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Wawa Seeks Approval To Build New Store, Fueling Station at Metro Diner Site

LCP Brooklawn has applied to the Brooklawn Planning Board “for preliminary and final major site plan approval, with variances, to demolish an existing diner and construct a new Wawa convenience store and fueling station, with parking, lighting and related site improvements.” The Brooklawn Planning Board meets June 14th.

According to a Legal Notice that was posted on NJ Public Notices.com on May 31, 2017, LCP Brooklawn has applied to the Brooklawn Planning Board “for preliminary and final major site plan approval, with variances, to demolish an existing diner and construct a new Wawa convenience store, approximately 5,585 square feet, and fueling station, with parking, lighting and related site improvements, on property located at the intersection of Browning Road (CR 659) and Crescent Blvd. (NJSH Route 130), Brooklawn, New Jersey, also known as Block 101, Lots 2, 3, 5 and 6, on the Brooklawn Borough Tax Map.”

The Legal Notice indicates that the property is located in the Commercial Redevelopment Area and Overlay Zoning District.


The applicant has requested other variance relief which can be viewed in the Legal Notice. (See below.)

The Brooklawn Borough Planning Board will meet on Wednesday, June 14, 2017 at 7:00 p.m. in the Brooklawn Borough Municipal Building, located at 301 Christiana Street, Brooklawn.

Source: Legal Notice: New Jersey Public Notices.com.

Notice Content

BROOKLAWN BOROUGH PLANNING BOARD NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that LCP Brooklawn, LLC has applied to the Planning Board of the Borough of Brooklawn for preliminary and final major site plan approval, with variances, to demolish an existing diner and construct a new Wawa convenience store, approximately 5,585 square feet, and fueling station, with parking, lighting and related site improvements, on property located at the intersection of Browning Road (CR 659) and Crescent Blvd. (NJSH Route 130), Brooklawn, New Jersey, also known as Block 101, Lots 2, 3, 5 and 6, on the Brooklawn Borough Tax Map. The property is located in the Commercial in the Commercial Redevelopment Area and Overlay Zoning District. PLEASE TAKE FURTHER NOTICE that the applicant has requested the following variance relief from the Borough of Brooklawn Land Development Ordinance as part of the application: §121-4C(2)(b) The Ordinance permits a wall sign area that shall not exceed 20% of the façade area or 50 square feet, whichever is smaller, where a proposed wall-sign on the front of the “Wawa” measures 67.7 square feet. §121-4C(2)(b) The Ordinance permits a wall sign area that shall not exceed 20% of the façade area or 50 square feet, whichever is smaller, where a proposed wall-sign on the side of the retail space measures 78 square feet. §121-4C(2)(c) The Ordinance permits a maximum freestanding sign area of 1 square foot per every 2 lineal feet of frontage of the building, but in no case shall such a sign area exceed 100 square feet, where one (1) of the three (3) proposed freestanding signs measures 59.75 square feet. §121-4C(2)(c) The Ordinance permits a maximum freestanding sign area of 1 square foot per every 2 lineal feet of frontage of the building, but in no case shall such a sign area exceed 100 square feet, where one (1) of the three (3) proposed freestanding signs measures 73.5 square feet. §121-4C(2)(c) The Ordinance permits a maximum freestanding sign area of 1 square foot per every 2 lineal feet of frontage of the building, but in no case shall such a sign area exceed 100 square feet, where one (1) of the three (3) proposed freestanding signs measures 73.62 square feet. Copies of the application and plans are on file at least ten (10) days prior to the public hearing and available for public inspection by any interested party during regular business hours in the office of the Brooklawn Borough Planning Board, 301 Christiana Street, Brooklawn, New Jersey 08030. PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that a public hearing on said application has been scheduled before the Brooklawn Borough Planning Board on Wednesday, June 14, 2017 at 7:00 P.M., prevailing time, in the Brooklawn Borough Municipal Building, located at 301 Christiana Street, Brooklawn, New Jersey 08030, at which time any interested party may attend in person or by attorney and present any objections, or otherwise be heard, with reference to this application. PLEASE TAKE FURTHER NOTICE that the applicant is seeking all required variances and design waivers for the proposed development, including any additional variances or waivers required after review of the application by the Board and its professional staff. Duncan M. Prime, Esquire for Prime Law Attorney for LCP Brooklawn, LLC, Applicant ($61.60).

On June 11, 2017, Metro Diner posted a letter to their Facebook page.

On June 4, 2018, a sign was posted on the Metro Diner’s door that they were closed.

Photo Gallery by SJO:

Time Lapse Video by SJO:

Updated:  June 11, 2017 12:15 p.m; June 16, 2018 11:44 am)

9 replies on “Wawa Seeks Approval To Build New Store, Fueling Station at Metro Diner Site”

I have been eating there since I was a kid and it was Ponzios! This makes me angry. Why not make it across the street at the stupid nude girl place – take that the hell down!

After the fire they hired SCAB labor to rebuild, screw them, there is only one Adult place in that area, eat a Taco Bell instead Rachel!

Don’t do it! It’s a landmark, a family gathering place for generations. There is a Wawa just down the street. We need a little less convienience and lots more family time.

This Diner is sn icon. I remember it as the Ship Diner when I was a little girl. How sad.. It’s all about money. Hopefully if they sell out to WaWa, they will rebuild closeby.

I’m going to imagine the owner of the Metro wants to sell the business or retire. Wawa, only having a store-only building nearby, wants to build a Wawa with gas pumps.

You have a willing seller, and a willing buyer, on a property where it appears the only issue is in regards to signage (which is usually not a problem to have negotiated and mutually agreed upon). For both parties, it’s a no brainer. If it wasn’t for the signage issue, Wawa wouldn’t need any variances, from what I can tell, and we wouldn’t even be aware this property change is taking place.

The only other option – buy the property yourself, and run the restaurant yourself.

As far as the ‘Carnival’ across the street – it’s too small of a property for Wawa’s needs.

We were going to go to the Metro for breakfast this weekend until I read that letter. “Please keep spending your money here until the deal is worked out and the check from Wawa clears” is a summary of the letter. We went to the Piston instead.

If the Metro doesn’t pan out maybe Wawa should consider the “The Pennant” property which has been vacant for years!!!!

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