An aerial view of Washington Square Town Center, a 35-acre, mixed-use development at 247 Hurffville-Cross Keys Road in Washington Township — Courtesy: Atkins Cos.
By Joshua Burd
A joint venture is building new medical office space at what was slated to be a standalone retail building in Gloucester County, citing tremendous demand from area health care users.
The developers, Atkins Cos. and Woodmont Properties, announced Monday that they have broken ground on the 10,000-square-foot property at 247 Hurffville-Cross Keys Road in Washington Township, part of a mixed-use redevelopment spanning 35 acres. The firms have also preleased 7,000 square feet to Axia Women’s Health, a fast-growing network of specialists, with completion slated for spring 2021.
“As we have brought our Washington Square Town Center project to life, we have seen a significant increase in demand for quality medical office space in a retail environment throughout the area,” said Bob Atkins, managing partner of Atkins Cos. “Our Washington Square Town Center has quickly become one of the most sought-after locations for premier retail-oriented health care space. With increased demand from health care providers it only made sense to adjust our strategy to meet the needs of this fast-growing tenant population.”
In a news release, Atkins and Woodmont noted that the project was initially slated to include 30,000 square feet of retail space across three buildings. But the developers pivoted after recognizing the vast unmet demand in the local market.
Axia Women’s Health — which includes OB/GYN physicians, breast health centers, high-risk pregnancy centers, laboratories, urogynecology and fertility centers — will join a host of other health care users at Washington Square Town Center. The property is anchored by the 40,000-square-foot Rothman Medical Building, which is home to Rothman Orthopaedics, The Heart House cardiology group, Jefferson Health Outpatient Imaging and Advocare OB/GYN.
The developers also said the new medical office building marks the final phase of the distinctive project, which also features 330 apartments, 100 townhomes, and an assisted living facility. The two earlier standalone retail buildings are nearing completion and will include or already incorporate users such as PetCheck Animal Urgent Care, Strive Physical Therapy and Sports Rehabilitation, Bison Coffee Co., Lavish Spa and Nails and Jenaro’s Trattoria Italian restaurant.
