Harrison Township will focus on the construction of new residential areas and municipal projects in the new year.
Among them is building the 55-and-over Orchard View neighborhood, a project that has been in the works for a few years. Mayor Louis Manzo – who will soon leave office – offered insight on its progress.
” … The Orchard View 55-plus community … is selling out each phase as soon as they go to market,” he said. “Their clubhouse is currently being built and the bridge connecting to the new Carriage House section is being completed.”
Other residential construction includes the addition of 30 luxury homes by JP Orleans along Woodstown Road, also known as Route 45; 16 luxury properties by Russo Homes off East Avenue, at the old lumberyard location; and 132 large and high-end townhomes on Route 77, south of Ella Harris Park.Â
The Harrison Bike and Pedestrian route project – fully funded by a federal grant – is expected to begin phase one in the new year. The funds will pay for design, engineering and construction. According to Manzo, the path will begin at the deck of the Old Mill, travel through the woods until it emerges near Walters Road and connect to a path at William Wilt Park. It will also extend to the intersection of Route 322 and the bypass near American Surgical Arts.
“The second and third phases will follow immediately and will eventually span the length of Route 322, ending up behind the Wawa in Richwood,” Manzo noted, “traveling north along Route 55 to an overpass, crossing into the west campus of Rowan University near the new vet school, connecting to paths there and eventually connecting to the existing Glassboro path, which connects to Washington Township and Monroe Township.”
All phases of that project are being financed with a federal grant. Other municipal efforts in the works are the construction of a dog play area at William Wilt Park – in progress and finishing soon – and more pickleball courts at the park in the spring.
A new restaurant is expected at 72 North Main St. at some point in the future, after final approval on renovation from the state historic preservation office. Ownership is still to be determined.
Another restaurant nearby will have the same ownership as another Main Street eatery, blueplate.
“The blueplate received approvals to convert Ginger and May (next door) to a ‘white tablecloth’ restaurant, opening on the weekends,” Manzo said.
