BETHLEHEM, Pa. — They’re as much a symbol of the region’s resurgence as they are a beacon in South Bethlehem.
The iconic blast furnaces that once powered Bethlehem Steel tower over SteelStacks — the bustling arts and cultural campus that is home base to nonprofit ArtsQuest.
But the furnaces, five hulking pieces of rusted metal that rise above the Lehigh River, have been dark for weeks. The reasons why remain a mystery.
The illuminated fixtures have gained international acclaim as the centerpiece of the economic development that grew out of a polluted brownfield.
The spectacular lighting — capable of draping the goliaths in hues of red, blue and purple — have served as the backdrop for concerts, festivals, drinkfests and countless selfies.
“We are aware there is an issue with the blast furnace lighting, and options are currently being explored to resolve it.”Laura Collins, Bethlehem’s director of community and economic development
“The campus isn’t the same without them. It just doesn’t look the same,” one longtime observer said.
What happened to the lights and why the outage has been prolonged — the furnaces haven’t been lit since at least Memorial Day weekend — are questions those in the know haven’t addressed publicly.
“We are aware there is an issue with the blast furnace lighting, and options are currently being explored to resolve it,” said Laura Collins, Bethlehem’s director of community and economic development.
While redevelopment of the SteelStacks campus was led by the Bethlehem Redevelopment Authority, the furnaces and lighting are owned by Wind Creek Bethlehem.
Neither Julia Corwin, spokeswoman for the casino resort, nor General Manager and Executive Vice President Patrick Ryan have responded to inquiries by LehighValleyNews.com about the lights.
'Working collaboratively to find a solution'
Despite the prominence of the landmarks and the duration of the darkness, there has been little public chatter about it.
Angela DelGrosso Stein, director of the mayor’s initiatives for Bethlehem, said she was unaware of any complaints. And several city council members said they had not even heard the lights weren’t operating.
That may change as thousands more are expected to visit the area this summer, for next week’s Fourth of July fireworks and the 11-day Musikfest in August.
Dormant since the last steel beam was cast in 1995, the blast furnaces were first lighted in 2009, when the former Sands Casino Resort Bethlehem opened about a half-mile east of the structures.
A redesigned $300,000 lighting system was unveiled five years later with the redevelopment of the Hoover-Mason Trestle, an elevated walkway that takes visitors within a few feet along the base of the furnaces, according to a 2015 article by LehighValleyLive.com.
While most people associate the lighting and the furnaces with SteelStacks and ArtsQuest, the nonprofit organization does not own them and is not responsible for their maintenance.
“We are aware of the situation and are working collaboratively to find a solution,” ArtsQuest Chief Executive Officer Kassie Hilgert said in an email.
