7-Eleven Inching Closer to West Orange

Oh thank heaven, a 7-Eleven is on its way to West Orange.

The planning board approved a site plan authorizing a 7-Eleven location to open on Central Avenue and Valley Road Wednesday night. The convenience store will replace the gas station currently operating on site.

"It's a great benefit for the area," planning director Susan Borg told Patch. "It's really showing big development."

Before approving the site plan, board members set several conditions including replacing a 20-foot highway sign with a smaller monument sign on the ground, Borg said. She added that board members thought the sign was simply too large.

The area must also undergo environmental testing from the Department of Environmental Protection before 7-Eleven can take ownership of the property and begin construction.

Borg said the area is currently in "deplorable" shape and very run down. She said it could take some time before the store gets all its permits to begin construction.

The planning board will adopt a resolution approving the finalized site plan for the project in May.