Vacant Bar May Become Major Hazard on White Horse Pike in Galloway

It was nearly nine months ago to the day that Kennedy’s Bar at the intersection of the White Horse Pike and Pomona Road caught , and it was shortly after that that the building was deemed unsafe.

Now, Mayor Don Purdy is voicing concern that the now vacant building could collapse, and says it’s time to either renovate it or tear the building down.

“Letters have gone out to the owners, and now we’re waiting for a response,” Purdy said Thursday morning, Dec. 15.

According to Galloway Township Manager Steve Bonanni, a notice of violation was previously sent to the owners, and a court summons was issued this week. A hearing on the matter has been set for Friday, Dec. 23.

"After court, we will make the call of what to do," Purdy said.

Purdy stated that this discussion hasn’t taken place prior to now because of an ongoing investigation by the Atlantic County Prosecutor’s Office. He said he believed it was getting to the point where the township can no longer wait to make a decision about the building.

“We have a road-widening project right there, and the building could fall into the highway,” Purdy said. I don’t want to see that building fall onto someone driving by or on any of the workers out there. And I don’t want the township to be held liable if something happens and the building has already been deemed unsafe. It should’ve been taken care of a long time ago.

“It’s an eye sore, but it if you see how close it’s getting to the street, it’s unsafe.”

On Friday morning, the Atlantic County Prosecutor's Office stated the investigation is still ongoing and no determination has been made yet.

The fire took place on March 21, around 10 p.m., roughly half an hour after the bar closed for the night. The fire began in the attic, which was being used for storage, and blew up through the roof. Since then, half the roof has been missing.

“The building’s close to 80 or 100 years old to begin with,” Purdy said. “There was a lot of structural damage, and the structure has been deemed unsafe.”

Since then, the building has been ravaged by a summer of heavy rains that was capped by Hurricane Irene the final weekend of August.

“The roof is open to the elements,” Purdy said. “ … It’s time to take the next step and either have it removed or have it replaced.”