What will downsized plan to replace shuttered Friendly's look like?

Carol Comegno, Cherry Hill Courier-Post
·2 min read

EVESHAM − The developer of a major Route 70 shopping center has agreed to scale down an expansion plan meant to bring in more restaurants and other businesses to replace Friendly's in return for a rehearing before the township zoning board.The agreement between owner/developer Marlton Urban Edge, LLC, and the Evesham Zoning Board is an attempt to resolve a lawsuit filed by the Route 70 shopping center after the zoning board rejected its first application to add up to seven new businesses, including four restaurants.

ShopRite, Kohl's, Pet Smart, Honeygrow, Shake Shack, WineWorks and American Express Bank are current tenants in the shopping center, located along Route 70 at its intersection with Route 73.

Urban Edge has agreed to limit the expansion to just four businesses in a strip center replacing Friendly's, which closed almost a year ago.

A court order requires a new hearing be held by Aug. 7, but the actual date is pending Urban Edge submitting a revised application.

The owner of this shopping center on Route 70 at Route 73 in Marlton with a Kohl's and a ShopRite will resubmit an application to the Evesham Zoning Board for a smaller business expansion plan with fewer new stores than on its initial application rejected by the board in March.
The owner of this shopping center on Route 70 at Route 73 in Marlton with a Kohl's and a ShopRite will resubmit an application to the Evesham Zoning Board for a smaller business expansion plan with fewer new stores than on its initial application rejected by the board in March.

The lawsuit was filed after the Evesham Zoning Board rejected the shopping center's requests in March for up to seven more businesses, highway access changes and zoning variances for parking space reductions, traffic flow adjustments and more signs.

Cava and First Watch could join ShopRite in Marlton center

The new strip would house the restaurants Cava and First Watch and two other as yet unnamed businesses.

Urban Edge has agreed to eliminate its request for up to three other new businesses in a parking lot in the back of the shopping center near Route 73 and adjacent to Honeygrow and Shake Shack, according to the court agreement.

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The only access to and from the shopping center is along Route 70. The state eliminated the Route 73 entrance when it built an overpass to replace the former Marlton Circle at the intersection of the two highways.

Two new eateries may replace this closed Friendly's restaurant on Route 70 in Marlton at the Kohl's and ShopRite shopping center.
Two new eateries may replace this closed Friendly's restaurant on Route 70 in Marlton at the Kohl's and ShopRite shopping center.

First Watch serves breakfast and lunch while the Mediterranean-style Cava features an extensive salad and pita wrap menu. They would become corner anchors of four planned tenants in a 10,000 square-foot, mini-strip center within the larger shopping center after demolition of the Friendly's restaurant.

Neither the zoning board solicitor nor the shopping center attorney responded to requests for comment.

Carol Comegno loves telling stories about South Jersey life, history and military veterans for the Courier Post, Burlington County Times and The Daily Journal. Have a story to share, call her at 856-486-2473 or email  ccomegno@gannettnj.com.

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This article originally appeared on Cherry Hill Courier-Post: Route 70 shopping center wants to add Cava and First Watch as tenants