ALLENTOWN, Pa. — A developer is on the clock after Allentown Planning Commission on Tuesday set a six-month deadline on its proposal to change a proposed skyscraper that would be the Lehigh Valley's tallest — previously approved for mostly offices — into an apartment complex.
Bruce Loch, president of Ascot Circle Realty, earned planners' blessing in 2015 for a 33-story building at 90 S. 9th St.
- Allentown planners are giving a developer six months to submit new proposals for a planned skyscraper
- Ascot Circle Realty earned conditional approved in 2015 to fill most of the building with offices
- The developer now plans to turn about 90% of the skyscraper into housing
Loch initially planned to fill about 80% of the so-called Landmark Tower with offices, with retail on the building’s bottom two floors and apartments on the top five floors.
Though planners granted conditional approval eight years ago for Loch’s proposal, the lot remained empty Tuesday.
The planning commission has given Loch four extensions for the project since that initial approval.
At 33 stories, the proposed Landmark Tower would be “the tallest building in 65 counties” in Pennsylvania, topped only by buildings in Philadelphia and Pittsburgh.Bruce Loch, president of Ascot Circle Realty
After granting another extension in June 2021, planners warned it would “be the last extension.”
But Loch and several others working on the project were in front of the commission again Tuesday, seeking a two-year extension on the approved project.
‘Tallest building in 65 counties’
Planners instead approved a six-month extension after project engineer Mike Housten said the developer now wants to fill more than 90% of the Landmark Tower with housing units.
Officials said they want to see more detailed plans before signing off on the project. The switch to housing also likely will require some review by zoning officials.
Loch called the commission’s short extension a “fair compromise” and said his company will submit plans that show the building as a mostly residential property.
“All we needed was additional time,” Loch said, noting the last extension was granted in June 2021. “We were in the height of the pandemic, and there was nothing happening. And so we ran out of time.”
Loch said he still plans a 33-story tower that would stand more than 400 feet tall. That would make it the Lehigh Valley’s largest building — by far — looming over the 24-story PPL Tower, which stands at about 322 feet.
At 33 stories, it would be “the tallest building in 65 counties” in Pennsylvania, topped only by buildings in Philadelphia and Pittsburgh, Loch said.
Loch told LehighValleyNews.com he hopes to break ground on construction next summer.
