The former Sears location at the Moorestown Mall is getting a new tenant: Cooper University Health Care.
On Friday, the Pennsylvania Real Estate Investment Trust announced it had reached a deal with Cooper to allow the health system to open an outpatient location.
PREIT officials said adding Cooper to the mall, which was closed before the pandemic, is another way they are bringing back the facility. Cooper will occupy 165,000 square feet of space.
“With this addition and the apartments and hotel planned for the site, the property will further evolve its mix to create a one-stop hub, fulfilling community needs, including dining, entertainment, a broad array of retail options, fitness facilities along with this premier health care facility,” PREIT said in a statement.
The redevelopment of Moorestown Mall is an example of what could become of the many malls in the state that have fallen out of favor with consumers. In December, the town approved a plan to bring 1,065 units of housing and a hotel to the property.
Cooper spokesman Thomas Rubino said the facility will help the health system better serve the community.
“More residents continue to place their trust in Cooper University Health Care, as the leading academic health system in the region,” he said. “With more than 1.6 million patient visits annually and over 100 locations throughout the southern New Jersey, Cooper is acquiring this additional office space to meet consumer demand for our expert specialists.
“The building formerly used by Sears at Moorestown Mall is a perfect location in close proximity to where many of our patients live and work.”
Moorestown Mayor Nicole Gillespie told Patch that she welcomes the diversity that the Cooper facility will bring to the mall.
“I’m thrilled to see it,” she said. “We’ve wanted it to be more of a mixed-use location, and not just retail. We’re very happy to have Cooper Health in our community.”
