Plan for apartments on top of old Main Street Bethlehem Woolworth store still up in the air

BETHLEHEM, Pa. — The city Historical Architectural Review Board remains undecided on a proposal to add three stories and 27 apartments to the old Woolworth building downtown.

On Wednesday, HARB, the recommending body to City Council that weighs proposed changes to the exterior of buildings in Historic Bethlehem, said it wanted to see revised plans for the former 555 Main St. five-and-dime at its next meeting on April 2.

For now, the board advised the owner and applicant — Lehigh Valley developer Lou Pektor and Rubel Street II LP, and MKSD Architects, respectively — to explore changes to west- and south-elevation setbacks that distinguish the additions from the existing building.

Generally speaking, board members shared concerns about the project’s height, the building’s rear and its aesthetic, and sight line from the nearby Broad Street Bridge and Colonial Industrial Quarter.

The proposal calls for two stories to be added along the building’s Main Street side and three stories for the back along Rubel Street.

The project as presented would be allowed by right within the city's Central Business District — offering 21 one-bedroom units and six two-bedroom units, ranging from about 700 to 1,178 square feet.

It would put the entire structure at a similar height as the adjacent Main Street Commons building, which Pektor also owns, at 47 feet tall.

The Woolworth sign on the front of the building would be preserved, according to project officials.

'We want it to be right'

When the proposal was before HARB in January, the board majority agreed the design would negatively impact the skyline along Main Street.

It recommended city council deny a certificate of appropriateness, which would have paved the way for construction.

In a Feb. 5 letter addressed to HARB, council President Michael Colón said the board’s Jan. 8 memo regarding its decision “provided no guidance with respect to what changes in plans and specifications would satisfy conditions for protecting the distinctive historical character of the district.”

At that point, City Council moved to send the plans back to HARB for further discussion and direction.

On Wednesday, Julie Bernstein — associate with Kaplin Stewart law firm, representing the applicant — said her client at this point has done its best to address feedback from both council and HARB officials.

Chairwoman Connie Postupack said to the applicant, “We want it to be right. We want it to look right, just like you guys do.”

'Has to have its own integrity'

Some members agreed the rear of the building should be materials-compatible with other nearby structures on Rubel Street to the west that feature brick and stucco.

“I think the building has to have its own integrity, and you’re already sitting on or standing on really broad shoulders of what the Woolworth building is,” HARB member Nik Nikolov said.

“That gives you a palette, that gives you a rhythm, that gives you structure, a bay — whatever you want to call it. … I think the most polemic part of the proposal is the backside.”

He called for a volumetric study of “new versus old” to better form a strategy of aesthetic design for the project.

“The brick is not pretty in my mind, but it's there — we have to work with it somehow,” Postupack said. “But if you’re looking for a direction, I would say start with the stucco first.”

Board member Joe McGavin said that if a low-rise building should have an addition, it should be one-story tall at most — or at least not imposing the view along Main Street.

“I’m one of the ones in this group that are feeling that the Woolworth building should stay as it is,” board member Diana Hodgson said.

“The one story [of addition] would be a stretch for me; two, I don’t know if you would get any kind of ‘yes’ from me.”