Cherry Hill, Evesham/Marlton, Medford, Medford Lakes, Moorestown, Mount Laurel, Voorhees and elsewhere near the iconic state highways of Routes 70 and 73.
The developer's rendering of the front of the proposed Monarch senior facility on Route 73, north of the Cedar Hill Shopping Center (BJ's and Lowe's).
Developer's application to the Voorhees Zoning Board of Adjustment
A Maryland-based developer of senior-living communities views the Voorhees area as an especially lucrative market as the oldest baby boomers reach age 76 this year.
Andrew Teeters, a managing partner of Monarch Communities, proposes to build a 218,500-square-foot, 216-unit senior rental building on property once occupied by Mama Ventura's Restaurant on Route 73 across from the Virtua Health complex.
"The demographics are staggering in this market area,"Â Teeters told the Township Zoning Board on Thursday night, explaining that his company's senior facilities typically attract people over 80. "We're right on the cusp of the baby boomers needing our services."
The application from Monarch Development Company JV LLC to build — expected to be opposed by a lawyer representing the neighboring Sturbridge Lakes community — was presented to the board, which heard the developer's representatives testify about the project.
However, the board decided to postpone public testimony about the building until the October 13 meeting.
Although Voorhees zoning ordinances permit assisted-living facilities for senior citizens on the property, the ordinance does not allow independent-living apartments. Monarch also seeks other variances and waivers.
The project includes 134 congregate-care, or independent-living, apartments; 52 assisted-living apartments and 30 memory-care apartments.Â
"We're promoting an aging-in-place concept," said Teeters, who noted that seniors moving out typically want to stay within a five-mile radius of their homes or near their adult children.
Teeters said his company normally sees about 5,000 eligible tenants in a market area, but in the Voorhees market area there are about three times as many.
In recent years, several new senior-care facilities have opened in Voorhees, Cherry Hill, Evesham, Mount Laurel and other nearby towns. Other proposals for the facilities have been denied in some towns.
The proposed site on the northbound side of Route 73 on the former Mama Ventura's restaurant property is outlined in yellow.
