UPPER MACUNGIE TWP., Pa. — The township's long-anticipated community center has an official price tag.
Upper Macungie Board of Supervisors on Thursday awarded $38.5 million worth of contracts to build the new community center.
About $8 million in bids are remaining, Township Manager Robert Ibach Jr. said, bringing the total cost to about $46 million.
The Upper Macungie Township Community Fund, the nonprofit raising money for the center, has secured $20 million in committed funds and has $16 million in pending grant funding, according to a presentation last month.
The township now is considering financing some of the remaining cost of the project with municipal bonds.
“We could write a check today. It's a question of whether fiscally we can imagine some math that is better for you as a citizen than just writing that check out."Upper Macungie Township Supervisors Chairman Jeff Fleischaker
Board Chairman Jeff Fleischaker said the township could use its reserves to pay, but the township may need that money in the future for other projects.
“We could write a check today," Fleischaker said. "It's a question of whether fiscally we can imagine some math that is better for you as a citizen than just writing that check out."
The 180,000-square-foot indoor recreational facility would be in Grange Park. It would have a turf field, two multipurpose courts, meeting spaces and a concession stand, according to proposed renderings.
The rates for using the center have not been decided. But a study done in April 2023 suggested an annual resident membership fee of $300 for adults and $600 for families.
Ibach said that study was meant to test out the feasibility of the center and the rates will not necessarily be that high.
Township supervisors first voted to move forward with building a community center in 2011, with a goal of it being completed in 2017.
What will the center be like?
Community Fund Vice Chairwoman Laura McHugh said previously that the “centerpiece” of the community center will be a 130,000 square foot turf field — the size of three regulation soccer fields.
The field would have a walking trail around it and a small fitness center above it.
Lehigh Valley Health Network plans to equip the fitness center and provide health programming such as screenings, educational seminars, nutrition classes and vaccination clinics.
McHugh said the two multipurpose courts in the renderings could be used for basketball, volleyball, pickleball and community gatherings not related to sports.
The center also would have meeting spaces designed to be flexible with dividing walls, concessions and free public wi-fi.
McHugh said the community center would become the largest emergency shelter space in Lehigh County.
To finance or not to finance
Supervisors also unanimously voted to let financial advising company PFM Advisors gather information about financing the project through municipal bonds.
PFM Managing Director Jamie Schlesinger gave a presentation about what financing the project could look like.
Some estimates presented were a $10 million bond with a total interest yield of about $7 million and a $17.5 million bond with a total interest yield of about $14.2 million.
“I think it makes a lot of sense to use both debt and your cash to kind of offset things because there will be future things coming down the line that you may be considering, and I’d rather have that [reserve] as flexibility for future use,” Schlesinger said.
Upper Macungie has never issued public debt before, according to Schlesinger.
“I feel uncomfortable voting in favor of something I know residents had some concerns about."Board Vice Chairman Sunny Ghai
Residents previously said in a survey they didn't want the township to take on debt to build the community center, Board Vice Chairman Sunny Ghai said.
“I feel uncomfortable voting in favor of something I know residents had some concerns about,” Ghai said.
Supervisor Jim Brunnell said he supports financing because the township reserves will continue to make interest.
“Ultimately, as a business decision, that's the smart thing to do right now,” Brunnell said.
“Everything has converged. If we're going to do it, we have to do it."Supervisor Jim Brunnell
Brunnell said he used to be against the idea of building the community center, but he changed his mind when he saw how many residents supported it.
He said he thinks now is the time to move forward with construction.
“Everything has converged," Brunnel said. "If we're going to do it, we have to do it.
"We can't sit here and say, ‘Oh, well, we'll decide in February or sometime next year,’ because we've got all this momentum."
The board will hear more about the financing proposals at its Sept. 5 meeting and will hold a public hearing in the coming months, likely in October, Ibach said.
