An aerial view of Campus Town at The College of New Jersey in Ewing — Courtesy: PRC Group
By Joshua Burd
A sports bar and restaurant chain is expanding from South Jersey and Philadelphia to become the newest addition at Campus Town, the privately built student housing and retail development at The College of New Jersey.
The developer, PRC Group, announced that Landmark Americana Tap & Grill will occupy nearly 9,200 square feet at the $120 million project in Ewing. The business is slated to open at 400 Main Blvd. East in late summer 2018.
“We’re thrilled to add Landmark to the mix of quality retailers and restaurants in Campus Town,” said Greg Lentine, vice president of sales and marketing for PRC Campus Centers LLC, the property’s management company. “Their other locations have been very successful in college communities, and we’re confident that this, their fifth restaurant, will be as well.”
The first Landmark Americana opened its doors in January 2004 in Glassboro, near Rowan University, according to a news release. The operator followed that with locations on or near the campuses of West Chester, Drexel and St. Joseph’s universities.
Each restaurant features a combination of entertainment and a sports bar atmosphere, with offerings such as Buffalo wings in 10 different house-made sauces. Other menu items include certified Angus beef burgers offered with six different sets of toppings, sandwiches made with Landmark’s own slow-roasted pork shoulder, short ribs and homemade mac and cheese.
Locations have as many as 40 beers on tap with a focus on local craft brands, the news release said. Each location has the NFL Sunday Ticket and each seat is in view of an HDTV screen.
The first phase of the mixed-use Campus Town opened two years ago, calling for 612 beds for students at TCNJ and some 80,000 square feet of retail space that is available to both the college community and the surrounding population. West Long Branch-based PRC Group built the project in partnership with TCNJ, thanks to a 2009 law that allowed colleges to partner with private developers to build new residence halls and amenities on campus.
Lentine said Campus Town is 85 percent leased.
In the coming months, retailers such as Infocus Urgent Care, Post Net, Bell Eyes and Polished Nails will be opening, followed by Insonmia Cookies and Namaste Fine Indian Cuisine.