ALLENTOWN, Pa. — Doors opened — and jaws dropped.
Visitors touring the different levels of condominium living at The Hamilton at Grand Plaza after its ribbon-cutting ceremony on Wednesday could hardly believe their eyes.
“It’s beautiful! Where do I sign?” , remarked one woman upon exiting a stylish two-bedroom unit.
Yet another visitor sat wide-eyed on the edge of a bed in a two-bedroom unit, stroked the comforter with a hand and said, “I have to live here.”
The eight-story structure that once housed offices for PPL Corp., has been transformed into 30 rental apartments and 88 condos available for purchase, with some of the latter featuring two floors connected by eye-catching spiral staircases.
Each unit features modern designs and upscale amenities like stainless steel appliances, quartz countertops and in-unit washers and dryers.
Residents will also enjoy a pet-friendly environment, a multi-level fitness center, package delivery, bicycle storage and more.
“We converted the second-through-sixth floors here to residential. It’ll be a mix of homeowners who are going to condo owners and a mix of renters as well.”Don Wenner, DLP Capital CEO, on The Hamilton at Grand Plaza
The Grand Plaza was created by developer Don Wenner, founder of DLP Capital, a private real estate investment and financial services firm, and a Nazareth High School graduate. He purchased the building in 2021.
“At first, we didn’t know what we were going to do with it,” Wenner said before the ribbon-cutting ceremony. “Then we landed on what we know how to do best, which is provide housing to people.
“We converted the second-through-sixth floors here to residential. It’ll be a mix of homeowners who are going to become condo owners and a mix of renters as well.”
The Grand Plaza offers the following units for purchase: studio apartments (The Allen, 521 square feet, $360,000), a one-bedroom (The Lehigh, 650 square feet and up, $440,000), two-bedroom (The Hamilton, 1,052 square feet, $549,000) and a one bedroom with a den (The Spiral, 1,350 square feet, $485,000).
The first floor will feature retail shopping, a bank and a restaurant.
The second floor consists of 30 apartments for rent, with one-bedroom and studio units.
Eighty-eight condos are on the third through sixth floors.
The apartments and condos were designed with a roomy feel, with plenty of space in the kitchen area, bedroom, bath areas and closets.
The seventh and eighth floors currently house DLP Capital offices.
All units will be available to be moved into starting Nov. 17
“You’ve been able to rent and live in downtown Allentown for a while now,” Mayor Matt Tuerk told the gathering at the ribbon-cutting ceremony.
“But to be able to live in Center City in a condo of your own is something that people have been asking me about a lot. I’m excited to see it here now.”
“We need housing all across the country, but specifically here in Allentown and the Lehigh Valley."Matt Tuerk
Tuerk also celebrated the Grand Plaza for helping address a housing crisis in Allentown and throughout the Lehigh Valley.
“We need housing all across the country, but specifically here in Allentown and the Lehigh Valley,” he said.
“The cost of living is getting higher, and it’s getting harder to find a place to live affordably. Anything that gets added to the market helps.”
Tuerk also trumpeted the access that residents at the Grand Plaza will have to all that downtown Allentown has to offer.
“You can buy a condo at the corner of Ninth and Hamiton, get some of the best views of the city and have immediate access to the soon-to-open Archer Music Hall, pop into the DaVinci Science Center and enjoy some of the best restaurants in the city.
“All from a place that you own and you can create equity and build wealth.”
