Ice rink at old Mart site?

In a blog post today, John Dewar said,

What will be done with the Phantoms? They still draw good crowds and Philly is considered a real good market for the AHL. My long term suggestion? Build the rink across the river in Pennsauken, NJ on the site of the old Pennsauken Mart.

Dewar noted that there are plans to build retail shops and condos on the old Pennsauken Mart site..

But that decision was done within the past 18 months or so. Now, the housing market is not what it was a couple of years ago.

Dewar is trying to build a case for a rink, saying the economic boost to Pennsauken and the region will not be as projected because of the downturn in the housing market. Even if that were true, Dewar unfortunately ignored the effect of the retail space and other factors. Back in June, 2007, at a time when we were in throes of the housing market slide, the County Freeholder Lou Capelli said the planned development would generate $3 million a year in revenue compared to the paltry quarter million that the old Mart produced.

While a rink is not a bad idea, I just think it won’t happen. The condo and retail space plan that the Camden County development authorities came up with, still has a green light.

According to a spokesperson at the Camden County Improvement Authority today, the project is moving forward.

The site today:	Planned development:
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Man’s body found

According to the Courier-Post:

The body of a 41-year-old Camden man was found behind an abandoned building Tuesday afternoon, officials said. The man, whose identity was not released, was found in the 4600 block of River Road around 2 p.m. by a passer-by.

It was unclear when or how the man died. An autopsy was scheduled for this morning.

The Philadelphia Inquirer item added this:

Police said crime scene investigators were at the scene, but there were no obvious signs of foul play and it was unclear when the man died.

The CBS Channel 3 also reported the incident with video

The building has been vacant and boarded up for several years.

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