A mansion in Cherry Hill New Jersey is turning a lot of heads, but all for the wrong reasons.
If you wind your way down winding drive in Cherry Hill, you’ll find enviable entranceways, luscious landscaping and multi-million dollar mansions.
Then you’ll see an interesting 20,000 square foot home wrapped in plastic nestled in the middle of the neighborhood.
Carla Edwards stares at it every day when she walks.
“It’s ugly. It’s annoying,” Edwards said,
On a street where Muhammad Ali used to live, this mansion’s has been under construction for about five years.
Township leaders don’t know why work is stalled, but neighbors and realtors like Ann Koons are fed up.
“I know a lot of people are turned off by it and it does hurt the value of the homes in the area, “Ann Koons of Prudential Fox & Roach said.
Township officials tell us the mansion’s owner is singer, Deniece Williams known for her 80’s hit, “Let’s Hear It For The Boy.”
Right across the street from the home is Cherry Hill’s mayor. He declined to go on record about the issue. He wants to keep business separate from personal interests.
Some neighbors say the home is hazardous, but there’s nothing the town can do about it right now.
A spokesperson tells FOX the taxes are up to date, and Williams is compliant with property maintenance.
“I did see someone cut the lawn,” Carla Edwards said.
FOX 29’s Leigh Scheps spoke to Williams over the phone. She refused to comment.
Cherry Hill Township spokesperson Bridget Palmer said there was an issue on the property several years ago when a contractor clear-cut the property and removed 96 trees. That’s nearly double the 46 that were OK’d for removal per the zoning approval. Palmer says Ms. Williams was cited and fined, and is required to restore the landscaping before a Certificate of Occupancy would be issued for the new home.
If the project is not complete when the permits expire in 2014, Ms. Williams will have to come in and take out new permits for the balance of the remaining work, according to township officials.
http://wrbw.membercenter.worldnow.com/story/23688748/neighbors-fed-up-with-mansion-wrapped-in-plastic?autoStart=true&topVideoCatNo=default&clipId=9413637