By John Kneib, Mayor of Pennsauken Township

By now, most of you have heard the exciting news: the Camden County Improvement Authority has sold the property which used to house the Pennsauken Mart to Delco Development, LLC. The developer plans to build a high-end apartment complex and retail space there. And they’re looking to break ground this fall. You can read additional details about the development of the Mart site by clicking here.

So forget the ice hockey rink. Forget about Renaissance Walk. Forget the rumors about low income housing. With the county finally selling the property to a highly-motivated and experienced real estate developer, all of that can stay in the past where it belongs.

What we all need to do now is look to the future. All the proposed projects for those 35 acres that never quite got off the ground, and all of the frustration that went with it, is behind us now.

The building of these apartments and retail stores isn’t just finding a viable use of a vacant plot. This is real, significant growth. And it’s not the only growth we have in town. Big companies like Princeton Tec, Restaurant Depot, and now Bayada Home Health Care, are moving and expanding into Pennsauken. We’re increasing tax ratables, growing our community, and keeping property taxes level. And if that isn’t enough to wipe away the image of a failed ice hockey rink, nothing will.

And what’s even more exciting is that this is only the beginning. The Township’s Department of Economic Development is constantly working to leverage the incentives the State of New Jersey has in place to encourage companies to move into Pennsauken and grow their business. Terry Carr and Larry Cardwell do a great job, and we’ll be seeing more of the fruits of their labor in the months ahead.

So don’t let what happened in the past affect a positive outlook for Pennsauken’s future. We’re working on a vision for our community that will highlight our strengths and give us an opportunity to continue to focus on addressing important issues that will make our town better. I hope that you’ll join me on avoiding the negativity of the past and look ahead to the big things that are already happening in Pennsauken.