BETHLEHEM, Pa. — As Bethlehem's Southside Arts District and Third Street are bustling and folks come from far and wide to see the historic Moravian sites on the city's North Side, it begs the question for many: Where's the love for West Bethlehem?
Many say the pride and joy of the western end is the historic Rose Garden Park, drawing people all summer for a stroll through the garden, listening to concerts at the bandshell and perusing the farmers market nearby. But there's even more to come for the area, according to city officials.
- West Bethlehem residents joined their city council neighbors for a Town Hall meeting on Thursday
- The main concerns surrounded development progress in the area, as well as stormwater management
- Those who attended spoke highly of the city's concert and movie events in local parks
Five residents met up with fellow West Side residents and city council members Michael Colón and Hillary Kwiatek at the Rose Garden Park's DAR house on Thursday to discuss what's in the works and other related concerns.
Martin Tower site development
As for the former Martin Tower site at 1770 Eighth Ave., near Eaton Avenue, there’s not much new information to share regarding the development process and the barren lot, according to Colón.
He added that the developer has submitted for building permits for two medical offices to take up 6.5 acres facing Eighth Avenue, but those have yet to be approved.
A couple of years ago, the whole 53-acre site was proposed to feature the medical office buildings, along with a 225,000-square-foot hotel and 1,085 apartments across four buildings, each five stories tall. The site plans have seen variations over time, once calling for the inclusion of a gas station and over 33,000 square feet of retail space across two buildings.
“I know myself, personally as a citizen, I’m tired of looking at that dump over there on Eighth Avenue."Robert Mulrooney, Bethlehem resident
Resident Robert Mulrooney said he felt that city officials should consider stepping in to make the developer move quicker in its process, as the site is a “wasteland.”
“I want to see progress over there,” Mulrooney said. “Or I want to see city council go to the developer and go, ‘Look, we have a timeline.’ Boom.”
Colón and Kwiatek both clarified that there’s only so much that council can legally do within its role, adding that the city doesn’t own the property.
“Other than I’m sure there are ongoing conversations, council’s role is more, like I said, we change the zoning to try to accommodate some of the movement with these medical office buildings and things like that,” Colón explained. “But right now, it’s sort of in the developer’s hands to submit these plans.”
“I know myself, personally as a citizen, I’m tired of looking at that dump over there on Eighth Avenue,” Mulrooney stated.
He said the delayed progress couldn’t currently be attributed to pandemic impacts or the price of commodities.
“We’ll see in the next five, six months if they come back to council looking for concessions,” Mulrooney added.
“You’d think they could come up with something different than gas stations and apartments,” resident Sara Kurtz said.
Improvements for Broad Street, nearby parks
Phase Two improvements for Rose Garden Park are “on the wish-list,” but other repairs are in the works, according to Kwiatek.
“That is something that the city is still pursuing funding for,” Kwaitek said. “But, of course in the meantime, the city continues to do routine maintenance and tree work, replacement of playground equipment, safety surface repair for playgrounds as needed and then upgrading the stage lights to LED.”
Kwaitek said that although the Broad Street Activation Plan is calling for million-dollar improvements to come for the thoroughfare’s east end, the west end’s targeted projects include the proposed new medians, bump-outs, pedestrian islands, updated crosswalks and detectable warning system surfaces will cost upward of $10 million.
“I think we’re all aware of how Broad Street is so broad, and it’s not pedestrian- and bike-friendly. It’s a concern that people drive really, really fast on it, and the goal is to create traffic-calming measures and make it a street that people will safely and enjoyably use.”Hillary Kwiatek, Bethlehem City Council member
And though the city was unsuccessful in its request last year for a Safe Streets and Roads for All grant, officials have put in another application in its pursuit of funding. The public should know more about that process come fall, and if approved, the city would begin construction in 2024, with projects completed sometime in 2025 or 2026, Kwaitek added.
“I think we’re all aware of how Broad Street is so broad, and it’s not pedestrian- and bike-friendly,” Kwaitek said. “It’s a concern that people drive really, really fast on it, and the goal is to create traffic-calming measures and make it a street that people will safely and enjoyably use.”
Fairview Park at Fourth Avenue between Prospect Avenue and Market Street will be getting a new playground this October, following efforts to come from KABOOM!, Pennsylvania Municipal League and even the work of local volunteers.
