The Medford zoning board on Wednesday night voted unanimously to allow a developer to take the first step toward the demolition of the Medport Diner on Route 70.
Board members ruled only on whether a variance should be granted to J&J Development Group LLC of 701 Route 70 in Marlton to build a Chipotle Mexican Grill with a drive-up, pick-up-only, window about 150 feet away from an existing Popeyes restaurant’s drive-through lanes.
If all is approved, yet another traditional New Jersey diner will be destined to disappear. The Medport Diner building was the original Cherry Hill Ponzio’s diner on Route 70, but was moved to Medford in 1979 to become the Medport when Ponzio’s expanded. Before Ponzio’s moved into the old building in Cherry Hill, it was the Ellisburg Diner.