By Julia Train
A $300 million to $400 million development project is awaiting approvals at the former B.L. England Generating Station site in Beesleys Point, where developers plan to create a sprawling mixed-use community along Route 9 and Great Egg Harbor Bay.
The Beesleys Point Development Group (BPDG) envisions a 180-room bayfront hotel, a 300-seat restaurant, 768 housing units and 80,000 square feet of retail space for the 377-acre property.
As part of the process, BPDG is seeking an amendment to its redevelopment agreement to include the housing element.
The company submitted an application to the state for a Coastal Area Facility Review Act (CAFRA) permit to develop the property, and the township will receive a formal proposal in May.
Chad Parks, executive vice president of real estate and development for BPDG, said that while the initial proposal outlines 768 residential units, that number could decrease during the permitting process with the state Department of Environmental Protection and negotiations with the township.
The redevelopment vision extends beyond housing and hospitality.
BPDG’s agreement with the township also includes a marina, waterfront shops, public recreational areas and a nature preserve. Significant portions of the land will be preserved to maintain open space and protect local wildlife.
Chris Wilson and Tim Niedzwiecki, co-founders of BPDG, along with Parks and David Kreutz, director of economic development, have been working toward this goal since purchasing. The site was sold to the developers in September 2021, and the sale was finalized in February 2022.
Following the acquisition, the team spent years demolishing the aging coal-fired plant, which had operated for nearly six decades. The power plant opened in 1961 and ceased operations in 2019.
The group has run three demolition projects: imploding the cooling tower on Sept. 29, 2022, imploding the boiler units on April 21, 2023, and demolishing the smokestack on Oct. 26, 2023.
Now, Parks said the demolition is complete, and the final closure of the site remediation is waiting on approval from the state Department of Environmental Protection.
Securing environmental permits and approvals for a wastewater treatment plant are among the parallel efforts underway. Parks said timing is critical as the team hopes to be “grandfathered in” before new state regulations under the New Jersey Protecting Against Climate Threats and Resilient Environments and Landscapes (NJPACT-REAL) take effect.
If the township committee approves the proposed amendment, the planning board will evaluate whether the plan aligns with the township’s master plan before sending it back for a final approval. Only then will BPDG submit a formal site plan.
Although the ambitious project is still navigating bureaucratic hurdles, Parks is optimistic.
However, not all elements will move at the same pace. Parks acknowledged that finding a hotel partner may be challenging given the area’s seasonal tourist economy. Nevertheless, a hospitality component remains a crucial part of the overall vision.
If all approvals are secured, BPDG hopes to have construction underway by 2026. It’s estimated that the project could take about a decade to complete.