A summer park program is offering the chance for school-age children to enjoy arts, crafts and games. The program at Rose Garden Park runs from 10 a.m. to noon Tuesdays and Thursdays.
And it’s not exclusive to just the West Side. Kwaitek mentioned that some families around the area are even “sampling” different parks around the city, as Yosko Park at the South Side’s Atlantic Street hosts the same event on Monday evenings.
Stormwater management on historic land
Resident Megan Beste shared her thoughts on recent flooding and stormwater management throughout the city and its historic land.
“I worry about our [Colonial] Industrial Quarter and how we’re about to become a UNESCO World Heritage Site,” Beste said. “And we’re just hoping that we don’t have a bad flood, like we’ve had often in the past, and being able to protect those things that people are going to come here to look at.”
She added she’s aware of the role of development in locations “up the creek” from Bethlehem contributing to the stormwater issues, but she hoped to see more discussion surrounding the protection of historic lands and climate matters as they pertain to flooding.
“I worry about our [Colonial] Industrial Quarter and how we’re about to become a UNESCO World Heritage Site. And we’re just hoping that we don’t have a bad flood, like we’ve had often in the past, and being able to protect those things that people are going to come here to look at.”Megan Beste, Bethlehem resident
Kwiatek said those conversations are happening among city officials, and maybe pursuing federal grants could lead to some potential solutions.
“There’s a lot of attention on stormwater management that’s going on,” Kwiatek said. “Obviously that seems to be something that is being tackled a lot in various parts of the city.”
Proposed Hanover Apartments on the city's western edge
Colón began his portion of the evening by discussing the most recent news out of the proposed Hanover Apartments and the project’s dimensional variance hearings.
A New Jersey developer is looking at potentially constructing four buildings of five stories each, featuring 317 apartments at the westernmost end of Broad Street and the easternmost end of Hanover Avenue. The project would straddle the Bethlehem-Allentown border.
The applicant is asking for dimensional relief regarding building length and commercial use on the first floor of the building closest to Broad Street.
Nearby residents of that area have hired an attorney, citing neighborhood safety, traffic dangers and stormwater management concerns among other concerns.
Closing arguments from each side’s legal counsel will take place before the city's zoning hearing board on Aug. 16. The panel plans to make a final vote that day.
If the variances were approved, the developers would still have to consult the city’s planning commission regarding the land development process, addressing traffic, stormwater, utilities, landscaping and more.
Skyline West apartments
Progress on the 40-unit Skyline West apartment project for 143 W. Broad St. was another concern of Mulrooney’s.
The site’s proximity to the Colonial Industrial Quarter leaves some residents with further questions as historic Moravian sites are up for UNESCO World Heritage status.
“You know, I mean [I’m] deeply concerned about these developers, [they] get these approvals and why it takes them so long to, you know, put a shovel in the dirt."Robert Mulrooney, Bethlehem resident
The city Historic and Architectural Review Board approved a certificate of appropriateness for that site last September. Council also approved a building permit since it met historic guidelines, according to Colón.
“You know, I mean [I’m] deeply concerned about these developers, [they] get these approvals and why it takes them so long to, you know, put a shovel in the dirt,” Mulrooney said, in response.
Park activities
Beste later commended the city for its past and recent success of the “Live in the Garden” Concert Series at Rose Garden Park.
“It was nice to have our neighbors together,” Beste said. “Between the farmers market and that concert the last couple of years, I think our community has come together a lot more because of that.”
Kurtz said she’s sat on her porch to enjoy the concerts nearby at the bandshell for the last 50 years. She added the event parking could use some reconsidering, though.
“It was nice to have our neighbors together. Between the farmers market and that concert the last couple of years, I think our community has come together a lot more because of that.”Megan Beste, Bethlehem resident
Residents also gave positive feedback on the “Movies in the Park” series.
Colón said the city’s recreation bureau has done a good job with the events and bringing out neighborhood families, no matter where they may live in the city.
“Depending on what part of the city you live in and what your life looks like, you might not come to the Rose Garden if you live over by Northeast [Middle School], you might not go to Yosko if you live by Clearview [Elementary School],” he said. “But the Movies in the Park, they do a nice job of getting everybody out.”
Upcoming showings include “Tyson’s Run” at Sell Field on July 24, as well as “Lightyear” at Yosko Park on Aug. 2.
