Borough of Somerdale

CooperTowne Center(formerly Lion’s Head Plaza)

Redevelopment Project

Background

Developed – 1988

52 Acres

230,000 S.F.

Two Anchors: Caldor Foodtown

Kennedy Blvd.

White Horse Pike

Eve

sham

Ro

ad

Economic Analysis

History: Assessment

1988: $10.5 Million

1994: $8 Million 1999: $10.3

Million 2005: $7 Million

Economic Analysis

History: Local Tax Revenue

1988: $80,453 1994: $86,159 1999: $90,423 2005: $69,860

Economic Analysis

Jobs: 1988: ±300

2005: ±100

Population: 5,192* 4.6% Decrease 1990-2000 2% Decrease 2000-2010 9.3% Decrease 2000-2025

Employment* 4% Decrease by 2025 (80 jobs)

Housing** Median Housing Price:

Somerdale: $97,700 Camden County: $111,200

Demographic Analysis

*Source: DVRPC**Source: US Census 2000

Conclusion High Vacancy/Declining Tax

Revenue Job Loss Population Decline Limited Housing Municipal Action

Municipal Options

Do Nothing Fill Space As Is Creative Solutions

Increase Value Public Amenities Improve Quality of Life

Municipal Tools

Greyfields Grant

Redevelopment Designation

Development Guidelines and Standards

Tax Increment Financing

Payment In Lieu Of Taxes (PILOT)

ArchitecturePlanning Urban

Redevelopment

Vision Plan Project Team

Project Implementation Team

Preliminary Redevelopment Design

Issues / Constraints• Poor Access / Rt. 30 Traffic Light

Preliminary Redevelopment Design

Issues / Constraints• Poor Access / Rt. 30 Traffic Light

• Poor Highway Visibility:

Location and Elevation

Preliminary Redevelopment Design

Issues / Constraints• Poor Access / Rt. 30 Traffic Light

• Poor Highway Visibility:

Location and Elevation• Underutilized Site

Preliminary Redevelopment Design

Issues / Constraints• Poor Access / Rt. 30 Traffic Light

• Poor Highway Visibility:

Location and Elevation• Underutilized Site

• Out-Moded Design: Lack of Architectural Character

Preliminary Redevelopment Design

Issues / Constraints• Poor Access / Rt. 30 Traffic Light

• Poor Highway Visibility:

Location and Elevation• Underutilized Site

• Out-Moded Design: Lack of Architectural Character

• Topography / Wetlands

Constraints

NJ DEP Permitting Coordination –

Magnolia

Coordination – Owners

Parcel Assemblage

Other Challenges

Opportunities

Geographic Route 295: (2

miles) PATCO Speedline

(1/2 mile) Borders Route

30 Kennedy

Boulevard – Main Street

Economic* Retail: 1 Million Square Feet Market-Rate

Townhomes/Condos: 120 units annually

Age-Restricted Townhomes/Condos: 80 units annually

*WHP Market Feasibility Study

Opportunities

Lion’s Head Site Underutilized/Adjacent Parcels Utility Infrastructure and Capacity Linkage-Town Hall via Kennedy Boulevard Transportation Linkages

NJ Transit Bus Routes PATCO Speedline

Redevelopment Designation January 2003

Opportunities

The strips, highways and regional retail centers do not reflect the good character of our residents. Your vision ideas represent the first time someone has tried to create something that adds character and relates to the residents of this community. Your presentation and ideas are truly about Somerdale.

- Comments of a Somerdale Resident following a Vision Planning Session

Public Visioning Forum

Create Community Focal Point / Parade Route

Improve Somerdale Residential / Additional Housing Stock

Improve Retail Profitability / Architectural Character / Prominent Entrance

Improve Automobile / Pedestrian Connectivity

Through community analysis and visioning, residents began to see the potential to connect physically adjacent but disconnected elements into something they could be proud of.

Existing Conditions – Vision Plan Goals (2005)

Existing / 2005 Implementation 2008 - 2012

1 Underutilized Retail Center (Lions Head Plaza)

-230,000 sq ft , 70% vacant

Mixed Use Center (CooperTowne Center)- Retail, plaza spaces- Market Rate Town Homes- COAH Apartments

- Completed or Under Construction

2 Underutilized, Wide Industrial Road (Kennedy Boulevard)

Parade Route- Anchored by CooperTowne Center & Borough Hall- Infill development along route

- Partially Complete-Balance Under Construction

3 Defunct Park along Industrial Road Revitalized Park and New Community Center

(2015/16)

4 Inaccessible Wooded Area & Creek(Cooper Creek)

CooperTowne Waterfront Greenway

(2016/17)

5 Route 30 Strip Retail Highway(White Horse Pike)

Sign & Architectural Standards, Traffic Calming

Complete

Implementation Plan (2008 - 2017)

Area Analysis 1: CONTEXT

Context - 2 Sq. Miles:

Magnolia

• Municipalities

Somerdale

Voorhees

Cherry Hill

Lawnside

• LandmarksLion’s Head Plaza

Somerdale Park SchoolSomerdale Borough Hall

Echelon Mall

PATCO - Ashland Station“The Coliseum”

Lion’s Head Plaza

Somerdale Park School

Somerdale Borough Hall

Echelon Mall

Ashland Station

“The Coliseum”

Cooper River

Co

op

er River

Area Analysis 2: TRANSPORTATION

Major Roads:

White Horse Pike (Rt. 30)Evesham Road

Burnt Mill Road

Somerdale Road

NJ Transit:

PATCO - Ashland Station - ½ Mile From Focus Area

Evesham Road

Wh

ite Ho

rse Pike (R

t. 30)

Bu

rnt

Mill

Ro

adSomerdale Road

Traffic Lights / Major Intersections:

NJ Transit Bus Routes

Focus Area:

Evergreen Avenue

Crestwood Avenue

Evergreen Ave.

