Beesley’s Point Development Group promises to transform B.L. England site into an ecological gem
“There is going to be a very noticeable difference from the road over the next year,” Chris Wilson said of the 350-acre property at the northern tip of Upper Township.
Wilson and his partners in the Beesley’s Point Development Group — David Kreutz, Tim Niedzwiecki and Chad Parks — bought the property in 2021 from RC Cape May Holdings with plans to develop a hotel, marina, retail shops and housing.
For nearly 60 years, the site was home to the B.L. England Generating Station, a source of jobs, electricity and funding through energy tax receipts that made up a large portion of the township’s annual budget. It included a nine-hole golf course, fishing pier and public swimming pool at one point.
Located along Great Egg Harbor Bay, the site includes sections of wetlands, lowlands, uplands and maritime forest — criss-crossed by multiple natural and man-made paths — that are home to numerous species of plants and animals.
The BPDG, which specializes in redeveloping obsolete and often-abandoned sites, has grand plans for boosting the ecology of the site, which they hope in turn boosts the economy of the entire township.
“There will be a direct connection to current town parks, beautiful walking and biking trails, nature observatories and programs to help the site be an ambassador for nature and native species of plants and wildlife we are in the process of restoring,” Wilson said. “We are different with a purpose.”
Kreutz said the site is a wonderland of nature.
“Once the golf course closed, nothing has ever been touched so there is scientifically significant stuff going on out there, which is the recapture of land by nature. There are very, very fascinating native and nonnative species of plants.”
He said they are going to get involved with state universities such as Stockton, Rutgers, Monmouth and Temple.
“We’ll get some people that are way smarter than we are to come here and look around and find out what is here, whether it needs to be saved or brought back,” Kreutz said.
He said one plan is to create a migrant bird trap since the area is on the Atlantic Flyway.
“I’ve had experience in birding community and know there is an opportunity for us to improve the site to make it attractive for birds to stop and rest, which is key,” Kreutz said.
In addition to the other elements, the group is planning to build a boardwalk, an expanded fishing pier, nature features, park areas, sports facilities and an amphitheater for events.
“The ability to combine business with the love of nature absolutely exists at BPDG and will be a feature of our development,” Wilson said.
He said the company’s projects usually are off in the middle of nowhere instead of in a beautiful setting at the shore near residential development.
“When we saw this years ago, we decided it was worth going after it and figured out how to get it,” Wilson said. “No one is going to spend a fortune on doing this but us.”
He said incorporating green space in their projects started as a major hurdle but “we turned it into a huge advantage.”
“We guarantee communities to do this undertaking and there is no better example than the controlled burn we recently conducted,” he said, noting they are working with top experts in the field to eradicate invasive species and restore the natural habitat.
He said things such as keeping existing fresh-water pools would revive natural habitat, letting wildlife return and thrive.
“We are super proud of our track record,” Wilson said, noting they are working with agencies such as the Great Egg Harbor Watershed Association.
Kreutz said they would focus on ecotourism and provide educational opportunities, especially to children around the community.
“Education is really, really important to us. The kids in the community are going to get something really special here,” Kreutz said.
The BPDG said public access and a variety of outdoor experiences are “paramount to our development.”
“We understand the development will be a draw for people across the state, but we are committed to Upper Township and will be sharing plans for a variety of programs and specific areas of enjoyment for everyone to take advantage of year round,” Wilson said.
Kreutz said almost everyone he has met from the community has a story about the former power plant, noting some toured the plant as Boy Scouts and will never forget the experience.
“That’s the kind of thing we are going to create with the green space here. It’s about the kids when they leave and go to college or go off in the world, when they think back on growing up in this area I want them to think about this place. This has to be that place for them or we are not doing our job,” he said.
The company will be seeking input from the community on the types of recreation programs they would like to see.
“This is a complicated and significant development, but we will be involving the local community and asking for their ideas to help us develop something magical for generations of local residents,” Wilson said.
He said the development should benefit the existing businesses in the area — Beesley’s Point Sea-Doo and the historic Tuckahoe Inn are both on the bay — as well as the greater township.
“The natural attraction of both will be perfect for the waterfront resort portions of the project we are working on,” Wilson said.
Development timeframe
Last year, the public saw the first sign of the development when the cooling tower was reduced to rubble through a series of implosions Sept. 29. Several dozen people — local and state safety inspectors, firefighters and EMS personnel, township officials and others — gathered at the viewing site just outside the blast zone as a crew from Controlled Demolition Inc. conducted a two-stage implosion that brought the tower down.
Dozens more gathered on the pier that used to connect to the Beesleys Point Bridge and others stopped on the Garden State Parkway walkway to watch the spectacle.
The team has worked steadily since to remove the cooling tower debris and begin dismantling other structures and is gearing up for another big step forward.
Controlled Demolition is scheduled to return April 21 to bring down the smoke stack — used by many as a navigational aid because of its height. Wilson said the site should be cleared and the team ready to build in six to 10 months.
“It’s about to get hot and heavy,” Wilson said.
He said the demolition of all structures, eradication of phragmites and restoration of the upland forest should all be completed by year’s end.
Wind farm proposal
Wilson emphasized that the group is not associated with the Ocean Wind 1 wind farm project. However, Danish wind-power developer Ørsted does plan to connect to the power grid at a substation on the property.
The offshore wind proposal includes construction of as many as 98 wind turbines 15 miles off Cape May and Atlantic counties to generate 1,100 megawatts of power. Multiple other projects are also in various stages of development for a large area stretching from the northern coastal tip of North Carolina to just south of Massachusetts.
As part of the project known as Ocean Wind 1, a joint venture between Danish company Ørsted and PSEG, transmission cables would run under the beach and streets in Ocean City, along Roosevelt Boulevard to Upper Township and connect with the substation in Beesleys Point.
Wilson said it took close to three years to close on the property with the former owner, which he said disclosed the agreement for a substation “at the 11th hour.”
He said they were not to be deterred.
“We wouldn’t let go,” he said. “We saw this as a terrific property. I knew we could do something magical here that other developers wouldn’t do because of the hurdles.”