BETHLEHEM, Pa. — After nearly two years for the demolition and building process, the new Walnut Street Garage is now open between Main and New streets downtown.
As streetlamps awakened Thursday, a crowd gathered outside the front entrance of the new 517-space, $27 million garage for its grand opening.
Tammy Wendling, senior vice president of Bethlehem initiatives with Greater Lehigh Valley Chamber of Commerce, said area partners are “thrilled to celebrate this incredible new addition and vibrancy to our downtown.”
“You usually don’t get this kind of crowd when you open up a parking garage,” Mayor J. William Reynolds said to some laughs.
He said revamping the corridor with a new garage just east of Main would put more feet on the street supporting downtown merchants.
"When you look at this parking garage, what it represents is a step forward. The old parking garage was 500 feet long, and it was a dead block.”Bethlehem Mayor J. William Reynolds
“People come together to celebrate great and vibrant things,” Reynolds said. “And when you look at this parking garage, what it represents is a step forward.
“The old parking garage was 500 feet long, and it was a dead block.”
The new garage, one the mayor said came in on time and under budget, also will bring more activity eastward with its three ground-level retail spaces.
It's set to host Coalition for Appropriate Transportation and Oasis: Community Wellbeing Hub. The streetscape also has been opened up to offer two-way access along West Walnut.
A central corridor
Reynolds said he saw community support present Thursday in the form of Historic District residents, small business owners, contractors, elected officials and even “a few detractors that didn’t want to see the parking garage built this way.”
But the garage was designed with the populace and user experience in mind, he said.
Approving its design was a lengthy process, with some meetings running late into the evening.
The structure’s nearly 50-year-old predecessor, which was demolished early last year, was about twice the length and about 8 feet shorter than the newly approved design. It offered 770 parking spots.
The structure’s nearly 50-year-old predecessor, which was demolished early last year, was about twice the length and about 8 feet shorter than the newly approved design.
It offered 770 parking spots.
While there was some support locally for the new build and a common call for more parking options downtown and beyond, elected city officials and volunteer advisory panels repeatedly heard concerns from others who said the proposed new garage’s size was too tall, and its future impact on the city’s tourism outlook and parking supply (especially during construction) too great.
Some had questions about what’s to go up in the extra space left next door.
In August, the city’s Historic Architectural Review Board, which reviews proposals for changes to exteriors of structures within the Central Bethlehem Historic District, reviewed a proposal for a seven-story, 108-unit mixed-use apartment building for the space next door.
A 'right-size' structure
Bethlehem Parking Authority Executive Director Steven Fernstrom has said that putting up a new garage with a 60- to 80-year lifespan would end up costing about the same as maintaining the former, deteriorating garage that was on its last leg before the 50-year mark.
As for the Historic District residents and business owners, Fernstrom said “their patience and support and understanding through this process has been something that we’ve really appreciated.”
On Tuesday, Fernstrom said it all started with a comprehensive parking study showing the city was better off tearing down the former garage, which he said showed to be underutilized, and replacing with something that would bring more liveliness to the area.
“It allows the Bethlehem Parking Authority to be financially healthy, and it also allows the city to potentially add apartments and housing versus the empty parking spaces that plagued this block for decades.”Bethlehem Parking Authority Executive Director Steven Fernstrom
“That allowed us to rightsize this parking structure,” Fernstrom said.
“It allows the Bethlehem Parking Authority to be financially healthy, and it also allows the city to potentially add apartments and housing versus the empty parking spaces that plagued this block for decades.”
Officials said the aim is to get short-term parkers circulating the street spots and long-term ones into garages.
Progress was briefly halted during the former garage’s demolition in February last year, after a beam fell on a neighboring condominium.
The city cited no injuries and mild damage to the roof of a corner unit just across the intersection of West Walnut and Guetter streets.
This year, officials said, BPA has invested more than $600,000 into streetlamp upgrades and “beautification efforts” for the holidays across the city and its two downtowns.
Examples are new lights, red bows, garland and Bethlehem Stars on streetlamps.
The city’s “Walking on Walnut” celebration is from 5 to 7 p.m. Friday.
An event bringing Walnut Street businesses into focus, expect free parking at the new garage for your first four hours and food deals at Steak & Steel Hibachi, McCarthy’s Red Stag Pub & Whiskey Bar and The Tavern at the Sun Inn.
