That entire site should become a park and a wildlife conservation area. We DO NOT^ need any more developement of any sort in that area. There ia already too much commercial stuff along that narrow Route 9 corridor. Note the now derelict Food Town center among others.

That "shopping center" has been an eye sore and the parking lot an absolute disgrace for more than 20 years!
Have they finally managed to get that Wicker store to move out? You know, that "wicker furniture and accessories" store that literally never _EVER_ had any customers actually buying anything for the last 20 years? Not even when wicker furniture had it's brief and ugly heyday in the mid-1980's did that store do any business.
That place had to be a front for drugs, illegal immigrants, sex slaves or something! There is no way it could have paid the notoriously high rent in that dump of a plaza, and stayed in business -- unless it was a front for illegal activity of some kind.
They should bulldoze the entire thing down and build a new community center for Beachwood and Pine Beach, with a small green park area and plenty of parking.

Why not a garbage disposal site? After all, Beachwood is a dump...period.

I want to see it go down, such a horrible site. Was "decent" 20 years ago, not at all now.

I would like a bowling alley back! I miss Thunderbowl... as bad as it was I loved it there.

I heard recently that there is a sizable parking lot underground at this site. Is this so? How has it been used in last 20 years?

What a shame. Jason Varano has done years of work to lay the groundwork for finally fixing up that eyesore. Now this new leech of a mayor will take all the credit for it, and dumb Berkeley residents will gladly give it to him. Glad I'll be moving out of that horrible area before too long.

^^VJ ...yeah what did he do ?? it still looks like a shit hole, and who said he was taking all the credit, He's a good guy who would give his last penny to anyone needed it.
Give him a chance.

VJ, thats why we get to vote . People get elected and some lose . Was this guy to be mayor for life ? I just recall him as a Corzine hack !

You are correct Mr. Varano certainly tried. But we need to get this down. There should be no delay in the demo. It should be condemned and demolished immediately. Not only is it an eyesore, it's dangerous. Move the building dept along to condemn it mayor!!!!

Why not do what Brick and other towns have done with similar plazas and put a viable anchor store like Target surrounded by restaurants and local shops so this will be a plaza that all the surrounding communities can be proud of and not embarrased by. I would welcome it to just bulldozed and figure out what to do with it later- it makes the entire area look like a wellfare state!

I hope wonder Weiner doesn't go!

We need something in there that will make money not cost!! I'm already paying high taxes on a home that should be bigger for the amount I pay!! And I would love to see the bowling alley go back in also!! Or even a cabelas we have a lot of hunters in this area it would bring good money to this town!!

To vj ... That's what happens its all politics It's not about who gets the credit .... It's about it getting done and turned in to something that is useful and finally making that area not look like a ghetto!

Chief Wahoo, Amato has done nothing but bounce around from public job to public job. I think VJ very accurately described him as a leech, as that's exactly what he is. No one in their right mind would hire him in the private sector, so he just sits around and sucks up my hard-earned tax dollars.

A side note, Varano worked in the private sector (in the health insurance industry if I recall correctly) long before he became a mayor, continued to do so while mayor, and still does now. That's the problem with you right-wingers: you're totally oblivious to facts.

Jack Hunter, If you think Varano was a "Corzine hack," you're too dumb to even deserve a real response.

VJ, who really cares which puppet is in "office" when this gets done???? As long as some kind of growth happens in this town I would be happy. Yes, they would need to address the NIGHTMARE of Route 9 and Route 166 in that area. But that is a good thing. I've recently moved to Beachwood and am so upset by this unmotivated, stagnant, trashy town. I wish I never moved here! I've cleaned up trash myself on the corner of Rt. 9 and Surf Ave. (3 trash bags full!!) People were looking at me like I was nuts. What is wrong with this picture??? The next week the area was full of trash again. Nobody cares about their own community here.

Take all the drug scums, chain them together and set em free to clean up that mess. Then dig a big hole and use them as a filler. Just sayin

How about a Cracker Barrel restaurant? There isn't a decent place in town to have breakfast. And maybe a few small stores, with a country theme deco, maybe something like Smitheville. After all this is the Pine Barrens. And definetly NO big box stores!

instead of another unhealthy place to eat, we promote a cleaner, more modern and healthier town. not an area for obeasity and lazieness

Country fried steak, Biscuits and gravy, Yummy!

What is with you people with putting a park, or putting a wildlife conservation area!!!!! You are living in the wrong place if that is what you wish would go there... I agree that is should be something that will be put our local people back to work!!! Not a place for figgin birds to sit!! I am stunned that people really want a park there, I'm really stunned!!

Wow such angry people. Everytime something happens around here, it turns into a political debate on who's fault it is or who should be in office...lol. Just making a observation

SAMs Club, Target and Coldstone.. Trader Joe's at the Foodtown site.

As a lifelong native to the community I cannot wait for the shopping center to be torn down, it has been a eyesore for too many years. It would be great to have a bowling alley back close to home, and one large department store with small shops around it It would be nice we had a new store rather than the same old, same old.

The problem with Berkeley township is , it is a one way in and out. Route 9 which is the ugliest section of it running through the town and a nightmare of traffic. Brick with its' many roads has great shopping and wonderful restaurants. It is really a matter of geography.

There was an underground parking area which held a dozen or so antique cars. They should put the bowling ally in again