SAVE OUR SCHOOLS. Say NO to 120 Units at Bancroft!

Say NO to 120 Apartments at Bancroft!

When it comes to the Bancroft redevelopment and our Borough commissioners, it's... THREE STRIKES AND YOU'RE OUT!

First it was the drug rehabilitation center proposed at the former Bancroft site, next to HMHS, followed by the over-priced / over-sized townhomes which were "targeted" at seniors but cost nearly 50% more than the average cost of a Haddonfield home (Who can downsize to a more expensive home?), and now it's a high-density, 3.5 story, 120 unit apartment complex that they're trying to drop on the property -- in the already over-capacity Tatem school neighborhood.

The school district is already reeling from overcapacity. At what point will additional housing units tip us into needing another school, at a cost of $30M+? We're almost there already!

We had high hopes for a reasonable resolution to the Bancroft saga last year when the Commissioners initiated a bidding process for the redevelopment of the property, and the borough did manage to receive nine bona fide proposals for the project.

Yet, once again, the commissioners (2 out of 3, anyway -- Bezich and Roche voted Yes, while only Troy voted No) have failed to listen to their constituents.

Without consulting the public or allowing public review of the nine builders' proposals (the only glimpse the public got is behind a paywall website), they chose an option with 120 apartment units -- higher density than any of the previous proposals which had been opposed by a significant number of residents in prior years -- and among the highest density proposals received in response to this RFP. Additionally, this proposal includes tax breaks for the developer while simultaneously burdening the school district with 120 additional housing units, none of which will be age-restricted. The proposal is neither: (a) affordable for seniors; nor (b) open space, which to many residents would be a worthwhile community investment in lieu of tax-ratable housing.

Nothing like snatching defeat from the jaws of victory!

Commissioner Roche summed it up perfectly when he said... “I think this is a great way for professionals with still higher price points to get in."

At this point, faith is lost in our governing body to make the right decision for the Bancroft property, particularly when it comes to building any type of housing there. As taxpayers, we've been paying for the property acquisition of the past seven years. Let's finish paying it off and make it an asset to us -- the taxpayers. A park, a field, anything other than 120 more housing units in our already congested town and school district.