ALLENTOWN, Pa. — A developer took yet another step forward with its project to turn the former home of Allentown magnate Gen. Harry Trexler into a large apartment complex.
The city Planning Commission on Tuesday granted conditional approval for Blackstone Structures’ plans to build about 70 apartments across two buildings at 926-930 Hamilton St.
The complex is set to be known as Edison Lofts.
- Blackstone Structures’ plans for a new apartment complex took in the 900 block of Hamilton Street another step toward fruition Tuesday
- Planning officials signed off on its plans for the Edison Lofts, which includes dozens of apartments
- The developer is also seeking approvals for another large complex on the same block
Plans show the building at 926 Hamilton St. — where Trexler lived while building his long-lasting reputation in Allentown — will be demolished and replaced with a five-story glass building that highlights the historic structure at 930 Hamilton St.
Developer Gary Newman said he still needs to secure final approvals for the project from planning and zoning officials next month before starting work.
The project had to be cleared by Allentown’s Historical Architectural Review Board and the Zoning Hearing Board because it is in one of the city’s historic districts.
'Beautiful things come out of that complexity'
The Historical and Architectural Review Board asked Blackstone Structures to include a commemoration of Trexler’s 30-year stay in the home from 1884 to 1914.
That was after officials agreed the building no longer holds any historical value because of “numerous insensitive alterations” to the structure.
"Beautiful things come out of that complexity sometimes."Developer Gary Newman on designing plans for historic buildings
Newman said he’s working with the Harry C. Trexler Trust to develop the right commemoration.
Though it is set to knock down Trexler’s former home, Blackstone wants the historic building at 930 Hamilton St. to serve as the focal point of its Edison Lofts complex.
Designing buildings to showcase and include historical aspects and existing characteristics is “much more technical and complex” than planning a structure on an open lot, Newman said.
But “beautiful things come out of that complexity sometimes,” Newman said.
Same block, different project
As they close in on getting final approval for the Edison Lofts project, Newman and Blackstone Structures are starting the approval process for a 12-story mixed-use building space on the same block.
The developer is seeking permission to raze three buildings — 960, 962 and 966 Hamilton St. — and build a structure with more than a quarter-million square feet of floor space.
Blackstones’ plans for that complex show classrooms, offices and other amenities on the building’s first three floors, with housing on the top nine floors.
If it's approved as proposed, the project's fourth through 10th floors would feature studios and one- and two-bedroom apartments. The 11th and 12th floors also would include two-story duplexes.
