Battle of Conshohocken’s Carlino Commercial Development Reaches Settlement with East Brandywine Grocers

Crop's Fresh Marketplace is at the center of a CRE battle in East Brandywine.Image via Crop's Fresh Marketplace at Instagram.

Last month, the East Brandywine board of supervisors approved a controversial agreement to settle a portion of litigation involving a longstanding dispute between grocers. Natalie Kostelni reported the peacemaking moves for the Philadelphia Business Journal.

Since 2010, the Carlino Commercial Development, based in Conshohocken, has been attempting to build a grocery-anchored shopping center on a ten-acre property in the township. The developer already has the deed to the plot and a lead tenant, Giant Food Stores would be the lead tenant.

A groundbreaking, however, has been delayed by opposition from Brandywine Village Associates. The firm developed the Brandywine Shopping Center where the Cropper family operates Crop’s Fresh Marketplace, a grocery store next door to the intended Giant.

“This is all about Cropper’s inability to compete and maintain a monopoly,” said Peter Miller, president of Carlino Commercial Development.

Part of the litigation involves a new connector road the township wants to build near the property and is using condemnation to seize land for it.

The settlement waives approximately $6.6 million in damages potentially obligated by the township. Marc Kaplin of Kaplin Stewart (the developer’s representative) called the action “a total hoax.”

He is working on nullifying it.

Read more about the legal wrangling of two East Brandywine grocers in the Philadelphia Business Journal.