(7th in a series on Martin Tower)
Ever closer to implosion. Will Gadfly have to wear dark glasses? Mask, for sure — he’s downwind.
After Martin Tower vanishes from Bethlehem’s skyline this spring, developers plan to replace it with a $200 million development that includes 528 apartments, a 132-room hotel, a restaurant, three medical office buildings and a gas station.
The residential part of the project would be arranged in three-story garden apartments along the eastern side of the 53-acre property with the three-story medical offices and other commercial development closer to Eighth and Eaton avenues, which is near other medical office buildings.
The gas station/convenience store would be near the corner of Route 378. A tennis court and pool complementing the apartment complex are also planned.
There would be eight acres of open space along a tree-lined hillside on the eastern edge of the property and sidewalks that connect to the adjacent streets, trails and parks, according to a sketch plan submitted by owners Lewis Ronca and Norton Herrick.
The Planning Commission is expected to review it as a sketch plan at its April 11 meeting. Sketch plans are discussed but not voted on by the Planning Commission. The Planning Commission votes on land development plans. . . . The concept calls for 74 percent residential, 14 percent office and 12 percent commercial/etail. The property would be subdivided into nine lots.
Alicia Miller Karner, director of the city’s community and economic development department, also raised questions about the lack of density and hoped to work with the developer to make sure it includes features that emphasize walkability and bicycle safety.
“Sounding Board: What would be best use of Martin Tower property?” Morning Call, March 14, 2019.
See above. This might be too late. But Call readers answer the question: what would be the best use of the property?
- senior living apartments with coffee shop and bus service
- let market forces decide
- Amazon headquarters site
- high-end apartments
- a Movie Tavern
Should Martin Tower rise or fall…it is a monument to corporate stupidity and short sightedness. Frankly I say level it and frankly do not care much what goes in its place as long as it contributes to the tax revenue of our community.