Murphy Schiller & Wilkes LLP is excited to announce that our Land Use team recently secured Preliminary and Final Major Site Plan Approval, together with D(1) Use Variance and bulk variance relief, before the Tewksbury Township Land Use Board for an exciting new project: Coffee Vault at 172 Oldwick Road.

Coffee Vault will breathe new life into a long-vacant former bank property at one of the more heavily traveled intersections in Hunterdon County.
The concept is a fantastic example of adaptive reuse done right. Coffee Vault will transform the former bank into a beautiful, historically and culturally sensitive destination coffee shop that will complement the surrounding businesses and add another reason for residents, commuters, and visitors to stop in Oldwick Village.

The architecture and site improvements will dramatically transform the appearance of the property, creating an attractive, inviting, and distinctly Oldwickesque destination while remaining sensitive to the distinctive character and aesthetic of Oldwick Village. The result will be a significant improvement to a property that has sat vacant for far too long.

Coffee Vault will roast its coffee on premises, inside the former bank’s actual vault, and yes, there will be a drive-through.

The site is located at the intersection of two heavily traveled County roads and presented a number of complicated planning, zoning, traffic, engineering, architectural, and community considerations. The application required an extensive and highly coordinated effort to address traffic and circulation, site design, zoning, land use compatibility, and the unique character of the surrounding community.

We are particularly proud that the application was handled from start to finish by Michael Silbert, Esq., Counsel at Murphy Schiller & Wilkes LLP. Michael did an excellent job navigating the sensitive nature of the application, balancing the interests of the applicant with the legitimate concerns of the surrounding community, and ensuring that the final proposal was something that could fit within and complement the character of Oldwick.

A huge congratulations to Wade Gordon, the principal behind Coffee Vault, whose vision and extraordinary commitment of time and financial resources have driven this project forward. Wade has a vision for what this property can become, and he has made a significant investment in turning that vision into reality. We think the community is going to be very excited to see it come together.

Special thanks to:

• Corey Chase, P.E. of Dynamic Engineering, for handling the intricate and complicated traffic component of the application.
• Matt Flynn, P.P., for providing the professional planning testimony and proofs supporting the requested land use relief.
• George Folk, P.E., of David A. Stires Associates, for his work on the civil engineering component of the project.
• Michael Elkins, R.A., from gk+a Architects, for bringing the architectural vision for Coffee Vault to life and developing a design that will make a striking improvement to the property.
• Jahynis Cabral of Murphy Schiller & Wilkes LLP, for supporting our efforts throughout the application process.

We also want to extend our sincere appreciation to the Tewksbury Township Land Use Board, Township professionals, staff, and officials for working collaboratively with our team and the applicant throughout the past three years. Their time, thoughtful consideration, and willingness to work through the many complexities presented by this application were instrumental in getting the project unanimously approved. Without the Township’s cooperation and engagement throughout this process, this approval would not have been possible.

Projects like this are exactly why we love land use law. It’s not simply about obtaining an approval; it’s about understanding the community, working through the technical and regulatory challenges, and helping turn a vision into something tangible that can positively impact local businesses and the residents at large.