Business & Tech

Firm Seeks to Redevelop Long-Vacant Lenola Property

What would you like to see at the Lenola Auto Mall site? The developer wants to know and is inviting the public to share its thoughts at a meeting this week.

Want a say in the redevelopment of the Lenola area?

A local developer is eyeing a long-empty property in West Moorestown and is seeking input on what the community would like to see there, with plans to hold a public meeting Wednesday night to get feedback.

Jeff Dey, CEO of Land Resource Solutions (LRS), said his firm is interested in the former Lenola Auto Mall property at the intersection of Camden and Cottage avenues. He said the property—which is now mostly just an empty field—has been vacant for at least 15 years, the gas station that once stood on it demolished long ago.

LRS, which specializes in the remediation and redevelopment of contaminated sites—i.e. "brownfields," like the Lenola Auto Mall site—became interested in the property a while back and is just now at the point where it can present its plans to the community.

Those plans are still somewhat vague, but Dey said their current proposal consists of a combination of a commercial use, in the form of a small retail shop—"We're thinking a coffee shop, a sub shop, or some kind of office"—plus residential rental units. 

But before they move forward, Dey and his partners want feedback from the community.

"We don't want to do something people don't want," said Dey, who lives in Moorestown. 

LRS has already reached out to Lenola residents, including members of the Lenola Advisory Commission and Councilwoman Victoria Napolitano. 

"I appreciate their desire to get feedback from the community," said Napolitano, adding, "It's great someone is looking to develop that area."

Dey said LRS will present its plans to the public and solicit feedback at a meeting Wednesday night at the Lenola Fire Hall. The meeting will be held from 7:30-8:30.

Environmental issues exist at the Lenola Auto Mall property—which is currently owned by Beneficial Bank—despite a 2003 letter from the Department of Environmental Protection that the site required "no further action," Dey explained. LRS would address those issues before moving forward with any kind of development.

"Given some sort of positive feedback (from Wednesday's meeting), we'll meet with township officials and look to move forward," he said.

Dey said his firm is also potentially interested in acquiring the vacant Getty station across from the Auto Mall property, but any action on that would take place much further down the line.

What do you think should go on the Lenola Auto Mall site? Tell us what you think in the comments below.


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