Voorhees Town Center
Voorhees Town Center is a former regional shopping mall and mixed-use residential district in Voorhees Township, New Jersey, originally opened as Echelon Mall in 1970.
Last updated August 26, 2026
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Overview
Voorhees Town Center is a mixed-use property in Voorhees Township, New Jersey, centered on the former Echelon Mall. The shopping center opened in 1970 as the commercial centerpiece of a large planned community called Echelon. Its site had previously been an airfield and farmland, and the original development was intended to provide a suburban downtown combining retail, housing, offices, civic functions, and community facilities. The mall was developed by Echelon Mall, Inc., a subsidiary of The Rouse Company, at a reported construction cost of approximately $80 million. At its peak, Echelon Mall contained more than 1.1 million square feet of leasable space and ranked among the largest shopping centers in southern New Jersey. It served the growing suburban communities around Voorhees, Camden County, and the Philadelphia metropolitan area. A food court was added in 1985, and the property also hosted an indoor entertainment center, movie theater, department stores, specialty retailers, and restaurants. The mall began a prolonged decline around 2000. Competition from Cherry Hill Mall, Deptford Mall, Moorestown Mall, The Promenade at Sagemore, and other newer or renovated retail destinations reduced its regional draw. The property also faced internal problems, including limited renovation, the loss of anchor tenants, oversupply of retail space, and a location away from major interstate routes. By 2005, its vacancy rate was reported to be close to 75 percent. Sears and JCPenney departed after relatively short periods, while other national chains gradually left. A major redevelopment led by PREIT began in 2007. The project removed the former Sears and JCPenney buildings and part of the enclosed mall, reduced the retail footprint, added residential and office components, and introduced civic uses. The property was renamed Voorhees Town Center in 2007. Work on the mall portion was completed later that year, and the broader project held its grand opening in spring 2008. Voorhees Township municipal offices moved to the center in 2011, making the complex an unusual example of a shopping-center property anchored in part by local government functions. The redevelopment did not fully reverse the property's commercial difficulties. PREIT sold the center to Namdar Realty Group for $13.4 million in 2015. Macy's announced its departure in 2017, leaving Boscov's as the only traditional department-store anchor. Many national tenants departed during 2017 and 2018, and local officials began considering eminent domain and a broader mixed-use transformation. A proposed redevelopment by Brandywine Financial Services envisioned housing, entertainment, breweries, sports-oriented venues, laser tag, outdoor movies, and other experiential uses, but the proposed buyer ended its agreement in 2020 amid uncertainty caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Later changes included the opening of Modax Furniture Outlet in the former Macy's space in 2023. A two-alarm fire on April 19, 2024, began in the food-court area and spread to the second floor and roof. The interior retail areas and food court subsequently remained closed indefinitely according to the cited reference material. In 2025, Voorhees Township officials announced another redevelopment concept for the mall portion, including more than 300 townhouses and over 38,000 square feet of commercial and entertainment space, while retaining Boscov's. The property's long-term status therefore remains tied to redevelopment rather than conventional regional-mall operation.
History
The property now known as Voorhees Town Center began as an airfield rather than a shopping center. In 1939, flying enthusiasts Rogers and Jeannette Smith acquired almost 200 acres of farmland in Voorhees Township. The Echelon Airfield was incorporated in 1944 and operated with three grass runways, a small café, a gift shop, and a hangar that could accommodate six aircraft. Its uses included recreational flying, flight instruction, crop-dusting departures, and charter operations. After Rogers Smith died in an airplane accident in 1950, Jeannette Smith leased the airfield to Hugh and Kay Hamill. She sold the property in 1962, after which it was renamed Delaware Valley Airpark. The airfield closed in 1965. In 1969, construction began on Echelon Mall, the main commercial element of a planned 470-acre community also called Echelon. The development concept included apartments, condominiums, detached homes, offices, civic facilities, a YMCA, and a Camden County Library facility. Echelon Mall, Inc., a subsidiary of The Rouse Company, developed the mall at a reported cost of $80 million. The shopping center opened in 1970 and was intended to function as a new suburban downtown rather than merely as a retail building. For much of its early history, Echelon Mall was a significant regional destination. Its enclosed retail area eventually reached approximately 1,127,308 square feet, making it the second-largest mall in southern New Jersey after Cherry Hill Mall according to the cited material. A food court opened in November 1985 with more than a dozen food vendors. In October 1992, Edison Brothers Stores opened Exhilarama, an indoor family entertainment center that remained popular through much of the 1990s before closing in 1996. A neighboring General Cinema theater also eventually closed, and its building was demolished for parking. The center's commercial performance deteriorated around 2000. Echelon faced competition from nearby established malls and newer destinations, including Cherry Hill Mall, Moorestown Mall, Deptford Mall, and The Promenade at