ALLENTOWN, Pa. — A “quirky” west Allentown home could soon be Cedar Crest College’s new technology and AI center.
College officials want to establish the center after receiving a property that includes the home in the 2800 block of College Drive as a “substantial gift” last year, according to President Elizabeth Meade.
The home — which neighbors Moore Hall — was donated to Cedar Crest College by the estate of Elaine Oberkotter Harmon, who graduated from the institution in 1959, and her husband, John.
"It’s a quirky building, and we would like to preserve the nature of its characteristics for our students.”Elizabeth Meade, Cedar Crest College president
The Elaine and John Harmon Center for Leadership in Technology would allow the college to expand its course offerings in computer science, data science, cybersecurity and applied artificial intelligence, Meade told Allentown’s planning commission on Tuesday.
The proposed center could also serve as a resource for workforce-development programs in Allentown, she said.
'Very little renovation needed'
The College Drive home’s layout would make it easy to convert into offices, classrooms and spaces for seminars, according to Meade.
“Upon touring it, we were very struck by how very little renovation would be needed to make it useful for what we wanted,” she said.
“What we like about it is the residential character of it,” Meade said. “It’s a quirky building, and we would like to preserve the nature of its characteristics for our students.”
The college is asking city officials to rezone the College Drive property from residential to industrial-governmental to allow its use as a school facility.
Meade said school officials “know that we can accomplish” the project, as Cedar Crest College has two other facilities that started as homes.
The Allentown City Planning Commission on Tuesday unanimously recommended the rezoning’s approval, with member Erich Hornung saying it would be “a welcome upgrade to the neighborhood.”
An Allentown City Council committee backed the property’s rezoning Wednesday night. The full council could pass that measure at a meeting in the near future, but a public hearing must be held first.
