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Gloucester City

Planning/Zoning Board to Decide if Cannabis Store Should Open at former O'Donnells Bar

William E. Cleary Sr. | CNBNews Editor

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GLOUCESTER CITY, NJ (June 21, 2023)(CNBNews)--Tonight, Wednesday, June 21, the Gloucester City Planning/Zoning Board will meet to decide on some different requests, including allowing marijuana to be sold from the former O'Donnells' Family restaurant/bar at 401 North Broadway.

 

For those new to Gloucester City, the O'Donnell family opened their doors in 1923 and sold it in 2009. The popular eatery was known for its Manhattan clam chowder, seafood, rye bread baked at Mosteig's Bakery, and ice cream cake roll. The small bar was usually crowded; it was "tucked" away on the side of a building near Warren Street. Many customers would travel near and far to drink an O'Donnell Manhattan cocktail made with secret ingredients. Since that time, the business has changed hands numerous times. The building and the surrounding parking lot have been empty for two years.

 

In 2021 the state of New Jersey legalized the use and sale of marijuana. Since then, according to the New Jersey Cannabis Regulatory Commission, 24 dispensaries have sold recreational cannabis in the state, and 13 shops sell only medical marijuana.

 

That legalization has also seen a rush by local governments throughout the state bending over backward to attract "Doobie" Stores to open in their communities. For example, the City of Gloucester City passed legislation in January to amend its Land Development law to accommodate the marijuana industry. As such, the development of the Southport area, which consists of over 100 acres of vacant land along the Delaware River, will now be used to cultivate, manufacture, and distribute marijuana. The new ordinance will allow cannabis businesses to operate with Class 1, 2,3,4,5, and 6 licenses (Cultivation, Manufacturing, Wholesale, Distribution, Retail, and Delivery. 

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Related:

CNBNEWS POINT OF VIEW: What Happened to Gloucester City's Vista?



For 37 years, the City pushed an idea to develop that once-industrial site as the home for upscale housing, a waterfront marina, and a venue for retail stores. The City spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on architectural, engineering, and development plans. In 2005 the site was named "THE GLOUCESTER CITY VISTA." Shortly after, a new Democrat mayor and council were elected who announced the area was so toxic it would take over a decade to remove those chemicals. In 2010 the new administration signed a deal with Organic Diversions, a company that wanted to build a $30 million compost plant on 10 acres of ground in Southport. A $10 million lawsuit was filed against the City in 2021 by Rocco D'Antonio, the CEO of Organic Diversion because the City supposedly did not live up to its side of the contract.

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Gloucester City News photo files

 

Tonight's meeting begins at 6:30 PM and is held in Council Chambers at the Police Administration Building, 313 Monmouth Street.

 

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