BETHLEHEM TWP., Pa. — Developers of a neighborhood planned for Farmersville Road in Bethlehem Township will preserve a 19th-century farmhouse on the property.
The structure will be turned it into a residence, a representative for the developer of Fields of Farmersville said Tuesday.
Though the farmhouse, built in the 1850s, has not been formally designated as historic, township residents spoke of their fondness for the structure at previous planning commission meetings.Bethlehem Township residents at a hearing Tuesday
The development plans, submitted by Allentown-based developer Kay Builders, call for 109 single-family homes and townhouses spread across 52 acres along Farmersville Road, near the township’s municipal park and community center.
The plot includes the stone farmhouse at 3107 Farmersville Road, part of the former Miller Farm property.
Citing structural issues, representatives for Kay Builders previously told the Bethlehem Township Planning Commission it likely would tear down the stone building or leave it standing but unoccupied.
After discussions with township officials, the developer decided to instead restore the farmhouse into a single-family home, said David Wilson, an engineer with Colliers Engineering and Design working on the project.
Its outbuildings, including a stone barn and wooden sheds, would be torn down.
Though the farmhouse, built in the 1850s, has not been formally designated as historic, township residents spoke of their fondness for the structure at previous planning commission meetings.
Ready for formal approval hearings
During Tuesday night’s planning commission meeting, Wilson responded to comments from township’s planning staff and engineer regarding the farmhouse, plans to move a culvert on the property to allow a sidewalk connection, and open space requirements.
"The preliminary approval is a major milestone in the design phase. It’s still a long way after that, but we’re getting a lot closer to the finish line."David Wilson, engineer with Colliers Engineering and Design
Wilson told commissioners that he and the developer believe they have satisfied the township’s demands in all three areas and are ready to begin formal approval hearings.
He will likely appear before the planning commission again in February or March to seek preliminary approval, Wilson said.
If the township grants preliminary approval, the project still will need approval from outside agencies including the state Department of Environmental Protection and the Federal Emergency Management Agency — processes that can take months.
Before construction can begin, the project will need final land development approval from the township planning commission.
If the project gets preliminary approval in the first quarter of next year, it will be on track to break ground in early 2026, Wilson said.
“The preliminary approval is a major milestone in the design phase,” he said. “It’s still a long way after that, but we’re getting a lot closer to the finish line.”
Staff writer Will Oliver contributed to this report.
