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Monarch Senior Living Facility Proposed for Voorhees at Former Mama Ventura’s Property

Monarch Senior Living Facility Proposed for Voorhees at Former Mama Ventura’s Property
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A three-story, 216 unit senior living facility is proposed for Route 73 in Voorhees at a site which previously was home to Mama Ventura’s Restaurant.

The facility is being developed by Monarch Communities which list 6 current locations in the Northeast (based on their website) with the closest one in Jackson NJ.

The Zoning Board meeting will take place on August 25th via Zoom remote. Details on participating are at the bottom of this article.

Keep scrolling and reading for a additional photos, summary commentary and a link to the Voorhees provided presentation documents.

Monarch Communities Senior Living facility planned for Voorhees NJ

Currently only the parking lot remains of the former restaurant which sat up close on the highway. The property is actually over 10 acres in size going back. Most of it had been left wooded.

The property sits somewhat across from Virtua Hospital Voorhees, and next to the Cedar Hill Shopping center where BJ’s and Lowe’s Shopping Center are located. The new Senior Living facility will be just past Dooney’s Pub.

The application states an interconnecting driveway will be created from the new Senior Living Facility into the shopping center parking lot.

This meeting has been scheduled and postponed several times. Website 70and73.com has also been following it’s progress and you can also read their post.

Monarch Communities Senior Living facility planned for Voorhees NJ. Location was previously Mama Ventura’s

Monarch Development Company – Voorhees

Monarch Development is looking for preliminary and final major site plan approval to construct a three-story, 216 unit senior housing facility with associated site improvements.

The facility will support independent living, assisted living and memory care units with a breakdown of:

  • Independent Living Apartments: 134 Units
  • Assisted Living: 52 Units
  • Memory Care : 30 Units

In reviewing the documentation made available by Voorhees, the property will feature and attractive exterior design configured as three connected “U” shaped sections.

Monarch Communities Senior Living facility planned for Voorhees NJ

Two of the sections will feature exterior waking paths. There will also be an outdoor patio area off of the Dining and Activity room.

Besides those two common areas, the building also features a large Fitness area, a Salon, Library, Juice Bar, and a coworking space.

According to the application filed with Voorhees the property is designated MB (Major Business Zone) and Nursing Homes / Assisted Living Facilities are permitted uses.

There are some variances requested which seem more related to the specific usage as Senior Living Facility.

Site plan for proposed Monarch Senior Living facility in Voorhees. Note the connecting road lower center, which will lead to the adjacent Cedar Hill shopping center

The interconnecting driveway to the Shopping Center is one. Which seems very reasonable. Visiting family members can easily visit the Shopping Center and Dooney’s Pub with their Senior relative.

There are some approvals around connecting to existing stormwater systems.

Placement of the building within the property, lighting, landscaping and the loading dock are all part of the variances.

Mama Ventura’s Voorhees

Mama Ventura’s opened in 1961 and was founded by Carmella “Mama” DiVentura.

She had come to America just 5 years prior and made a home in Camden NJ.

The first opened a pizza restaurant in Pennsauken NJ and grew into multiple restaurants and pizzeria.

Matriarch Mama Ventura passed away in 1988 at the age of 79 and her Courier Post obituary listed NINE area restaurants in South Jersey!

Mama Ventura’s was clearly the mothership, opened in 1961 with the proceeds from selling that first pizzeria.

For decades the restaurant was known throughout all of South Jersey as a premier high end Italian restaurant featuring a décor and experience as amazing as the food.

The restaurant continued operating for many years with the family at the helm, but some time in the earlier 2000s they closed.

Links and Locations

Monarch Development – Senior Living Voorhees (Proposed)
178 Route 73 North
Voorhees Township, NJ

Monarch Communities Website

Voorhees Zoning Meeting

Video conference meeting August 25, 2022 at 7:00 p.m.

Register as an attendee prior to the meeting through ZOOM by visiting https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_x5sWR-RgR6OkQWY23Az1ow OR
Dial: +1 929 205 6099: +1 301 715 8592: +1 312 626 6799: +1 669 900 6833: +1 253 215 8782: +1 346 248 7799 3.

For those dialing in, use the Webinar ID: 843 2284 4954 4.

Interested parties may submit written comments/questions, which those parties will read into the record the night of the hearing, by contacting the Board Secretary via email at jgaffney@voorheesnj.com prior to the meeting, up until August 25, 2022 at 4:30pm.

The Township will post these exhibits on the Board’s webpage at https://voorheesnj.com/government/boards-committees/zoning-board/