Crestwood Ave.

Lion’s Head Redev. Area - 51.98 Acres

Washington Avenue

Washington Ave.

Area Analysis 3: LAND USE

Lion’s Head Plaza

Ashland Station

Somerdale Borough Hall

Echelon Mall

Land Uses:

Retail

Residential

Civic/Public

Industrial

Wetland/Forest

Area Analysis 4: NATURAL AREAS

Natural Areas:

Wetlands

Forest

Public Parks

Co

op

er River

Area Analysis 5: SCALE

Pedestrian Nodes:

• Lion’s Head Plaza• Somerdale Borough

Hall• Echelon Mall

• PATCO - Ashland

Station

Lion’s Head Plaza

Somerdale Borough Hall

PATCO - Ashland Station

Echelon Mall

• Circle Radius = ¼” Mile

1. “Incremental” Approach

Improve Existing Center

Preliminary RedevelopmentDesign Concepts

2. “Outside the Box” Approach

Create a Mixed-Use Center/Weighted Residential3. “Major Retail Center”

Approach Increase Retail Ratables / Reduced

Residential

Preliminary Redevelopment DesignLocal Models

Lion’s Head Plaza

Downtown Haddonfield “The Promenade”

Preliminary Redevelopment DesignNational Models

Mashpee Commons, MA

Preliminary Redevelopment DesignNational Models

Winter Park, FL

Design Concepts / Public Input

+A series of community meetings resulted in the design to transform the retail center into a mixed use center and a strategy to add various public spaces and amenities.Late in the process, Walmart was

introduced as an anchor tenant. The community was able to fit a 190,000 sf Supercenter into the plan.

Existing Retail Transformed to CooperTowne Center

Connection to Kennedy Boulevard parade route & Borough Hall

New White Horse Pike

traffic signal

Catalyst Project:• Created space• Improved retail and tax base• Spurred development of

surrounding projects

Existing Retail Transformed to CooperTowne Center

Parade Route to Borough Hall

(2011)

Restaurant(2011)

(2011)

Existing Retail Transformed to CooperTowne Center

Landscaped plazas and pedestrian paths help to knit the Walmart Supercenter into CooperTowne Center and the Cooper Creek neighborhood.

CooperTowne Center – Implementation (Big Box Anchor)

Today:2005:

The tools of Redevelopment (2003) were used to identify the economic and physical conditions at the site. The renaissance was set in motion through a Community Vision Plan that presented realistic and phased community‐based design solutions. The Project Team orchestrated a comprehensive implementation strategy to attract investment, which today has resulted in the redevelopment of a defunct retail center, 190,000 square feet of new retail, and streetscape improvements called CooperTowne Center.

CooperTowne Center – Implementation (Main Retail Center)

Today:2005:

$20 million Lion’s Head Plaza to CooperTowne Center Conversion (National Realty & Development Corp.)

CooperTowne Center – Implementation (Main Retail Center)

$6 million CooperTowne COAH Units

CooperTowne Center – Implementation (Affordable Housing)

$24 million CooperTowne Village – 122 market rate town homes

CooperTowne Center – Implementation (Market Rate Housing)

Before

After

$1.5 Million Kennedy Boulevard Streetscape Landscaping and Parade Route

CooperTowne Center – Implementation (Main Street Creation)

Building programming & recreational uses from community input:

• Skate park• Amphitheater• Bocce Ball• Horse Shoes• Playground• Community Gardens• Soccer

CooperTowne Center – Implementation (Park & Community Center)

Potential:Existing:

Residents and planners created plans to transform an inaccessible creek into a community amenity linking the proposed Community Center to CooperTowne Center.

CooperTowne Center – Implementation (Cooper Creek Greenway)

The ongoing success story of Somerdale is about the power of a planning vision combined with the diligence of a community’s residents and leaders. Somerdale continues to transform from a marginal south Jersey sprawl suburb to a true community that is redefining itself to have character, quality and a true sense of place.

The All NewCooperTowne

Center

Market Rate

Affordable

Business District

Big Box

SmallRetail

&Restaurant

Main Street

Parks

Job Creation

Jobs: 1988: ±300

2005: ±100

2014 : ±800

Projected Revenue Model

Commercial Assessment

367,000 S.F. @ $100/S.F. = $36,700,000

Residential Assessment

122 Units @ $200,000/Unit = $24,400,000

30 Units (COAH) = $6,000,000 Total Assessment = $67,100,000 2005 Assessment - $ 7,000,000

2017 Projected - $67,100,000Projected Increase - $60,100,000

Projected Revenue Model

2004 Tax Revenue - $251,300

2017 Projected Tax Revenue Total Residential & Commercial - $2,645,600

Projected Incremental Tax Revenue = $2,394,300

Secrets of Success

Established & Followed a Detailed Master Redevelopment Plan that was Flexible & Allowed Change

Hired an Architect/Planner to Develop the Plan

Engaged the Community at the Outset to Develop the Plan

Committed to an individual or firm to spearhead Economic Development

Retained the original Administration throughout the 10 year process

Thank You!