The former Echelon Mall in Voorhees is getting a $220 million transformation—and for an entire generation of South Jersey families who grew up there, it’s been a long time coming.

At its peak, the Voorhees mall had it all: a buzzing food court, a movie theater, and Exhilarama—the wildly popular indoor amusement center that kids begged to go to throughout the 1990s. For a long time, Echelon was the heartbeat of the community. Then, like many of the once-buzzing malls across New Jersey, it wasn’t.

By 2005, the mall’s vacancy rate had climbed to nearly 75%. National chains that once anchored the property like Sears, JCPenney, and Strawbridge’s had closed up shop and left. Competing malls nearby sped up the bleeding by pulling shoppers away. As of last year, Bath & Body Works was the last national retailer still operating on the premises. And in April 2024, a two-alarm fire tore through the food court and spread to the second floor, closing much of what remained in the decaying shopping center. 

It was a quiet, unceremonious end to something that seemed permanent just over two decades ago.

But now, there’s a real plan to bring it back.

A $220 Million Vision for Voorhees

Voorhees Township has approved a redevelopment agreement with North Jersey-based Hoboken Brownstone Co. to transform the former mall into something the town is desperately in need of: a true, mixed-use town center.

The $220 million project envisions 320 new housing units—a mix of market-rate townhomes, affordable homes, and affordable rentals—alongside renovated retail and entertainment space, multi-level parking, bike paths, and public parks. One of the mall’s last remaining anchors, Boscov’s, will stay. Town municipal offices will also remain on site. 

The developer’s vision goes beyond retail. Hoboken Brownstone President George Vallone has described wanting to create “a place that sells fun to families,” according to the Philadelphia Business Journal. That means upscale dining, walkability, and community-focused tenants.

Vallone suggests that this development could become the town’s “Main Street.”

The Main Obstacle

Despite the optimism, the project is anything but a done deal. There’s still one major hurdle that needs clearing. 

The entire redevelopment hinges on securing a $90 million state tax credit through the New Jersey Economic Development Authority’s Aspire Program—necessary funding to make the project financially viable. Without it, the project is stopped in its tracks. 

Vallone has been blunt about this, stating that the project is “100% hinging on the tax credit.” A decision is expected this summer, when new funding from the program becomes available. 

If the credits come through, construction could begin as early as 2027.

Something Worth Rooting For

Echelon has been the subject of redevelopment discussions in the past, and the road from approval to ribbon-cutting is rarely smooth. Tax credits aren’t guaranteed, timelines—and priorities—shift, and ambitious mixed-use projects can only hold onto enthusiasm for so long. 

But there’s something different this time around: Approval was unanimous, plans are detailed, and the passion is there. 

For the families who grew up spending Saturday afternoons at Exhilarama, sneaking extra helpings from the food court, or catching a movie at the General Cinema, Echelon’s comeback brings genuine nostalgia into the mix. 

It was once the heartbeat of the South Jersey community. And it could come back for good.