A plan to redevelop the former Echelon Mall in Voorhees, where a fire last year left much of the property closed to the public, was approved last week by the township in a move that will bring hundreds of new homes to the Camden County community.
Built on a former airfield in 1970, the mall has largely sat vacant in recent years outside of its anchor Macy's and Boscov's stores. The property was last redeveloped in 2007 and rebranded as the Voorhees Town Center, where condos and offices were constructed around the mall. It was once the second-largest in South Jersey, behind the Cherry Hill Mall, before a decline in the 2000s led to a downsizing with the demolition of Sears and JCPenney.
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The latest redevelopment plan, now several years in the making, will be led by North Jersey-based Hoboken Brownstone Co. in a public-private partnership. The developer plans to construct 217 market-rate townhomes, 50 affordable for-sale townhomes and 60 affordable rentals.
The redevelopment agreement also calls for more than 38,000 square feet of revamped retail and entertainment spaces, a multi-level parking garage and a series of new bike paths and public park areas. Another 30,000 square feet of indoor space will be donated to the township for community use.
"For decades, the Echelon Mall was the heartbeat of our community — a place where families gathered, friendships were built, and memories were made," Voorhees Mayor Michael R. Mignogna said in a statement. "While it has stood silent for too long, this redevelopment gives us the opportunity to bring that heartbeat back."
The plan will keep Boscov's and Macy's open with a parking garage added on the second floor of the Macy's, according to planning documents shared by the township. Most of the mall's existing footprint will remain intact. Townhomes will be constructed on the parking lots surrounding the mall and along stretches of Somerdale and Laurel roads to the north and south of the town center.
The existing facility now houses the Voorhees municipal complex, where much of the township's office space will remain as part of the redevelopment.
The mall property was heavily damaged in April 2024 when a two-alarm fire broke out in the food court and spread through vacant sections of the building. Signs posted outside the mall still say the property is "closed until further notice."
Mignogna said the inclusion of affordable housing at the mall site will make the project compliant with the state's Fair Housing Act, which regulates how many lower-priced homes are required in new development plans. The project also will make use of payments in lieu of taxes from the developer to help cover redevelopment costs and municipal services, an arrangement the mayor said will reduce the tax burden on Voorhees residents.
The residential portion of the project is expected to be built in two phases, followed by the commercial redevelopment to revive the mall.
"The project aims to reimagine the once-bustling mall into a walkable, family-friendly town center while preserving key community assets," Mignogna said.