By Julia Train
If you live in or around Atlantic County, you probably know something about the jagged history of the Wheaton factory in Mays Landing.
There have been a multitude of development ideas for the property in the past, but they have failed to work out due to several setbacks including a fire, the COVID pandemic and economic dips. However, the most recent project is looking promising with its developer, Hershy Weiss, ready to submit plans to the township Planning Board.
Originally, the multi-building site on Mill Street and Old Harding Highway was a water-powered cotton mill owned by Philadelphia businessman R.D. Wood & Sons, who also owned a mill in Millville in the 1800s.
According to the Hamilton Historical Society, “cotton milling had become the economic mainstay of the town for over eight decades, utilizing freight trains to transport goods, and passenger trains to move people to cities up and down the East Coast.”
By the late 1930s about a quarter of the town’s residents worked there. The employees lived in company-constructed housing and bought many of their necessities at the company store – now a Masonic lodge – and coal yard across the street.
The factory closed in 1949, causing high unemployment in the area. In 1950, the cotton mill was turned into Wheaton Plastics Co. (also known as Wheaton Glass). That business venture lasted until 2000.
In December of 2005, the Mill Complex Redevelopment Plan was adopted, which the property was part of. The plan was to reuse the existing structures for redevelopment instead of completely demolishing the building and starting anew.
In 2007, the old factory caught fire while it was being converted into upscale condominiums. An investigation into the cause of the fire was inconclusive, but officials said the likely cause was a cutting torch, leaving the buildings gutted and the plans scrapped.
The three lots are estimated to be worth $1,056,200. In 2009, Cotton Mill Associates, based in Weehawken, bought the old factory for $2.75 million, according to 2022 tax records.
Earlier this month, over a decade later, Hamilton Township Committee held a meeting including plans for the dilapidated factory on the agenda. After years of delays, a new plan for the property was presented and it seems to be pushing forward.
The proposal would turn the 4.5-acre site into an apartment building with 115 units, featuring both one- and two-bedroom layouts, each with a balcony. According to attorney Nicholas F. Talvacchia, the project already has its New Jersey Pinelands Commission certification and is working to resolve issues with the state Department of Environmental Protection.
Currently a three-story building, three more floors would be added and the ground level would include parking spots. Also the area surrounding the building would be used by residents for grilling, fire pits, a dog run, bocce, pickleball and basketball courts. The recreational areas would be connected by paved paths.
As of right now, no definitive dates have been set and all that is known to the public is the plan itself.
“This is going to be a first-class facility that the residents of Hamilton Township can be proud of,” Talvacchia said. “It’s been a long road. A lot of progress has been made over the last two years to make this project happen.”
Julia is a student at Rider University, majoring in multiplatform journalism with a minor in social media strategies. At school, she writes and copy edits for The Rider News and is the News Director for the radio station, producing news updates. She’ll be graduating in the spring. Connect with her on Instagram @juliatrain
