For more than 50 years, Cherry Hill Township’s town hall has been located at 820 Mercer St.
However, that may not be the case years down the road.
Township officials have begun to look at possibly replacing the current town hall building. Director of communications Bridget Palmer said the township is in the very beginning stages of exploring a potential move of Cherry Hill town hall. Rumors about a potential move were being circulated on Facebook over the past week.
“Right now, it’s in such an early stage,” Palmer said. “We’re conducting a needs analysis for a new building.”
The township is not committing to any plans regarding the future of town hall. Right now, officials are considering everything from a renovation of the current building to constructing an entirely new facility.
“We’re looking at the way the town is growing and changing,” Palmer said. “We’re in the process in looking into how, as a township, we need to evolve.”
One site, located at 1101 and 1103 Kings Highway North across from the Cherry Hill Public Library, is a possibility. Palmer said the township has looked at the two properties as they’ve become available for purchase, saying they could be a “potentially good site.” Both properties are currently home to office buildings.
A resident living in the Kingston section of Cherry Hill near the Kings Highway properties posted on Facebook they received a letter from real estate company Keller Williams Cherry Hill saying an unidentified client is interested in purchasing their home. Palmer said there is no connection between the letters and a possible new town hall building.
The current town hall opened in 1961 and houses offices for both the township and the Cherry Hill Police Department. Palmer said the township is in the process of conducting a needs assessment, and part of the process is looking at how its facilities will allow the township to efficiently operate in the years ahead.
The current building presents a number of challenges. In addition to the upkeep of the facility, the police department is hoping to make a number of new investments as part of its Data-Driven Approaches to Crime and Traffic Safety initiative and recent focus on community policing. Palmer said changes to town hall would allow the police department to make necessary technological upgrades and improve workflow.
“Community policing is such a huge piece for it,” Palmer said.
The township will continue conducting studies to see what is the best way to move forward with town hall. Palmer said it could be years before any concrete plans are released.
“Any move, if it were to happen, wouldn’t happen for a while,” Palmer said.
