One of the surest signs that a municipality is caught up in a growth spiral is a high percentage of fast and solid sales in subdivisions.
Evesham Township is certainly no exception in this regard, as is evidenced by the rate of construction, sales and occupancy of its various housing developments--especially the 230-acre Woodstream area built by Chiusano Brothers, Inc.
Purchased by the Chiusanos in the early sixties at some $1.25 million from several farmers, this development will contain 600 homes when completed by the end of 1967, of which 380 have been built to date.
Situated on plots of one-fifth acre each, the homes range from $16,300 to $21,500--a price reasonable to attract several hundred young, suburban-minded homebuyers, according to Phil Chiusano, who handles much of the organization work for his Uncle Jack and cousins, Tony and Bob.
The builders are the creaters of the Whitebirch developments in Gloucester Township and Somerdale. Since 1922, the firm has built subdivisions in Florida, Virginia and Long Island.
PRIME AREA
Chiusano believes South Jersey is definitely a prime area for maximum expansion, and feels an "honest buck" can be made here while assuring potential homeowners of quality construction, efficiency and luxurious living.
"We did some building on Long Island, but the time came when we felt we were not realizing the greatest amount of growth possibilities there anymore."
"Here, there is an evident market with the expansion of Routes 70, 73 and 38. Cherry Hill is filling up quite rapidly and the Marlton area is the perfect spot to become the second or third major community in terms of development".Chiusano is confident that developers do not have to worry about any investment they might make in the township during the coming years. HOLD ON
"Although it is true that a piece of property may sell at a slightly inflated value, if you hold on to the property for a few years, the difference is easily made up.""We were not speculating with this land when we purchased this acreage. we saw definite growth patterns here, and I am sure that with proper municipal planning, this town can perhaps attract much of the growth that has started to affect other areas."Proper planning, in Chiusano's opinion, is the most important ingredient necessary to insuring a growing, rather than a diminishing or stagnating community."The people of this town must realize that the choices are all in their hands. They can watch these trends on the sidelines and see progress and development pass them by for other areas, or that can fulfill the necessary requirements and have these things right here." He has great adimiration for the manner in which such things as plumbing, heating, electrical and building requirememts are enforced, and happily notes that "the city fathers are strict"--rightly so, he believes, since such precautions will discourage the unethical and shoddy operator from bleeding the residents of their money and leaving them a poor quality subdivision.
Woodstream contains four basic home styles: "The Valley Forge"--a raised level rancher of Colonial design; "The Yorktown"--a two-story home with four bedrooms; "The Brandywine"--a two-story Colonial; and "The Jamestown"--a split-level model.