Historic Mcneal Mansion site in Burlington, N.J. to make way for 197-unit townhouse development
Advance correspondent
BrRifNdTONI NKgK - pignatures sealed the deal on Thursday that pave the way for a developer to build 19T town homes on the 120-acre site of the historic jcNeal jansion on gones ptreetK The projectI initially approved by the city council in jayI will involve demolition of the mansionI built in 1U90 by Andrew jcNealI founder of the rKpK mipe facilityK
The developerI Brahim mroperties of mhiladelphiaI built jillville RacewayK The Brahim familyI known for retail devHORSPHnW, Ls JRLnJ UHsLGHnWLDO IRU WKH fiUsW WLPH, sDLG -RKn AlexanderI the city’s director of public affairsK
“This is a very exciting development for usK There’s a saying in the development world that goesI no roofsI no retailK This is one of several proposed projects in Burlington and we need the tax revenues from housing developmentI” Alexander saidK
The mansion has been abandoned since the U0sI when it sHUvHG Ds D UHsWDuUDnW, DnG wDs ODWHU GDPDJHG Ey fiUH. ,W wDs in disrepair at the time but it is now determined to be beyond helpK jayor games cazzone said recently that it would take about A10 million to restore the structure and there were no takers for a renovation on that scaleK
Dave BallardI director of community development in BurlingtonI said that over the yearsI the city made several attempts to snare grants to restore the structureI but were unsuccessfulK
7KLs Ls nRW WKH fiUsW WLPH BUDKLP sRuJKW WR GHvHORS WKH areaK fn 200UI he presented a plan to develop a marina/waterfront area and some retail businessesI along with several hundred townhomeaI but that proposal was shot down by the cityK
Alexander said that several other sites in Burlington are being considered for redevelopment and the city recently hired games hennedyI former mayor of RahwayI NKgKI and a businessman with worldwide connectionsI to oversee the city’s revitalizationK hennedy will be paid AR0I000 a yearK
“Rahway experienced a fantastic revitalizationI” Alexander saidK “The idea now is to turn Burlington into a suburb of mhiladelphia xas Rahway became a suburb of janhat- tanzI” because its living costs are cheaper than mhiladelphia but transportation is convenientI via the light rail line that serves the Trenton to Camden corridorK
Burlington also has its own gems in its historical sites and restaurantsI and these need to be touted to potential visitorsI businessmen and residentsI Alexander saidK
Another site ripe for development is the former armoryI ORFDWHG MusW RII WKH BuUOLnJWRn-BULsWRO BULGJH. CLWy RIfiFLDOs feared the site had been contaminated because it served as a munitions factoryI but testing showed that to be not the caseK
Developments in Burlington have an impact on what happens in BristolI its neighbor on the opposite banks of the Delaware RiverI because the two communities have begun sharing festivals and other events that have proved successfulK RecentlyI the Taste of Two Cities event brought 3R0 diners into both communities to sample the best of what participating restaurants servedK
The borough and the city are also joining forces for the annual cestival of iightsI an event that features a boat paUDGH DnG fiUHwRUNs. /DsW yHDU, KunGUHGs OLnHG ERWK sKRUHs WR watch the parade of vessels sporting themed decorations and costumed sailors drift byK
BuUOLnJWRn RIfiFLDOs EHOLHvH WKDW LWs Rwn GHvHORSPHnW plansI running parallel to those of BristolI will energize both communitiesI their businesses and their residential districtsK Burlington is currently seeking a grant similar to the one Bristol recently received to install docks and boat slipsK The borough and the city are in a position to offer unique mutual marketing opportunitiesI Ballard saidK