Garden State Inn Will Be Destroyed Before Township Acquires Land

CINNAMINSON, NJ — The current owners of the Garden State Inn are being required by the township to completely demolish their current motel no later than Dec. 30, according to a resolution passed by Cinnaminson Township Committee Monday night. The township will reimburse R&M Brothers up to $200,000 for costs related to the demolition.

The amendment is the latest step in the township’s effort to replace the motel with German grocery store giant Lidl. Township Committee first approved the sale back in January. At the time, officials called the motel a “persistent problem.”

The resolution approved Monday night calls for R&M Brothers to demolish the motel, which currently stands on over 10 acres of land bound by Route 130 South and Highland Avenue, before turning the property over to the township.

The township will hold on to the land until Lidl’s is ready to complete the purchase and begin building on part of the property. On Monday night, residents unsure of how long that would take wanted to ensure that Lidl’s would definitely be assuming ownership of the land.

“We can’t guarantee that Lidl won’t go in a different direction, but we do have a binding deal with them,” Cinnaminson Township Solicitor John Gillespie said.

He also said there is a clear public benefit to having the Garden State Inn demolished. The 97-room Garden State Inn has been labelled “problematic” by township officials.

"The town is forced to commit significant resources to deal with crime and other ancillary issues generated by the Garden State Inn," Cinnaminson Township Administrator/Director of Public Safety Michael P. King said when the township initially announced the deal. "Criminal incidents range from petty crime all the way up to drugs, prostitution, and weapons offenses. … I cannot understate the importance of having The Garden State Inn closed."

Crime has been a problem at the motel, including an incident in May of this year in which two people were robbed at gunpoint.

For over a decade, the township has sought to eliminate rundown motels as part of its redevelopment vision. This included the leveling of four motels back in 2006, according to a Courier Post report.

But residents who spoke Monday night reiterated that although it is an eyesore, the motel still brings in money for the township. They fear that if it is demolished and nothing replaces it, the land could become a burden on taxpayers.

“We did have a meeting with Lidl representatives as recently as today, and there’s no reason to believe they’ve lost any interest,” King said in response to those fears.

Last year, Business Insider reported Lidl planned to open a litany of stores in the United States by 2018, with a heavy focus on the East Coast from New Jersey to Georgia. The unofficial number of new stores listed was about 150.

The chain, known for its rock bottom prices, already has more than 10,000 stores in 26 European countries, according to the report. It is considered to be a cross between Walmart and Trader Joe's. Monday night’s resolution was passed by a 4-0 vote of Township Committee members. Mayor Anthony Minniti was absent.

Patch file photo