By ROBERT LINNEHAN | The Haddonfield Sun
Heyer, Gruel and Associates presented the first draft of a redevelopment plan that would create four distinct districts at the 19-acre Bancroft site. Borrowing heavily from public comments gathered from a 2006 meeting about the site, the community planning consultant group shared the plan at the first of many public meetings this summer.
Commissioner Ed Borden explained that the borough retained Heyer, Gruel and Associates in 2005 to complete a study to determine if the Bancroft site was eligible as an area of redevelopment. At the time, it seemed as if Bancroft was going to sell the property as soon as possible, he said, so the borough had to move fairly quickly. The results of the study determined that the site was feasible for redevelopment, but Bancroft ended up not selling the property.
This is the first draft of a redevelopment plan that will be reviewed, examined and tested by the commissioners and Planning Board over the summer, he said. The borough will also allow for additional alternative ideas to come forward during the next few months, he said, and an emphasis will be placed on community feedback as well.
Formal hearings with the Planning and Zoning boards, and the commissioners will take place sometime in September. Hopefully, at that time, there will be a recommendation to adopt or not adopt the final draft of the redevelopment plan, Borden said.
There are several zones in the redevelopment plan — the first being a Continuing Care and Retirement Community, the second being an affordable housing district, the third being open space and the fourth being a Lullworth Hall professional office district.
See a future print edition of The Sun for more on the Bancroft site.