Sagemore. The property was also hindered by a lack of modernization, excessive retail capacity, anchor departures, and a location at Somerdale and Burnt Mill Roads rather than near an interstate highway or major regional thoroughfare. Sears, whose store opened in 1998, closed only a few years later. JCPenney also departed, followed by a succession of national retailers. By 2005, the mall's vacancy rate was reported to be nearly 75 percent. PREIT pursued a large-scale repositioning after a proposed Walmart store was rejected by local residents. The redevelopment plan called for the removal of abandoned anchor buildings and adjoining mall space, a smaller specialty-retail component, new retail along a landscaped boulevard, housing, and offices. The former Sears and JCPenney structures and the enclosed corridor between Macy's and the former JCPenney were demolished. The mall was formally renamed Voorhees Town Center in 2007. Mall construction was completed in December 2007, and the broader project held its grand opening in spring 2008. New condominiums and office complexes were built around the same period. In May 2011, municipal offices moved into the center; PREIT described it as only the third U.S. mall anchored by municipal offices. The repositioning produced a mixed-use district but did not eliminate the center's retail weakness. Namdar Realty Group acquired the property from PREIT for $13.4 million in October 2015. Macy's later announced that its store would close in spring 2017, leaving Boscov's as the only remaining conventional department-store anchor. Many national merchants left during 2017 and 2018, and the reported vacancy rate reached approximately 40 percent. In 2018, the township pursued redevelopment-area status and considered eminent domain as a way to assemble control over parts of the property. Brandywine Financial Services Corp. was selected as a potential redeveloper, with concepts involving housing, breweries, sports bars, laser tag, outdoor movie nights, and other entertainment uses. Brandywine terminated its purchase agreement in April 2020, citing pandemic-related uncertainty. The property continued to change incrementally. Brooklyn Pizza, previously operating under the names Lorenzo's Pizza and Scotto's Pizza, became the last eatery inside the mall to close in August 2021. Eephee's Kitchen opened in a former Burger King space in October of that year. LensCrafters, which had operated at the mall since the early 1980s, moved to The Promenade at Sagemore in August 2021. By 2023, Boscov's was the principal national retailer inside the mall, alongside Bath & Body Works; Modax Furniture Outlet opened in the former Macy's building in November 2023. A two-alarm fire on April 19, 2024, began in the food-court area and spread to the second floor and roof. The cited material reports that the food court and all interior retail spaces in the former enclosed mall remained closed indefinitely afterward. In October 2025, township officials announced a further redevelopment concept for the mall portion of the property. The proposal included more than 300 townhouses and over 38,000 square feet of new commercial and entertainment space, while retaining Boscov's. The available material does not establish whether the plan was completed, leaving the property's operating status and final redevelopment outcome unresolved.
- 2025
New township redevelopment plan announced
[1]Officials proposed more than 300 townhouses and over 38,000 square feet of commercial and entertainment space.
- 2024
Fire damages enclosed mall
[1]A two-alarm fire damaged the food court, second floor, and roof on April 19.
- 2020
Brandywine purchase agreement ends
[1]A proposed acquisition and redevelopment by Brandywine ended during the COVID-19 pandemic.
- 2017
Macy's closes
[1]Macy's departed in spring, leaving Boscov's as the only remaining department-store anchor.
- 2015
Namdar Realty Group acquires property
[1]Namdar Realty Group purchased the center from PREIT for a reported $13.4 million.
- 2011
Municipal offices relocate
[1]Voorhees Township moved its municipal offices into the town center.
- 2008
Redeveloped center holds grand opening
[1]The redesigned mall and surrounding mixed-use development formally opened to the public.
- 2007
Mall renamed Voorhees Town Center
[1]The property adopted its current name during a major reduction and mixed-use redevelopment.
- 1992
Exhilarama entertainment center opens
[1]Edison Brothers Stores launched an indoor family entertainment center at the mall.
- 1985
Food court opens
[1]A food court with more than a dozen vendors opened in November.
Products and positioning
Originally positioned as a suburban downtown and major regional shopping mall, Voorhees Town Center was later repositioned as a smaller mixed-use town center combining retail, housing, offices, municipal services, and potential entertainment uses. Its current positioning is principally redevelopment-oriented, with Boscov's remaining as the principal department-store anchor.
Regional shopping mall · 1970
Echelon Mall enclosed retail center
The original enclosed shopping mall opened in 1970 and grew to approximately 1.1 million square feet of leasable space. It accommodated department stores, specialty retailers, restaurants, a food court, and entertainment venues. Much of the original structure was removed or reduced during the 2007 redevelopment, and the remaining interior retail areas later experienced prolonged vacancy and closure.
Mixed-use retail and residential development · 2007
Voorhees Town Center mixed-use district
The renamed property combines the reduced mall component with residential units, office space, civic facilities, and surrounding commercial uses. The redevelopment was designed to replace declining enclosed retail with a suburban town-center format. Later proposals sought to add housing and entertainment while preserving Boscov's.
