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Town center gives hope to Somerdale boosters

Courier Post

01/12/2010

Lions Head Plaza fell into decline in the 1980s and has struggled to recover from bankruptcies that shuttered the Caldor and Ames department stores, two of the shopping center's former anchors.

Situated on 52 acres just off the White Horse Pike, the shopping center was not easily seen from the road by motorists traveling the busy east-west corridor.

Now Somerdale officials are working a new strategy they hope brings success to the long struggling shopping center that involves creating a pedestrian-friendly town center featuring a mix of retail shops, restaurants, townhouses and apartments.

Renamed Cooper Towne Center, the 385,000-square-foot shopping center will be anchored by a 190,000-square-foot Wal-Mart Supercenter, 16-screen Cinemark movie theater complex and 40,000-square-foot LA Fitness.

The Wal-Mart Supercenter here will look a bit different than most of its stores.

Mayor Gary Passanante made a pledge in writing that the community would support the project on the condition that Wal-Mart change its traditional facade to match and blend in with the town center concept.

The mayor reached out to the community, inviting residents in Somerdale and Magnolia to a public forum. The borough gained support by incorporating ideas floated during that forum and subsequent meetings into design plans for the town center.

Jennifer Hoehn, spokeswoman for Wal-Mart in New Jersey, said the company was simply complying with local ordinances.

"We have a national brand that we're very proud of," Hoehn said. "That brand has consistently been a part of the majority of our approvals."

Wal-Mart officials had toured Somerdale when it was considering a South Jersey location but decided first to seek approval to build at the Echelon Mall in Voorhees. When Wal-Mart encountered a strong public outcry from Voorhees residents, Passanante invited the retailer back for a second look.

The idea for a town center has been discussed by Somerdale officials since 2000, and is now taking shape. Officials say the $40 million-plus project will bring in millions of dollars in new tax revenue for Somerdale and Magnolia and could spur revitalization on the White Horse Pike.

Moviegoers will be greeted by a courtyard with benches, wide sidewalks, landscaping, curbside parking and corralling area for dropping off or picking up passengers. All but a small portion sits in Somerdale. The remainder lies in Magnolia.

"It has been so rewarding for me to see my vision come true after all these years and know it will benefit our residents for years," Passanante said.

"The additional tax revenue that we're going to see is going to be tremendous as a result of this project. For me, it's like the icing on the cake," he added. "It's been a long, hard road and a lot of bumps along the way. But it was all worth it now that I see it coming to life.

Passanante said he expected a center with that type of "strength and vitality" would encourage outside developers to take a serious look at the area.

"And I already see it happening," he said.

John Orrico, president of National Realty & Development Corp., said the development has become the catalyst for the redevelopment of a bunch of parcels along the White Horse Pike."

"And as we're starting to hear now, some adjoining property-owners are starting to get inquiries for their adjoining parcels," he said.

National Realty, which is managing the Cooper Towne Plaza project, owns shopping centers, corporate business centers and residential communities in 16 states, encompassing more than 22 million square feet.

Orrico said the company is negotiating with officials representing three restaurants, two national chains and a local company with three locations. The eateries, he said, are the final element in creating a pedestrian-friendly courtyard near the cinema.

Road improvements were completed as part of the project and a traffic signal was installed at the main entrance to Cooper Towne Center on Evesham Road.

About 30 new family-rental units will be built at Cooper Towne Center and there are plans to build 120 market-rate townhouses on Evesham Road.

The grand opening for the shopping center will coincide with Wal-Mart's opening in June or July.

Last week, heavy gym equipment was carted from tractor-trailers inside LA Fitness.

Although several storefronts remained vacant, Voorhees resident Joe Watkins, 71, said he was impressed with facade renovations and efforts to bring in new retailers.

"This is going to be real nice when it's complete," Watkins said.

Watkins said he has been shopping for bargains at the Lions Head Plaza for at least eight years and plans to shop at the Wal-Mart after it opens.

He was, however, skeptical about the notion that the shopping center improvements will trigger a revitalization among stores along the White Horse Pike. He, instead, predicted the former Lions Head Plaza would do well because it is just off the White Horse Pike and said heavy traffic discourages him and many others from shopping on the pike.

Bryan Minerva, 19, and his friend Eric Otero, 20, both of Runnemede, have both been coming to the former Lions Head Plaza for nearly 10 years, first as elementary school pupils. They say they can see the shopping center beginning to turn around.

They remember hanging out with friends at a pizza shop and a Chinese restaurant that was known for its good food. Both eateries are gone now, but Otero said he wanted to see new restaurants and saw potential for a turnaround.

"It's definitely nicer than it used to be," Otero said.

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