Apartment Complex, Hotel Approved For Moorestown Mall

MOORESTOWN, NJ — The Moorestown Mall will continue to undergo changes, adding an apartment complex and a hotel following a vote by Township Council Monday night.

Moorestown Council gave final approval to a proposed ordinance to adopt the Moorestown Mall Redevelopment Plan at its meeting Monday night. To view the plan, click here.

In January, the Pennsylvania Real Estate Investment Trust (PREIT), which owns the mall, entered into a rezoning agreement to allow a proposed apartment complex and hotel on the property. Up to 1,065 units may be built, with a portion set aside for affordable housing. Read more here: Moorestown Mall Owner Anticipates $150M From Apartment Complex, Hotel

When it reviewed the plans last week, the Moorestown Planning Board said it wanted to see more green space worked into the plan. However, mall-owner Pennsylvania Real Estate Investment Trust (PREIT) had expressed concerns with that recommendation, Township Manager Kevin Aberant said.

The township needed PREIT’s consent to make any changes to the plan, but it also faces an Aug. 26 deadline for the developer to qualify for tax credits related to the affordable housing portion of the plan.

“I’d prefer to have more green space, but I don’t know how to do that given the time constraints,” Moorestown Councilman Dave Zipin said. “It’s not a hill I want to die on.”

Deputy Mayor Sue Mammarella asked if council could go back and make the changes after passing the proposed ordinance. Aberant said it was possible, but the township would still need PREIT’s consent.

In February, Moorestown Council adopted a resolution to recognize the Moorestown Mall as an area in need of redevelopment, following a recommendation from the township's planning board.

The designation means tax breaks are available to PREIT and any other entity looking to develop on the site, but the application must be made by Aug. 26 to qualify. Read more here: Moorestown Mall Deemed Area In Need Of Redevelopment

Green space will be added to the land in the form of courtyards, Moorestown Director of Community Development Nancy Jamanow said.

Jamanow also said the planning board didn’t consider green space that will come in with the hotel complex and a new outpatient facility being brought to the mall by Cooper University Healthcare, because they were unaware of those aspects of the project when they were reviewing the redevelopment plans.

In May, PREIT announced the former Sears would become a Cooper Hospital outpatient location. Read more here: Deal Finalized To Bring Cooper Hospital Facility To Moorestown Mall

Overall, the planning board did find the plan consistent with the township’s master plan, which allowed council to approve the proposal.

The plan helps satisfy the township's unmet need of 310 affordable units under the settlement it reached previously with the Fair Share Housing Center. These units would count for the township's fourth round obligation under the Mount Laurel Doctrine.

It also continues a move away from just being a retail destination for the mall, which has begun to mix retail with an investment in food and entertainment, including Regal Cinemas, Joe Italiano's Maplewood, Hash House A Go Go and The Yard House.