BETHLEHEM, Pa. — Have you been wondering what could go next to the new Walnut Street Garage? Parking and city officials have an idea, but they’re looking for a zoning change to potentially make it happen.
Bethlehem City Council last week unanimously approved a public hearing set for 7 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 6, 2024, surrounding the area where the Walnut Street Garage currently sits.
Councilwomen Paige Van Wirt and Hillary Kwiatek were absent.
Four parcels, one site
Bethlehem Parking Authority Executive Director Steven Fernstrom said the garage at 33 W. Walnut St. is built on four separate parcels, but a new development proposed for that land would require consolidating it all into one site.
In a letter to city council, Fernstrom said the land is made up of three parcels zoned Central Business District and an additional area zoned RT – High Density Residential District. Parking officials would look to have all the land there designated as CB.
“This zoning map change will allow the consolidation of these parcels and bring consistency between the zoning map and the actual use of the land area,” Fernstrom wrote.
“This zoning map change will allow the consolidation of these parcels and bring consistency between the zoning map and the actual use of the land area."Bethlehem Parking Authority Executive Director Steven Fernstrom, in a letter to city council
The matter has been referred to the Bethlehem Planning Commission, which is scheduled to meet at 5 p.m. Thursday.
There’s been over a decade of conversation and planning between the city and BPA surrounding the future of the site’s potential to meet parking needs, requests from nearby merchants, urban planning objectives and historic suitability, officials said at Wednesday’s meeting of the Historical Architectural Review Board.
“While my focus is on parking, a vital infrastructure critical to the health of our downtowns, we realize the project is much more than parking,” Fernstrom said. “The city has been a partner in evaluating issues around the importance of this project for the community at large.”
The lot is planned to offer parking facilities on the eastern portion of the land, within a 278-foot-long, “right-size” parking deck, versus the current one taking up the whole block at about 500 feet long.
“While my focus is on parking, a vital infrastructure critical to the health of our downtown’s, we realize the project is much more than parking. The city has been a partner in evaluating issues around the importance of this project for the community at large.”Bethlehem Parking Authority Executive Director Steven Fernstrom
Two retail spaces also could be in the works if the plan’s approved, offering about 3,000 feet of retail space on site.
And on the western end of the lot, there could come a mixed-use commercial-residential development. But that project is not yet designed and not yet before officials, said Laura Collins, city director of community and economic development.
She said her family used to run a deli in the Sun Inn courtyard close by, so she’s familiar with the Walnut Street corridor on a personal level.
'Puzzling' white block
William Scheirer, a West Bethlehem resident, brought attention to one of the slides in the BPA-provided slideshow. Since the property abutting the garage hasn’t yet been decided on, officials provided a white block figure in its place in some of the renderings.
He also mentioned the vote from city council the evening before, which could lead to room later being made for that space following a public hearing.
“Well, there’s a white block stand-in there, yet to be defined,” Scheirer said, chuckling to himself. “And I find it extremely puzzling that it’s not yet defined. …
“What is going on here? I am extremely puzzled. All this effort to create space for an undefined use.”
‘Good urban planning’
Collins later said the city had put out a public-access request for proposal earlier in the year to gather interest from potential developers for the new project.
She said the details of the project that could go up next to the new garage is not being kept secret. She also said it’s no secret the city needs rental housing.
“In the city of Bethlehem, we have a 2-percent vacancy rate; a healthy market has 6- to 8-percent. We are in desperate need of residential units. That’s city wide, it’s across all income levels.”Bethlehem Director of Community and Economic Development Laura Collins
“In the city of Bethlehem, we have a 2-percent vacancy rate; a healthy market has 6- to 8-percent,” Collins said. “We are in desperate need of residential units. That’s city-wide, it’s across all income levels.”
She said encouraging “more feet on the street” has been a request from city merchants for some time.
Collins said though that’s the city’s vision for that space, there’s always the possibility of having more conversations and doing something different with that lot — whether it’s going with what’s proposed with modifications or a lower garage with more spaces and no residential, for example.
World Heritage concerns, buffer zone
Collins said there’s been concern surrounding what the demolition of the garage and ensuing project could mean for the UNESCO World Heritage designation currently on the table for the city’s Moravian landmarks.
She added she’s been personally involved in the efforts of the World Heritage Council and the nomination document.
“The World Heritage-nominated site and its buffer zone are within the HARB district,” Collins said. “As it turns out, though, the Walnut Street Garage is neither part of the nominated property or within the buffer zone.”
“The World Heritage-nominated site and its buffer zone are within the HARB district. As it turns out, though, the Walnut Street Garage is neither part of the nominated property or within the buffer zone.”Bethlehem Director of Community and Economic Development Laura Collins
She said the garage sits just beyond that buffer area.
UNESCO defines a buffer zone as “clearly delineated area(s) outside a World Heritage property and adjacent to its boundaries which contribute to the protection, conservation, management, integrity, authenticity and sustainability of the Outstanding Universal Value of the property.”
Bruce Haines, Hotel Bethlehem's managing partner, asked if the decision to not include the garage in the buffer zone was a political decision.
Collins later said she hasn’t been acting “nefariously” in her work related to the World Heritage process. She said Barry Gamble, the city’s World Heritage consultant, determined the buffer zone, a topic in which she was never consulted about.
“It belongs a block away on Broad Street. Put it where the Long Street Lot is. You want more people downtown? Put it on Broad Street, not in the Historic District.”Hotel Bethlehem Managing Partner Bruce Haines, speaking on where he thinks a new apartment building should go in North Bethlehem
Haines said he couldn’t wrap his head around the idea of making the new garage taller with fewer spaces in light of a potential World Heritage designation and a proposed residential development next door. He also said it didn’t make sense to move it further from Main Street.
BPA and other entities are considering capacity for weekday parking at less busy times of the year when they came up with the new garage’s capacity, instead of considering holidays and other special events, Haines said.
“It belongs a block away on Broad Street,” Haines said. “Put it where the Long Street Lot is.
“You want more people downtown? Put it on Broad Street, not in the Historic District.”
"The consistent findings indicate an oversupply of parking, which we intend to correct."Bethlehem Parking Authority Executive Director Steven Fernstrom
Haines said a recent hotel guest wasn't able to find parking at the Walnut Street Garage on a Saturday night, and hotel staff had to refer them to the garage on North Street. Typical walks from both garages to the hotel are five and six minutes, respectively, but coming from the latter involves an uphill portion on Main Street.
BPA Executive Director Fernstrom said Haines' comments regarding garage capacity were "factually inaccurate."
"The BPA has worked on a comprehensive parking study for the past two years, capturing parking occupancy levels during all times, including December 2022 and now December 2023," Fernstrom said in a statement in the days following the HARB meeting. "The consistent findings indicate an oversupply of parking, which we intend to correct."
