Township to Developers: Galloway Open for Business

How can become a more college-friendly town? What are some of the businesses and services Galloway doesn’t have and which of those businesses and services do residents have to leave town to procure? What changes has Galloway implemented over the last year as far as economic development is concerned and what can it do to make the public more aware of these changes?

These were a few of the questions bandied about by local developers and business owners with members of the township’s committee designed to attract ratables at the Economic Development Roundtable discussion Wednesday afternoon, Jan. 18 at the

“It was supposed to be a roundtable, but it’s become more of a theater-style event,” Deputy Mayor Tony Coppola told a group of about 50 developers who turned out for Wednesday’s discussion, designed to bring talk of development to Galloway Township. The committee was expecting 15-20 when the invitation went out earlier this month.

“This is Phase I,” said Coppola, who stated the next step is to introduce some of the ideas and questions raised during Wednesday’s discussion to the rest of council, despite the fact that much of council was in attendance at the event.

Coppola, Township Planner Tiffany Cuviello and Councilmen Jim Gorman and Brian Tyrrell, all members of the ratables committee, were joined by Mayor Don Purdy and Solicitor Michael Blee in making the presentation. Councilwoman Whitney Ullman was also in attendance, as was Township Manager Steve Bonanni.

The committee made a presentation and took comments, questions and suggestions from the developers in attendance.

Gregory B. Filipek of Sora Holdings in Sewell pointed to the as a major drawing point for the township. He stated that he helped Rowan University turn Glassboro into a college town. He pointed out that the town center, consisting of the municipal complex and Risley Square, was right in the center of the trip from Stockton’s main campus to the Seaview, which is also owned by the college.

Coppola said after the meeting the township had to keep in mind members of the community who didn’t want to see Galloway become a college town.

“We need to find a peaceful coexistence,” Coppola said. “The college brings a lot. … We have to move carefully and plan properly.”

The committee pointed to several advances the township has made over the last year, including reducing performance bonding requirements, zoning changes, expansion of the Sewer Service Areas, and naming Cuviello as a point person for developers.

The township is targeting five areas as development areas, including the Town Center on Jimmie Leeds and Pitney roads, the Lenox area on Tilton Road, the White Horse Pike west of the Garden State Parkway, Chris Gaupp Drive and Jimmie Leeds Road and the Route 9 corridor. The Lenox site and the White Horse Pike have been designated as areas in need of redevelopment.

“There are plenty of opportunities in the township,” Cuviello said.

Some progress has already been made.

Purdy discussed the state and the two coming to Galloway Township, and local developer Brian Condella discussed his experience bringing a new teenager-themed facility called The Clubhouse to Galloway.

“I have never seen cooperation like (that of Galloway) anywhere else in the county,” Condella said.

Another developer praised the township for its efforts to make improvements over the last year, but said it needed to find a way to publicize the advancements its made, as Galloway hasn’t always been a business-friendly community.

“For years, the perception of Galloway was that it was not a business-friendly town,” Coppola said, adding that many in the township had a desire to “keep Galloway country.”

This point was driven home by a developer who said he was interested in developing on Chris Gaupp Drive, but that when he visited the construction office to introduce his ideas, he was “chased out the door.”

“Years ago, that’s how it was,” Coppola said following the meeting. “The old reality is that it was adversarial, but it’s totally different now.”

Contact has been established between the township and Lt. Gov. Kim Guadagno, and Cuviello was in Trenton to discuss development earlier Wednesday morning. She said restrictions regarding certain Pinelands areas that would encourage development in those areas.

The forum lasted about 90 minutes. Nothing was finalized, but Coppola reiterated that was never the point.

“We don’t expect to see any bulldozers out there tomorrow,” Coppola said. “We wanted to get input. Now we’ll take these ideas back to council, consider them, and see if we can move forward with some legislation.”