ALLENTOWN, Pa. — The annual holiday display illuminated on PPL’s Tower Building at Ninth and Hamilton streets glows brightly this year, as it has in the past. The east side illuminates a Christmas tree, while the west displays a candle.
But the fate of the iconic symbol of the holiday season is up in the air, and officials can’t say whether the near century-old tradition will continue beyond this season.
The symbols each are 12 stories tall and visible for miles, but they currently shine in a mostly empty building.
PPL announced in June its plans to move operations to Two City Center, at Seventh and Hamilton streets. The corporation said the move was about “right-sizing” after almost 100 years in the PPL Tower. The building opened in 1928.
Ryan Hill, PPL's vice president of corporate communications, recently confirmed that most employees have completed the move and the 24-story building — which is up for sale — is nearly vacant.
An unknown future
“We plan to light the building through the holiday season," Hill recently told LehighValleyNews.com. "Looking ahead, we can’t comment on what any future owners may decide to do.”
Local retail group Colliers International is in charge of the sale. Colliers Senior Managing Director John Susanin last week said he couldn’t comment on it.
“I can tell you that everyone is aware of holiday traditions in Allentown, and how wonderful the lights on the PPL Tower are."Colliers Senior Managing Director John Susanin
“I can tell you that everyone is aware of holiday traditions in Allentown, and how wonderful the lights on the PPL Tower are,” Susanin said.
That brief statement comes three months after Colliers noted significant interest in the property and Susanin told LehighValleyNews.com he was “very hopeful” the building would sell quickly.
There was never a price set for the property, and Susanin said they planned to “let the market decide” the price.
No active listings for the PPL Tower were available early Monday. The only Allentown listing featured on the Colliers website was the Grand Plaza at 835 W Hamilton St.
A longstanding tradition
According to PPL’s website, the holiday lights display is estimated to have started as early as the 1930s, shortly after the PPL Tower was built. Back then, colored cellophane was used over the glass windows.
By the late 1940s — before there was a flickering candle on the building — the illumination depicted a wreath as a symbol of joy and unity.
"That switch enabled another change — adding an ornament to the top of the tree that slowly changes color and a flickering flame on the candle."PPL website
In the ‘90s, colored shades and fluorescent lights helped the colors glow each season. And now, there are LED lights on specially designed window shades — saving about 50% on energy costs and reducing maintenance.
"That switch enabled another change — adding an ornament to the top of the tree that slowly changes color and a flickering flame on the candle,” the website states.
According to Hill, employees have played an important role in making sure shades were drawn at the end of each day in order to light the display.
Now, it looks like the building — sans employees, but with 102 windows utilized and 660 linear feet of LED light fixtures holding 10,000 lights — will need its next owners to step up and help to keep the tradition alive.
