BETHLEHEM, Pa. — A neighborhood in Northeast Bethlehem could be up for a makeover valued in the tens of millions of dollars.
But the city says it wants feedback from the public to guide planning in the meantime.
From 2 to 5 p.m. Saturday, the Pembroke Choice Festival will be the place to share thoughts about a potential overhaul of the Pembroke Village public-housing development and surrounding area.Bethlehem city news release
From 2 to 5 p.m. Saturday, the Pembroke Choice Festival will be the place to share thoughts about a potential overhaul of the Pembroke Village public-housing development and surrounding area.
Free food, music, a raffle and more will be available at the lower-level small gym at Bethlehem Boys & Girls Club, 1430 Fritz Drive.
Local resource groups also will be on hand, including Hispanic Center Lehigh Valley, Valley Youth House, YWCA Bethlehem, and the city’s police, fire and recreation departments.
'A joyful and healthy community'
“The Choice program supports the revitalization of distressed public housing while promoting and leveraging investments that improve the quality of life for neighborhood residents,” a city news release reads.
The major update of the Stefko-Pembroke area “aspires to be a joyful and healthy community with active parks and recreation spaces, thriving local businesses, and safe, car-free ways of getting around.”
There’s been about a year and a half of planning up to this point, following the city getting a half-million-dollar Choice Neighborhood Planning grant in 2023.
The major update of the Stefko-Pembroke area “aspires to be a joyful and healthy community with active parks and recreation spaces, thriving local businesses, and safe, car-free ways of getting around.”City of Bethlehem
That money gives development officials and partner COLLABO urban design firm two years to brainstorm what a one-to-one replacement of Pembroke Village housing and broader-area makeover could look like.
Officials have met with neighborhood residents a number of times since then to discuss local needs, including livening local parks, transit options and employment opportunities.
Using that feedback, officials will apply for another Choice Neighborhoods grant, this time for up to $50 million to implement the vision.
About the neighborhood
Pembroke Village, built in 1941 and operated by Bethlehem Housing Authority, is made up of two-story townhomes and apartment buildings up to four stories.
The mix includes one-, two- and four-bedroom units.
All 196 units in the development would be replaced for mixed-income housing as part of the project in question.
The development is home to 464 total household members — 82% of them are Hispanic or Latino, 11% African-American, 6% Caucasian and 1% recorded as Asian/Other.
Residents have an average annual income per household of $28,957, according to a detailed request for developer qualifications on the city website.
The broader area planned for improvements has more than 4,200 residents among the area south and east of Stefko Boulevard, west of Livingston Street and the city limits, north of the Lehigh River and north of Pembroke Road.
Some amenities in the project area include:
Education — Marvine and Lincoln elementary schools and the Lehigh Valley Barber School; high-school students attend Northeast Middle and Liberty High.
Food and fellowship — Northeast Community Center, the city Boys & Girls Club, Figueroa’s Market, Valley Farm Market.
Industry — World Headquarters of Just Born Quality Confections, Phoenix Tube and National Magnetics Group.
Public transit — Lehigh and Northampton Transportation Authority’s Blue Line, 102, 108, 312 and 605.
Open spaces — Bayard Park, Stefko Basketball Court, Pembroke Park.
