Chick-fil-A, Panera Project Still Moving Ahead in Somers Point, Councilman Says

Chick-fil-A, Panera Project Still Moving Ahead in Somers Point, Councilman Says

SOMERS POINT, N.J. — Somers Point residents wondering what happened to the long-awaited Chick-fil-A and Panera Bread development on Route 9 have an answer from a city councilman: The project is still coming, but don't expect it to happen overnight.

Councilman Sean McGuigan said this week that the Defeo Plaza project planned for the former McNaughton's Garden Center property at 331 New Road remains active despite the apparent lack of progress.

“No, that's moving ahead,” McGuigan said during an appearance on Off The Press with Scott Cronick on WOND. “It's just slow.”

The development received Somers Point Planning Board approval in March 2025.

Plans call for Chick-fil-A and Panera Bread restaurants, both with drive-thru service, along with approximately 19,000 square feet of additional retail space and 9,500 square feet of office or medical space.

Developer Brahin Properties describes Defeo Plaza as a commercial redevelopment project with more than 900 feet of frontage along Route 9.

State permitting contributing to wait

McGuigan said much of the delay involves the additional permitting that comes with developing property along a state highway.

“There's a lot of permitting,” McGuigan said. “When you're building on a state highway, there's a lot of permitting requirements and so forth as far as making cutouts, ins and outs onto and off of a state highway.”

That is consistent with the project's history.

When the Planning Board approved Defeo Plaza last year, developer Lee Brahin said permits were still needed from the New Jersey Department of Transportation and Department of Environmental Protection. At the time, he hoped construction could begin in summer or fall 2026.

Traffic has been one of the major issues surrounding the development.

The project sits near the intersection of Route 9 and Chapman Boulevard, an already heavily traveled area. During the 2025 Planning Board proceedings, officials discussed a planned state transportation project that would improve the intersection, including a dedicated left-turn lane.

2027?

Cronick told McGuigan he had heard speculation that the restaurants might not open until 2028.

McGuigan said he couldn't confirm that timeline.

“I'm not sure of that,” he said. “What year is it now, ’26? We'll probably get it before the end of ’27.”

McGuigan's comment should not be taken as an official opening date. Neither the developer nor the restaurant companies have announced a firm date.

But his comments provide some reassurance that a project that has generated considerable interest in Somers Point has not been abandoned.

The property formerly housed McNaughton's Garden Center. Defeo Plaza's name is a reference to the Defeo Duck Farm that once occupied the site.

And Chick-fil-A and Panera are only part of the commercial activity McGuigan discussed during the interview.

He also mentioned a new bank, brewery and other businesses moving into or being developed around Somers Point.

For residents waiting specifically for chicken sandwiches and soup, however, his message was straightforward:

The Chick-fil-A and Panera project is still moving forward.