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Erial Super Wawa Update “Would be open if not for the pandemic”

Erial Super Wawa Update “Would be open if not for the pandemic”
Reading Time: 4 minutes

The developer of the planned Erial Wawa in Gloucester Township appeared before the Zoning Board last month to ask for a one year extension of their prior approval, which was quickly granted.

The September 28th meeting was a loaded up schedule, with the HoneyGrove dispensary and the Freeway Warehouse project also on the docket.

Provco, the developer of the Wawa presented early in the evening, as it was clear their requests was a very fast review.

They also provided some details on the reasoning for the delay.

This former bank building in the Erial section of Wawa is to become the gas station section of a new Wawa.

The developer confidently stated that the if not for impacts associated to the pandemic, this Wawa would’ve been built and opened by now!

Which is the first big take-away… the Erial Wawa is still coming.

It seems for these delayed projects some in the public quickly move to “it’s cancelled. They backed out.” and then a few others will start blaming the local government. The same thing has happened in Washington Twp’s 5-Point Wawa, which is currently seeing significant site work!

But building a Wawa is a big project, and they typically target high traffic locations which come with more challenging approvals.

Toss in a pandemic which shut everything down, and projects waited.

For both the Erial and Washington Twp Wawa projects though, they are most definitely coming!

Keep reading for more details… it was a new twist for the delay with this Erial Wawa!

Wawa Erial – Gloucester Township

42Freeway first brought to readers the plans for this new Wawa back in July 2020 when developer Provco presented before the Gloucester Township Zoning Board.

The project was subsequently approved.

The location is the intersection of Erial-Clementon Road and New Brooklyn-Erial Road, with the now closed bank the prime corner property.

The full project will encompass 5 properties, including three homes which proceed down Erial-Clementon Rd. They are positioned directly across from the Rite-Aid.

The red outline is a rough estimate of the properties to be utilized for a new Wawa in the Erial section of Gloucester Township

The utilization of (former) residential properties is why the project needed to be approved by the Zoning board… to approve a commercial use on a previously residential property.

For the new Wawa, the gas pumps and canopy will be positioned in the corner of the property where the bank now is located. The Wawa convenience store segment will be in the area where the 3 homes currently exist.

There will be one entrance into the Wawa from Erial-New Brooklyn Rd and two for Erial-Clementon Rd (highlighted in red, in the site plan below)

Site plan for the upcoming Wawa store for the Erial section of Gloucester Towship

For further point of reference, the intersection has five roads meeting at the traffic signaled intersection.

A thin triangular piece of land is home to the Erial Volunteer Fire Company.

A Pantry-1 food mart is across the street, and ironically is located in a former “Classic” Wawa building.

As mentioned there is a Rite-Aid also at the intersection.

The new Super Wawa will feature gas station pumps and the convenience store of course.

Higher intersection view of where the new Wawa will be developed in Erial Gloucester Twp. The Rite-Aid and Fire hall are indicated.

“Would Be Open Now If Not for the Pandemic”

The presentation for the one year extension was very fast.

As the title states, the developer was confidently stating that they had expected to immediately start on the project and added the Wawa for Erial would’ve been completed by now.

Not only did the representative clarify the pandemic was the impact, he very crisply explained why.

There was a resident still living in one of the houses, and during the pandemic the government implemented freezes on the ability to relocate residents from homes.

So Wawa waited, not that they had a choice.

The red area are three homes and a garage which will be demolished to make way for a new Wawa in Erial, Gloucester Township NJ. The green indicates the bank building which will also be demolished.

I take no sides in this aspect of the delay… just find it interesting that it is an entirely new reason for a project to be held up!

Referring back to my intro comments about projects being delayed and some readers jumping way ahead to “it was cancelled”, just keep in mind there are a million reasons why a project can be temporarily delayed!

While I don’t recall the developer giving updated estimates on the project, the fact he asked for a one year extension and spoke so strongly about how the project would’ve progressed had it not been for the pandemic… I would expect a construction start to not be too far off.

I am reaching out to Provco for additional details.

Links and Locations

Wawa Erial (To be Developed)
Erial-Clementon Road and Erial-New Brooklyn Road.
Gloucester Twp New Jersey