Department store anchor
Boscov's
Boscov's is the remaining department-store anchor identified in the reference material. It offers broad department-store merchandise and has remained part of successive redevelopment concepts, including the township's 2025 proposal.
Civic facility · 2011
Voorhees Township municipal offices
Voorhees Township municipal offices relocated to the center in 2011. Their presence gave the property a civic function unusual for a conventional shopping mall and supported the project's town-center positioning.
Brand decisions
2025
Announce another housing and entertainment redevelopment planStrategyBackground
The enclosed mall remained commercially weakened and, following the 2024 fire, interior retail areas were reported closed indefinitely.
Action taken
Voorhees Township officials announced a concept involving more than 300 townhouses and over 38,000 square feet of commercial and entertainment space, with Boscov's remaining in place.
Aftermath
The cited material does not confirm construction or completion, so the final operating configuration remains uncertain.
2018
Pursue township-led redevelopmentStrategyBackground
Persistent vacancies and the loss of national retailers prompted Voorhees Township to consider stronger public intervention, including redevelopment-area designation and possible eminent domain.
Action taken
The township sought proposals and selected Brandywine Financial Services Corp. for a concept involving housing, breweries, sports venues, laser tag, outdoor movies, and other entertainment uses.
Aftermath
Brandywine ended its purchase agreement in 2020, so the proposed transformation did not proceed as described.
2015
Sell the property to Namdar Realty GroupM&ABackground
The center continued to face retail pressure after its earlier repositioning, while Macy's was evaluating store closures across its portfolio.
Action taken
PREIT sold Voorhees Town Center to Namdar Realty Group.
Aftermath
Macy's subsequently closed its store, and the property entered another period of vacancy and redevelopment discussions.
Reported transaction price. $13.4 million (2015)
2007
Convert Echelon Mall into a mixed-use town centerStrategyBackground
The mall suffered severe vacancy and competition from newer or renovated shopping destinations. A rejected Walmart proposal led the developer to pursue a broader plan rather than simply add another conventional anchor.
Action taken
PREIT-led redevelopment demolished obsolete anchor buildings and part of the enclosed mall, reduced the specialty-retail area, added housing and offices, and introduced civic-oriented uses. The property was renamed Voorhees Town Center.
Aftermath
The project opened in stages during 2007 and 2008 and later accommodated township offices, but the retail component continued to experience tenant losses and vacancy.
Recent events
- 2025
Township announces another town-center redevelopment concept[1]
Other
Voorhees Township officials announced plans involving more than 300 townhouses and over 38,000 square feet of new commercial and entertainment space. Boscov's was expected to remain in place.
- 2024
Two-alarm fire damages food court, second floor, and roof[1]
Recall · Other
A fire broke out in the food-court area on April 19, 2024, and spread to the second floor and roof. The cited reference states that the food court and interior retail areas remained closed indefinitely afterward.
- 2023
Modax Furniture Outlet opens in former Macy's space[1]
Product launch
Modax Furniture Outlet opened in the former Macy's building, adding a large-format home-furnishings tenant to the property.
- 2020
Brandywine terminates purchase agreement amid pandemic uncertainty[1]
M&A · Other
Brandywine ended its agreement to acquire the property from Namdar, citing uncertainty associated with the COVID-19 pandemic.
- 2018
Township considers eminent domain and a new redevelopment framework[1]
Regulation
Voorhees Township designated parts of the property as a redevelopment area and considered acquiring portions of the center, including the vacant Macy's building, to enable a mixed-use transformation.
- 2018
Brandywine selected for proposed mixed-use transformation[1]
Other
Township officials selected Brandywine Financial Services Corp. as a prospective redeveloper. Concepts included housing, entertainment, breweries, sports-oriented venues, and the possible removal of portions of the existing mall.
- 2017
Macy's announces closure at Voorhees Town Center[1]
Other
Macy's announced that its Voorhees location would close in spring 2017, leaving Boscov's as the center's only remaining traditional department-store anchor.
- 2015
Property sold to Namdar Realty Group[1]
M&A
PREIT sold Voorhees Town Center to Namdar Realty Group for $13.4 million after Macy's announced a nationwide store-closure program. The cited amount is a reported transaction value for 2015.
- 2011
Voorhees Township municipal offices move to the town center[1]
Other
Voorhees Township relocated its municipal offices to the mixed-use property, adding a civic anchor to the redeveloped shopping center.
- 2007
Voorhees Town Center is renamed during major redevelopment[1]
Other
The former Echelon Mall was renamed Voorhees Town Center as PREIT-led redevelopment removed obsolete anchor buildings, reduced the enclosed retail footprint, and added residential, office, and civic components.
Sources1 sources
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