ALLENTOWN, Pa. — A new restaurant could be coming to Allentown’s First Ward after zoning officials signed off on a project at the Third Street Business Center.
Juan Medina and his wife, Andrea Mendez, sought and received zoning approval Monday night to convert much of the building at 113-121 N. 3rd St. into a restaurant and a single-family apartment.
Medina said he and his wife bought the building, which used to be a social club and daycare, for $420,000 in August 2022.
They run a notary business, Anval Services, on the ground floor at the front of the building.
The couple plans to renovate the second floor into an apartment with two or three bedrooms, Medina said Monday.
“I’m struggling to maintain the business. I only use one-third of it.”Juan Medina, co-owner of 113-121 N. 3rd St.
The couple sought relief from an earlier decision that allowed a notary office to open in the building while restricting residential uses — a ruling that renders most of the property useless, the couple’s attorney, Rich Campbell, said.
Medina told zoning officials the building is “too much space” for his and his wife’s business.
“I’m struggling to maintain the business,” Medina said. “I only use one-third of it.”
The restaurant would be in the one-story part at the back of the building, he said.
Allentown zoning officials authorized the restaurant to have up to 36 seats based on parking that’s available in a lot next to the building.
The restaurant will not have a drive-thru lane, and the restaurant cannot fry food inside, zoning officials said.
No specific restaurant is lined up for the space, Medina said Monday.
Zoning Hearing Board member Scott Unger called the proposal a “very reasonable, well thought-out” mixed-use project.
Conversion projects
Zoning officials on Monday approved two other proposals that include converting vacant spaces into housing.
W. Malke LLC plans to convert a vacant commercial unit at 302 E. Hamilton St. into an apartment after ditching plans to put a laundromat on the building’s first floor.
A representative for the developer told zoning officials that he was prepared to pay about $150,000 to create the laundromat, but advisers estimated the project would cost up to $500,000.
“The best use for the building … is to put apartments into it.”Anthony Aspromonte, who plans to put three apartments into buildings at 207-213 Turner St., Allentown
The planned two-bedroom apartment would be split across the first and second floors, he said.
Anthony Aspromonte is set to push forward with his plans to put three apartments into buildings at 207-213 Turner St. after getting zoners’ blessing Monday.
Aspromonte said he explored several other options, including a day care and storage, for the properties that once housed Imperial Countertop.
But “the best use for the building … is to put apartments into it,” he said.
Zoning officials rejected a proposal to turn a former notary office at 1228 Turner St. into a two-bedroom apartment.
