Galloway Hopes For Development Along Rt. 30

DONNA WEAVER, Staff Writer
GALLOWAY TOWNSHIP — A diner on the White Horse Pike reopened last month, along with hope from its new owners and officials that more development will start along the roadway.

Route 30, also known as the White Horse Pike, sees between 10,000 and 20,000 cars pass by daily in western Galloway, but it remains underdeveloped, and the landscape includes large, empty parcels and vacant buildings.

The Galloway Diner’s doors had been closed for a little over a year before new owners Stalo Karamanos and her husband, Chris, reopened the restaurant July 27.

“We have already seen a lot of traffic of people stopping in here on their way to Atlantic City. The four-lane pike definitely has the capacity for traffic from more businesses,” Karamanos said.

The Karamanoses kept the diner’s name and gave the inside a makeover before opening.

Stalo Karamanos said she believes the reopening and other activity in the area of the White Horse Pike will attract other businesses.

Deputy Mayor Tony Coppola said Galloway remains one of the towns in Atlantic County with the lowest commercial-to-residential ratio, at about 12 percent.

Township Manager Susan Jacobucci said there was talk many years ago that Galloway had a chance to have the kind of commercial development Hamilton Township saw, with the Hamilton Mall and other shopping centers.

Jacobucci said once more commercial ratables arrive in town, it will help ease the tax burden for residents.

Coppola said part of the problem the township has had is that previous administrations did not want commercial development and wanted to stay a bedroom community to Atlantic City.

Coppola is the chairman of a council committee formed in 2012, working to bring commercial ratables to town.

Coppola said the township does not want unbridled commercial development, but instead development where it is appropriate — and Route 30 is one of those areas.

“Route 30 is prime for the picking, and if you look at the Black Horse Pike, you have a plethora of commercial development out there in Egg Harbor Township, and we don’t have that here,” Coppola said.

Last week, the township Planning Board approved plans for a Wawa at the intersection of Pomona Road and Route 30, where Kennedys Bar was once located. The intersection’s four corners have remained underused until movement on the Wawa project, officials said.

Karamanos said the patches of empty businesses and parcels on the pike do not bother her or Chris and didn’t turn them off to purchasing the property.

“That’s going to be more of a reason to come in and develop in the area, and it’s not only for my benefit, but for the members of the community,” Karamanos said of the opening of her restaurant and the Wawa.

“This town has a lot of potential,” she said.

The Karamanoses, who live in Toms River, also own Kristy’s Casual Dining in Ocean Township, Ocean County.

“When I look down here it would be great to see it be like a Route 37 in Toms River or a Route 72 in Manahawkin,” she said.

A redevelopment zone was designated at the intersection of Pomona Road and Route 30 in 2013, and offers as many as 30 years of tax and economic incentives for incoming businesses and developers. Last year, the rest of the pike was designated as a rehabilitation zone and offers a five-year tax incentive. When these designations were made on the pike developers started expressing interest, Coppola said.

“Our boards should be helping developers get their projects approved and not act as development police officers,” he said.

The township is in the process of marketing empty parcels on the pike, Jacobucci said.

The township has been approached by developers interested in bringing in more residential development, but there is focus on attracting businesses to the pike because that’s what it is conducive to, she said.

“New businesses will draw other businesses. I don’t want to negate anyone coming in — we will work with anyone who wants to come in with a commercial ratable,” she said.

Contact: 609-513-6686

DWeaver@pressofac.com

Twitter @ACPressWeaver

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