DiMeglio Septic , Inc .
ZONING , from Page 1 caster Productions LLC and Kathedral Event Center , attended the meeting with attorney Fred Declement , both of whom gave testimony regarding the application seeking to convert the basement and rectory of the former St . Martin de Porres Church ( now Kathedral Event Center ) to a spa and boutique hotel that would contain 13 hotel rooms , five of which are double suites , which will mainly be used as an accessory to the event center , but will also be open to the public for lodging .
The application hearing was continued from the November 16 meeting , when it was postponed after resident William J . Cappuccio , who lives on Chestnut Street near Kathedral , commented on the proposed hotel and pointed out that the meeting notices sent out were incorrectly printed with a 7:30 p . m . meeting start time , which he said caused him to miss the early portion of the meeting . DeClement took responsibility for the incorrect notices .
“ On November 16 , I initially noticed this meeting for 7:30 . It was a mistake on my part ; I didn ’ t realize the meeting got changed to 7 ,” DeClement said .
Cappuccio was present during the meeting again and was still unhappy with the proposition of opening any type of hotel in a residential area .
“ It just doesn ’ t seem to be a good fit ... It ’ s a residential area that has been there for 40 years , and we bought it as a residential area . A church on Sunday , who cares ? Church is on Sunday ; 12 o ’ clock , everybody was gone . And Christmas Eve , you had a midnight Mass and there was people around , but we ’ re talking about something that ’ s going to be going on every weekend … This is nothing personal ; this is our quality of life in an area that we bought a home ,” Cappuccio said . Some of the specific concerns Cappuccio highlighted were the possibility of Rodio installing a bright LED marquee sign near Chestnut Street to advertise the hotel — similar to the one on the front of the building , facing Egg Harbor Road — guests at Kathedral
Wednesday , December 27 , 2017 • The Hammonton Gazette • Page 3
Zoning Board OK ’ s Kathedral ’ s boutique hotel
One Sindoni Lane , Suite C , Hammonton ( 609 ) 270-7886 • www . meadowsbridalshop . com
Looking for the perfect gown ?
Stop in our shop to see what ’ s new !
We carry gorgeous dresses by : David Tutera , Casablanca , Mori Lee , and so much more !
or the adjacent hotel taking cigarette breaks out back near his property line and the possibility of
BORN , from Page 1 to tell me their story of how they were born in Hammonton .
They spoke of the Esposito Maternity Hospital run by Dr . Anthony L . “ Spotty ” Esposito at 11 N . Washington St .; the Swenson Nursing Home run by Mary Cottrell Swenson , R . N ., at 218 E . Pleasant St .; the upstairs room at Dr . Louis Rodi ’ s on Bellevue Avenue ; the maternity floor upstairs at Kessler Memorial Hospital at the corner of Central Avenue and the White Horse Pike ( Route 30 ) and even private homes as places they were born in town .
Whether it was people residing in Hammonton or from faraway states , the column resonated with many people and responses flowed in , including , as late as two weeks ago , one Hammontonian ’ s parents ’ bill from the Swenson Maternity Home from Hammontonian Donna Wolf .
The Gazette contacted some of the people who were born in town for an interview about the memories their parents handed down to them about when and where their respective births occurred . One of them was the man who gave me
Kathedral hosting loud outdoor events . Rodio responded to Cappuccio ’ s concerns and said it was never his intention to place any signage on the back of the former
See BOARD , Page 10
Residents born in town
the idea for the column in the first place , Carmen Merlino Jr ., of Mullica Twp .
“ I always told people that I ’ m a Hammontonian because I was born at the Swenson Home . So I wanted to find out where other people were born in town . I thought it would be a good column for The Gazette ,” Merlino said .
The Gazette kept all of the information from people who contacted the newspaper about being born in town . We thought it would be fitting to print the information of all the Hammontonian births from years past we received in the paper this week , when “ Baby New Year ” 2018 is arriving at midnight on January 1 .
The paragraphs that follow provide a compilation of that information , as provided by current and former residents of Hammonton .
Ellen Aiello was born at the Swenson Home on June 30 , 1940 . According to an email from April 21 , 2017 : “ I was born on June 30 , 1940 , at the Swenson Home . Dr . Elliott was the attending physi-
See SWENSON , Page 14
DiMeglio Septic , Inc .
Est . 1975 ~ DEP 03261 ~ Paul DiMeglio 1 ( 800 ) 427-4617 ~ 561-1007 ~ 561-3597
491 S . White Horse Pike • Ancora , NJ
• Grease Trap Cleaning • Portable Toilets
• Septic Certifications • Jetting Service
Happy New Year !
SAVE UP TO
70 % Entire Store
Now Through January 6th
CUSTOM ENGAGEMENT RINGS
& WEDDING BANDS REPAIRS COMPLETED ON PREMISES
121 S . White Horse Pike Across from McDonald ’ s Hammonton • 561-6222