable housing commitments from the courts, where negotiations were private, to the town council, where the public may provide comments.

"Notably, this change in venue brought with it a significant reduction in legal expenses," township officials said.

Over the years, Chester Township, along with the community, decided on the following criteria for the future site:

• Preserving the historic stone structure
• Preference for a special needs community
• 100% affordable (not mixed-use)
• Working within a building envelope as detailed on an enclosed map
• The site is designated an "area in need of redevelopment" to provide flexibility when creating the redevelopment agreement.

Now that the RFP is online, a new procedure begins that will last many months and will eventually result in the planning board creating the official redevelopment agreement.

Township officials indicated that the Planning Board and Council sessions, like always, encourage public participation.

Read more here about Glenlora from the Chester Historical Society.