The first African American-owned 18-hole golf course in America, Freeway Golf Course, located in Sicklerville, New Jersey may become land developed for a warehouse. The course closed in 2016 and was put up for sale with an asking price of $2.4 million. The buyer was a locally owned property investment company, Black Horse Properties LLC who made an offer to purchase the property with intentions to reconstruct it and build housing units on the 150-acres. The sale of the property officially closed in January 2017, for almost half the asking price, at $1.25 million.
In a January 2022 telephone conversation with 42Freeway a high-level executive of Black Horse Properties stated they purchased the property simply because it was a good investment opportunity, and at this time they do not have any immediate plans for it.
The property is currently zoned as “R-1 residential” and because of local zoning laws, the new landowners have to present their development plans before the Glouster Township Zoning Board to request “Zoning Relief” to allow the construction of a warehouse on the Sicklerville Rd property.
On September 28, 2022, a 4-hour, standing-room-only presentation/meeting took place at the Gloucester Township Municipal Building and was attended by over 150-200 members. A follow-up meeting was to be continued in October 2022 but has now been rescheduled for November 2022.
According to 42Freeway.com, there are multiple variances requested to develop the 1.5 million sq ft of warehouses, including the approval to build on a property designated for residential development as well as building to a height up to 50 feet.
Freeway Golf Course opened in 1967 and has been frequented by notable golfers such as Lee Elder, Charlie Sifford, Calvin Peete, Jim Dent, Jim Thorpe and many other prominent individuals. The 6,536-yard course was a Horace Smith design bearing two distinct 9 holes and played host to the inaugural Sammy Davis Jr. Open, which became the PGA TOUR’s Hartford Open.
Former Freeway Golf Course Board Member Joe Thomas spoke with this publication, saying ,”The property has been sitting there for years and we (African Americans) did not get a consortium together to do anything with it.”
The historic property may end up being developed for other use and a Facebook group dedicated to the subject keeps the conversation going. “I drive by there every day, and it does not even look like golf course anymore,” said Thomas.
The African American Golfer’s Digest reported several years ago there were several groups interested in the Freeway golf property, with a local developer interested in putting up housing units.
A Gloucester Township resident recorded the September 28th Zoning Boar meeting and has it available online.
- GT Zoning Board mtg Freeway Warehouse (Part 1 of 2) 9/28/22
- GT Zoning Board mtg Freeway Warehouse (Part 2 of 2) 9/28/22
The next Zoning Board meeting is cheduled for NOVEMBER 9, 2022. More information can be found at https://glotwp.com/zoning-board
