By Frank Sinatra, AAP Editor
Fourteen years of frustration were buried with shovelfuls of dirt. Local officials, developers, and members of the community were on hand for the ceremonial groundbreaking of the Haddon Point apartment project, signaling the start of a new beginning for the property that once housed the well-known Pennsauken Mart. In recent years, this piece of land was associated more for a series of false starts than for its potential. Now this property has a more defined – and much more hopeful – future ahead.
“This is a momentous occasion in the Township of Pennsauken,” says Pennsauken Mayor Betsy McBride. “We’re blessed with a great developer and partner who will transform this site and create the future of Pennsauken with us.”
Haddon Point, a high end apartment complex targeting young professionals and empty nesters, is the vision of Delco Development, a Willingboro-based real estate development and management company with 40 years of experience. Known for projects like Aloft in Mt. Laurel, Delco is excited to tackle its first residential property right here in Pennsauken.
“It’s a phenomenal piece of real estate. It has all the infrastructure. It’s a few minutes from the mall and restaurants. It’s right outside of Philadelphia,” explains Tom Juliano, president, Delco Development. “What I wanted to do was something really different. I didn’t want to build your regular, old apartments.”
Plans for phase one of the project call for the initial construction of approximately 240 units of one- and two-bedroom apartments on the 35-acre property, with more units – and possibly even townhouses – to be added in the future. There are also long term plans to make the site a mixed use property, with the inclusion of several retail stores. Haddon Point will feature a variety of amenities throughout the complex to make it stand out, such as a $500,000 investment in landscaping, lighted walking paths, a club house adjacent to an outdoor pool, fireplaces and fire pits, Wi-Fi for residents, and more.
“There are going to be a lot of things we hope make people want to live and stay in this community,” says Juliano.
“Young professionals want a lot of amenities. This place will have them,” adds McBride.
During the groundbreaking event, it was stressed several times that the Haddon Point project was only possible through the cooperation and partnership of county agencies, municipal government, and business.
“We had a lot of people here that put this together. It’s an endeavor of everyone,” says Bill Juliano, founder and chairman, Delco Development. “We’re very proud of this. I think it’s a dynamic piece of property. I think we’ll do well here. And I think it’s going to be a surprise.”
“We’re going to have bumps along the road, but the best part about redevelopment is when you have a town that really wants to work with you. That’s what makes it special,” adds Tom Juliano. “There were a lot of people who didn’t believe this would happen. But it’s going to happen.”
Delco Development has indicated that official construction for Haddon Point will begin by the end of August.
