Blackwood Wellness LLL looks to develop an all new construction dispensary on the Black Horse Pike in Gloucester Township. They are scheduled for the February 14th planning board meeting, looking for approvals related to the site plan and conditional use.
The location is at 816 N Black Horse Pike, and is the undeveloped property between the Wawa convenience store and Howard Johnsons hotel. Skeeters bar and restaurant is across the street, a few hundred feet down
The property for the proposed development is “L” shaped, and includes the portion which wraps around the front corner of the Howard Johnson’s, up to their entry road.
The Cannabis retailer is looking for approval of the development of an approximately 6000 square foot building, related site improvements, and conditional use approval.
Site improvements would include a parking lot, as well as stormwater management systems, signage and landscaping.
The residents of Gloucester Township previously approved cannabis sales in a vote, with 3/4 of the residents voted for them in town.
Gloucester Township had defined the existing zoning classification for this Black Horse Pike zoning area as allowing Cannabis retailers as a conditional use.
As is the case with all projects presented to the Planning Board, the business has been working with the Township on the plans for the cannabis location.
As part of the New Jersey State licensing process the Township had to submit a letter stating that the town was in support of the location for the facility (but they still need to go through the full approval process)
Blackwood Wellness was then awarded their New Jersey State annual cannabis license on October 31st 2022.
The Conditional Use Zoning designation is common with many of the towns who passed cannabis ordinances. It sets certain requirements for a business to meet, prior to final approval.
Recently Gloucester Township approved Honeygrove dispensary for the Blackwood-Clementon Rd., and another retail cannabis location is in earlier stages for Cross Keys Rd.
For the three cannabis retailers actively in process to get approvals and development in Gloucester Township, it appears the placement of the three businesses are smartly distributed in three separate commercial corridors in the Township.
Blackwood Wellness LLC – Black Horse Pike Gloucester Township
Gloucester Township does an excellent job preparing Planning/Zoning documents (including site plan) and making them available ahead of meetings. Since this meeting notice was just published today, the site plans are not available as of yet.
So I don’t have much details to report on regarding what is proposed to be constructed at this point. I will likely just update this post once I have seen the site plans.
Currently this property for the proposed facility is undeveloped.
It sits on the southbound side of the Black Horse Pike just pass the Route 42 northbound exit.
There is also an exit on the Black Horse Pike to get back on to route 42 on the southbound side, heading towards Philadelphia.
20 years ago the property was home to PJ’s Saloon.
The PJ’s Saloon building sat in the front square of land in front of the Howard Johnson’s hotel, and the parking area ran long down the side of the hotel property. The lot where Wawa sits today I mostly remember as being undeveloped.
At one time the Howard Johnson’s had two bar restaurants located directly in front of it! The Giant Fitness property was once a bar with an interior wrap around walkway overlooking the dance floor!
In 2003 a large snowstorm collapsed the roof of PJ’s Saloon. The building was subsequently demolished, and the liquor license was used in another Gloucester Township location.
Links and Locations
Blackwood Wellness LLC Retail Cannabis Location
816 N Black Horse Pike
Blackwood NJ
Planning Board Meeting
February 14, 2023, at 7:00 PM
Gloucester Township Municipal Building – Council Room
1261 Chews Landing Road
Laurel Springs (Gloucester Township), NJ 08021