Background and Existing Conditions
The Federal Street corridor has served as a key part of Camden’s industrial base for more than a century. Today, many parcels along Federal Street, between the Cooper River and South 17th Street, remain vacant or underutilized. These properties include former industrial uses such as an incinerator facility, chemical manufacturing sites, and petroleum storage yards that ceased operations decades ago.
As a result of long-term disinvestment, environmental constraints, and flooding concerns, this stretch of Federal Street has remained largely inactive for many years.
Redevelopment Vision
The City of Camden in partnership with the Camden Redevelopment Agency (CRA) is undertaking a coordinated effort to transform these vacant and underutilized properties into active, productive uses that generate employment opportunities and better serve the surrounding community. This initiative focuses on reintegrating these sites into the city’s economic fabric while addressing longstanding environmental contamination and flood risk challenges that have historically limited redevelopment.
Redevelopment Area Study Findings
Study Authorization and Scope
In October 2025, the Camden City Council directed the Planning Board to determine whether properties along Federal Street meet the statutory criteria for designation as an Area in Need of Redevelopment under New Jersey law. The CRA retained Brownfield Redevelopment Solutions, Inc. (BRS) to conduct the study.
Key Findings
The study concluded that the targeted properties within the Federal Street corridor qualify as an Area in Need of Redevelopment. Several significant challenges were identified:
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Environmental Contamination
Many non-residential properties contain contamination associated with former industrial activities. Environmental testing has identified petroleum products, heavy metals, and other hazardous substances requiring remediation prior to redevelopment. The corridor has been designated by the State as a Brownfield Development Area, which helps prioritize access to cleanup funding and technical assistance.
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Flood Risk
The entire study area is located within a flood zone along the Cooper River, increasing the complexity and cost of development and requiring careful planning and mitigation measures.
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Prolonged Vacancy and Deterioration
Most properties in the study area have been vacant for more than ten years. Several structures remained abandoned and in deteriorating condition until demolition occurred in recent years.
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Market Constraints
The City currently owns seven of the eleven properties within the study area. Given the combination of environmental remediation needs, flood risk, and location within a historically distressed area, private redevelopment is unlikely to occur without public-sector involvement and support.
Existing residential properties within the study area are being evaluated for designation as an Area in Need of Rehabilitation. This designation allows the City to plan for these properties within the overall neighborhood vision and provides access to certain planning and funding tools similar to those available in an Area in Need of Redevelopment. Importantly, the Rehabilitation designation does not include condemnation authority.
[Link to Redevelopment Area Study]
Next Steps: Redevelopment Plan
With the completion of the Redevelopment Area Study, the City will proceed with preparation of a Redevelopment Plan for the Federal Street corridor. The plan will establish land use policies, development standards, and an overall vision to guide future investment in the area.
Public Review and Adoption Schedule
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February 2026: Planning Board review of the draft Redevelopment Plan
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February 2026: Public hearing before the Planning Board
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March-April 2026: City Council first and second readings for adoption of the final plan
All Planning Board and City Council meetings are open to the public. Residents, stakeholders, and community members are encouraged to attend and provide input throughout the process.
[Link to meeting documents.]