BETHLEHEM, Pa. — Racecar driver Marco Andretti’s vision for 11 new apartments in West Bethlehem got a unanimous green light from the city Planning Commission on Thursday.
The vote also included a consolidation of the two lots at 817 W. Broad St. and neighboring 821-823 (his grandparents’ old duplex), each planned to be home to four and seven units, respectively.
The only new structure to be built on site would be a 13-foot stair tower on the southwestern corner of 821, project officials said.
With the consolidation, the half-acre space located in the Limited Commercial zoning district would feature 11 apartments and 21 off-street parking spaces.
821 W. Broad is a three-story structure of 2,160 square feet, and 817 W. Broad is just over 1,900 square feet and stands at two stories.
A bit smaller this time
The approval comes pending Andretti’s team’s installation of proper fire-protection sprinkler systems in both structures, maintaining a hedgerow at the northeastern corner of the property and determining a dumpster type and location for the property alongside city officials.
As for parking, Andretti’s team proposes to maintain an accessory garage behind 817 and put in nine parking spaces and a dumpster pad.
Plans also include demolishing a garage behind 821-823 to make room for 12 parking spaces.
“The intention all along has been to restore the building."Gary Lader, project architect with 4/4 Architecture
Andretti and Spinozzi II LLC originally wanted to put in 30 total apartments on the land, including an 18-unit, four-story addition behind the properties, before the city Planning Commission asked developers to size down the proposal last July.
Gary Lader, project architect with 4/4 Architecture, said the properties need some minor brickwork, touch-ups to the slate roofs and fresh paint.
“The intention all along has been to restore the building,” Lader said.
Base Engineering's Drew Nyman, project manager on behalf of the applicant, said the original sketch plan presented last year was “a lot more expansive than what we’re doing now.”
'It is not needed'
Kathleen Russo, who lives on abutting property, said she has filed an appeal with Lehigh County Court opposing a previously approved reduction of Andretti’s west side-yard setback from 15 feet to 13 feet.
She and the panel on Thursday went back-and-forth for nearly a half-hour.
Before the vote, she said an approval now would mean the developer would eventually just want to keep building on site, depreciating her property value.
“This is going to affect the rest of my life. … I need to beg you to not allow this lot consolidation — it is not needed.”West Bethlehem resident Kathleen Russo
“If the property owner owns both these lots and wants them consolidated, and such a consolidation is compliant with the applicable laws, the motivation of the property owner is entirely irrelevant,” Assistant City Solicitor Matthew Deschler said.
“This is going to affect the rest of my life,” Russo said. “ … I need to beg you to not allow this lot consolidation — it is not needed.”
Planners Chairman Roberty Melosky said, “What the applicant has proposed is allowed, and I understand your concern as a neighbor — I get it. I’m glad you returned, but I don’t want this meeting that I’m in charge of running to turn into a circus.”
“If the property owner owns both these lots and wants them consolidated, and such a consolidation is compliant with the applicable laws, the motivation of the property owner is entirely irrelevant."Bethlehem Assistant City Solicitor Matthew Deschler
Catherine Bowman, another nearby resident, said the developer should give up some of the proposed parking spaces to accommodate more shade-tree coverage.
“The benefit of finding a way to keep more significant trees and more significant shade — and that would also allow better drainage when the rains come — I think that would benefit the neighborhood and the tenants a lot more than those extra couple [parking] spots.”
All trees along the property lines will remain considering an 8-foot buffer in place, Nyman said.
