Millville Holly Orchard

[Boyd]

I see the signs at this place everytime I drive down Rt 49 and it makes me wonder what's going on:

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&q=39.372061,-74.97242&ie=UTF8&z=13&t=h&om=1&iwloc=A

At the entrance it says "Atlantic (City) Electric Holly Orchard". Then there's an old entrance gate which says "Millville Holly Orchard." There's a big forsale sign adjacent to the entrance which says it's a 1,300 acre parcel including the 85 acre Millville Holly Orchard and a 10,000 sq ft conference center.

I hope this doesn't become the site for another big development. It looks like the property might border on the Menantico Ponds WMA. Anybody have info on this? Did Atlantic City Electric buy the land with the intention of building a power plant there, then decide to sell it after failing to get approval perhaps?

 

[Gerania]

Find anything? I just ran across a piece on a Garden State EnviroNet page. August 17 2004 Press of Atlantic City

..."The controversial project is for an upscale 950-home active adult
community with a golf course and other amenities."

Maybe that one didn't go through.

 

[jokerman]

From what I have read, there is a large proposed development in Millvile which was rejected by the Planning Board. Not sure if this is the same one, but the town said something to the effect that the plans appeared to have been made to benefit the devloper and not the residents. Crowding and lack of recreational and aesthetic components made the proposed development not a very nice place to live apparently.

 

[Boyd]

the town said something to the effect that the plans appeared to have been made to benefit the devloper and not the residents.

Well that's a real "first" for New Jersey...

The forsale sign is still there, so hopefully that means nobody has bought the place yet...

 

[Frolickin]

the plans appeared to have been made to benefit the devloper and not the residents.

This is the same planning board that has gotten the elected state officials to hammer through a law that will set up a slush fund for the out-of-state developer of the racetrack by taxing its customers. And here we thought our taxes went for government services . . .

 

[amf]

Development proposals surface periodically like dead carp on this property. The latest was shot down, at least for now... IIRC, the original owner had quite a rep as a holly hybridizer, & the holly farm was quite an operation in its heyday.

 

[dragoncjo]

I've been traveling down that road going to sea isle for a while and that place always seems to be for sale. That road is relatively undisturbed with few or no developments. I hope it stays that way since some of my favorite spots are within a few miles of there.

 

[k-dub]

It looks like they are going to permit development of this finally. They started clearing a very large section behind the holly orchards all the way up to the sand wash closest to the Menantico Ponds. I wonder if the sand wash is part of the property, that would be a shame if it was.

 

[dragoncjo]

Hate to hear this, guess it was only a matter of time. Anyone else have any info on this?

 

[dogg57]

http://forums.njpinebarrens.com/threads/ace-property-holly-orchard-development.7836/

 

[Boyd]

That's a shame. Dogg, that thread in your link is over a year old. No new info there.... The estate is still being listed as a rental:

http://www.coldwellbankermoves.com/property/details/2462736/MLS-5868837/3001-Millville-NJ-08332.aspx
http://www.weichertrents.com/43708804/

 

[dogg57]

No shame at all.Just keeping it in the same bundle
http://forums.njpinebarrens.com/threads/todays-phila-inquirer.934/

 

[Boyd]

I didn't mean that your post was a shame. I meant it would be a shame if they are going to develop the orchard property.

 

[dogg57]

I didn't mean that your post was a shame. I meant it would be a shame if they are going to develop the orchard property.

I don't take your reply's as negative Boyd .........Looks like they are keeping any news quiet.Which is usually bad news

 

[Boyd]

But if they are going to build a development there, you'd think they would advertise it. Drove past yesterday and there's no new signage or anything.

 

[k-dub]

I came in from Schooner Landing by bicycle, when I saw they had started a road and significant clearing had already begun I used that as an open invitation to check the place out . I was greeted by some guys on quads and kids on motocross bikes at the mansion. I was told I was not allowed to be there as the land had been leased, apparently they are using it as their own private riding area in the mean time. They didn't want me leaving the way I came in either, but I wasn't budging on that issue.

 

[Boyd]

Something happening now on the opposite side of Rt 49 from the Holly Orchard. This is the area on the 2007 aerials:

http://maps.njpinebarrens.com/#lat=39.38259571480203&lng=-74.9708791415024&z=17&type=nj2007&gpx=

You can see how it has been cleared in the Google imagery which is evidently pretty recent. For the past few weeks there has been activity there, looked like they were hauling out large dumpsters a week ago. Are they are clearing it in order to build some kind of housing development? Commercial/industrial? The strange thing is there's a relatively new house right in the middle of the cleared area, near the road.

http://maps.njpinebarrens.com/#lat=39.38257498329885&lng=-74.97088450592042&z=17&type=hybrid&gpx=

 

[46er]

Sure have enough tires

 

[dragoncjo]

Boyd was this the spot that use to have the metal as a fence around a crappy trailer? Maybe they are just cleaning up all the trash and nonsense they had on the property.

 

[RednekF350]

Ten minutes of snooping yielded this:
The property consists of two lots Bl. 325 Lots 39 & 40 in Millville.
Owner is Donloss LLC with a mailing address of 155 Route 50 in Greenfield which is near the intersection of Route 50 and 9 below Tuckahoe.
Lo and behold, the address is for a trash company.
http://www.earthtech.biz/
Perhaps they are preparing for a cleaner facility operation in Millville or maybe they are being forced to clean the site.

I will spend a little more time later.
I am attaching an image with ownership shown.