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Willingboro is the victim of a typical small American town that is given a negative stigma to a predominately black, working middle class area. It has gone through a severe gentrification phase during the 80s and lost all the previous white-owned businesses that dated back to William Levitt's time. The town was developed by Levitt & Sons, who designated then called "Levittown" as a white, Jewish area of the middle class. The town is not unattractive, mostly a quiet area, but there are certain elements that have made Willingboro lag behind in Burlington County.
Another problem Willingboro faces is its location. Besides its neighboring towns of Delran and Mt. Laurel, most of the residents come from Trenton, Camden, and Philadelphia areas, giving it a blend of many different people and problems. It became a cultural hub for the minority demographic for many years. Many businesses shut its doors throughout the years, and the town became one dimensional in regards to the criteria of these residents.
The school system is very outdated and out of touch with educational development that other neighboring areas in the county have implemented. The students are left with a handful of good teachers, but a dysfunctional school board, no money to afford certain things for classrooms, and constant changing of principals and superintendents to say the least.
There has not been a clear and concise vision plan for the educational system at Willingboro and the students are paying for it.
The Willingboro plaza is gone, and they have transformed that site to a mixed use development. It's a nice area, Burlington County College, Penn Doctor Offices, the public library, and a host of small shops along with the town's only chain restaurant in Ruby Tuesday is there. Quick fact, the Willingboro Ruby Tuesday is one of the most well performed locations in the area. Also, the library is considered one of the best libraries in the county and is also an energy efficient space.
As for new development, Willingboro has a bright future. Developers are slowly appealing to the area with the success of the town center. There has been a major increase in apartment housing the last few years and it is still growing. On the northern part of the town, about a dozen new apartment buildings along with a clubhouse and retail shops is being built.
Businesses do thrive in Willingboro, it just has to be applicable with what is best for the community. There are areas in need of revitalization, but overall the township is on an upward trend as of late.
Willingboro is the victim of a typical small American town that is given a negative stigma to a predominately black, working middle class area. It has gone through a severe gentrification phase during the 80s and lost all the previous white-owned businesses that dated back to William Levitt's time. The town was developed by Levitt & Sons, who designated then called "Levittown" as a white, Jewish area of the middle class. The town is not unattractive, mostly a quiet area, but there are certain elements that have made Willingboro lag behind in Burlington County.
Another problem Willingboro faces is its location. Besides its neighboring towns of Delran and Mt. Laurel, most of the residents come from Trenton, Camden, and Philadelphia areas, giving it a blend of many different people and problems. It became a cultural hub for the minority demographic for many years. Many businesses shut its doors throughout the years, and the town became one dimensional in regards to the criteria of these residents.
The school system is very outdated and out of touch with educational development that other neighboring areas in the county have implemented. The students are left with a handful of good teachers, but a dysfunctional school board, no money to afford certain things for classrooms, and constant changing of principals and superintendents to say the least.
There has not been a clear and concise vision plan for the educational system at Willingboro and the students are paying for it.
Willingboro is the victim of a typical small American town that is given a negative stigma to a predominately black, working middle class area. It has gone through a severe gentrification phase during the 80s and lost all the previous white-owned businesses that dated back to William Levitt's time. The town was developed by Levitt & Sons, who designated then called "Levittown" as a white, Jewish area of the middle class. The town is not unattractive, mostly a quiet area, but there are certain elements that have made Willingboro lag behind in Burlington County.
Another problem Willingboro faces is its location. Besides its neighboring towns of Delran and Mt. Laurel, most of the residents come from Trenton, Camden, and Philadelphia areas, giving it a blend of many different people and problems. It became a cultural hub for the minority demographic for many years. Many businesses shut its doors throughout the years, and the town became one dimensional in regards to the criteria of these residents.
The school system is very outdated and out of touch with educational development that other neighboring areas in the county have implemented. The students are left with a handful of good teachers, but a dysfunctional school board, no money to afford certain things for classrooms, and constant changing of principals and superintendents to say the least.
There has not been a clear and concise vision plan for the educational system at Willingboro and the students are paying for it.
When a neighborhood's people respect education, you generally have a "good school". The building doesn't make a school.....the parents of the students who attend do.I don't live far from Willingboro, and I have some customers there. I feel bad for the good people who are stuck in a drug and gang infested town.
A friend of mine from Willingboro had an original contract from the developer.
This is clearly spelled out in the contract.
It's disgraceful.
It was backward thinking back then.. They did not care much about peoples feelings and did what they thought was right. And at the time it was.. Nuts huh?
Even at its peak, Levittown, PA had a relatively modest (though certainly visible) Jewish community. Willingboro I know less about, but I highly doubt Jews were flocking there either, however Hebraic the Levitts themselves may have been.
Even at its peak, Levittown, PA had a relatively modest (though certainly visible) Jewish community. Willingboro I know less about, but I highly doubt Jews were flocking there either, however Hebraic the Levitts themselves may have been.
Primarily there (and later Voorhees), but back then, there were noticeable (though certainly not large) communities in Pennsauken and Haddon Township (Steven Spielberg spent part of his early childhood on Crystal Terrace Larry Kane was once a resident of the Township as well). Temple Beth Shalom was located in Haddon Heights from 1948 to 1991, although it moved East to Cherry Hill because Jews did not ultimately settle there in large enough numbers. Michael Landon attended that synagogue when he grew up in nearby Collingswood.
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