Somers Point planners give approval
By CRAIG D. SCHENCK/Sentinel staff
SOMERS POINT — The vacant Kmart store at the Somers Point Plaza will have a new tenant after Target renovates the store and opens some time next year.
The Planning Board gave its unanimous approval for a couple of variances — regarding signage and number of parking spaces — during a virtual meeting Wednesday, Dec. 16.
Amee Farrell, a lawyer representing Target, outlined the project and explained how its need for the variances is justified. She called on expert witnesses Cornelius Brown, a state-licensed engineer, and Doug Bartolomeo, a company architect.
Brown testified he foresaw no problems associated with the increased number of signs nor the loss of parking spaces, calling it “de minimis.”
“The signage is generally consistent with signage associated with the Acme located on the north side of the shopping center which received site plan approval in 1993 as well as similar retail facilities previously approved by the Somers Point Planning Board,” Farrell argued. “Although the majority of the building-mounted signage area is greater than the maximum allowed by zoning (25 square feet), the proposed signage area will be in scale with the proposed buildings and at a size necessary to facilitate clear use identification in consideration of the extensive building setbacks.”
In other words, large enough to be seen from a distance.
Brown said the project will require restriping part of the parking lot and erecting signage that will allow for a drive-thru, which will result in the loss of four parking spaces.
Barolomeo said Kmart had two entrances — in the front and into the garden center, which led inside. He said the construction included a “bump-out,” allowing for a second entrance once the garden center is gone.
He said it would be used for the company’s “growing pickup business” for groceries and other items. The store plans to have a pickup window as well as an area just inside the door for package pickups.
“It made a lot of sense for us to have a second guest entrance,” he said.
Target will be a tenant in the building, which is owned by Lee Brahin of Gemini Holdings of Somers Point.
No information was available about the timeframe of the project.
Target spokeswoman Jill Lewis confirmed in an email that Target has plans to open a store in Somers Point.
“We’re excited to bring an easy, safe and convenient shopping experience to new guests in the community with this new Target store. Located at 250 New Road, the store will be approximately 101,000 square feet. As we get closer to opening the store, we’ll have more specific details to share — including how the shopping experience will be tailored to serve local guests and the grand opening date,” Lewis stated.
The Kmart, one of the big anchors in the shopping center, closed in 2019 along with other stores in the national chain.
Target will not be using the garden center area that was part of the Kmart store, instead planning to remove the fence and leave it as an open area.
Planning Board engineer Bob Watkins encouraged the board to make it a condition of approval that the garden center area would not be used and if Target wished to do so it would have to return to the board for approval.
Farrell agreed that Target would have to return to the Planning Board if it ever wished to develop the area in any way.