The Philadelphia Inquirer from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania • Page 284

2-GL Sunday, Jan. 26, 1986 The Philadelphia Inquirer COVER STORY Special to Tlw Inquirer BOB HILL The Delaware Development Consortium wants to develop 104 acres of waterfront property in Gloucester City, including the plant closed by Gulf Western 4 years ago The city that could be a star production facility, including a television studio. The video complex, the developers said, would include production facilities for videotapes and television programs. Years from now, if the plan comes to-fruition, people throughout the country may switch on their television sets to see a network show produced in Gloucester City. Residents are calling the proposal "Hollywood East." "I attended the presentation," recalled Louisa Lewellyn, a history ware Development Consortium presented the Gloucester City Council with a multimillion-dollar proposal to redevelop the deteriorating waterfront area.

The consortium, which seemed to come out of nowhere and remains something of a mystery to local officials, proposed the construction of marinas, retail stores, movie theaters, office buildings and housing units. Then came the portion of the project that has captivated almost everyone in the community, from politicans to high school students the creation of a video Gloucester City Bloc lawn Nation! Part Mt foh-aim Westville iomer aaie Woodbury Hi Neiia Doptford Laurel Springs Lmdenwoid Woodbury Heights lementon Valley Pin HitU CAMDEN COUNTY Wmshw Audubon Park Audubon blouctstsr By Robert Seltzer Inquirer Stall Writer Gloucester City is considering a bold and ambitious project that, if successful, could be the stuff Hollywood movies are made of. There is only one problem. If the plan becomes a reality, it is Gloucester City not Hollywood that should, and could, film the story. And therein lies the boldness of the venture.

It began in April, when the Dela Ifif yfuIaMpliia Jlnquirfr Neighbors Twice every week, this section provides news alttnit people, events, schools and governments in the Camden County and Gloucester County immunities listed on he cover. TliU section is provided exclusively lor South Jersey residents. reau. The "stagnating economy," as local officials call it, was aggravated about four years ago, when GAF Corp. and Gulf Western Corp.

closed their waterfront operations. The companies still own their properties, but the shutdowns left almost 500 people out of work. Today, the city has an unemployment rate of 9.4 percent, compared with 8.1 percent for Camden County as a whole. "When all this started, my students said, 'Gee, this will be great, but will it ever Lewellyn recalled. "Both kids and adults from other towns tell the students, 'Ooh, you're from Gloucester They get concerned with people looking down on Gloucester City.

"There are other people who live 10 or 15 miles from here who don't even know we exist. They would if this project ever came through. Oh, boy, would they." The consortium, a group of developers based in Montclair, N.J., found a bright spot in this dark economic picture. Where some people saw blight and decay, the developers saw promise and potential. They also saw a prime location.

"Over the last few years, the whole TV and video industry has been in a state of rapid growth and change," said Pieter de Jong, a New York lawyer who is a member of the consor- teacher at Gloucester City High School. "It caught everyone by surprise. It was almost mind-boggling. After presenting their idea, they asked the people in the council chambers, 'Does anybody have any How can you have any questions? Your mind has to become adjusted to the possibility of all of this." Other citizens shared her disbelief. After all, this working-class community is to Hollywood what a pee-wee football team is to the Chicago Bears.

Some residents could not help asking themselves, "Why us?" "Gloucester City has always been a very tightknit community," said Michael Ontko, a supervisor with the Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission. "I think what's unusual about this project is that the city is being looked upon for its entertainment value rather than its industrial value. Gloucester City has experienced some hard times recently." More than one-fourth of the 13,121 people who live in the city are older than 55, according to the U.S. Census Bureau, and residents say it is the gloomy economic outlook that drives young people away and keeps them away. In 1970, household income averaged $25,503, a total that dropped to $22,165 in 1985.

Total per- sonal income dropped from $118 million to $106 million during the same period, according to the Census Bu INDEX Cover story 2 Education 10 FamilyPersonal records 13 Government 4 Living 26 Neighbors in the news 24 Police report 6 Real estate 8 Things to do 17 Monro GLOUCESTER COUNTY 7 Office: 81 Cooper Woodbury, N.J. 08096 Advertising 1-215 854 4891 Circulation: 1-800-523-9068.