BETHLEHEM, Pa. — An empty lot about a half-mile up the hill from SteelStacks is looking to become home to a four-story apartment building with 37 units.
Bethlehem Planning Commission on Thursday unanimously approved land development and lot consolidation plans to make three parcels into one for the new building at 934-946 Evans St.
The board also approved turning nearby 1004 Evans into a 40-car parking lot for its residents.
"We were really being more mindful with the height and just making sure from both north and south, east to west, we kind of stayed in accordance with height of neighboring buildings.”Property owner David Hitzel of HH Evans Street LLC
The plots take up nearly a half-acre and just over a quarter-acre, respectively, along Evans Street.
Located at the former home of Casa Blanca Night Club — and with ingress from Ridge Street and egress onto State Street — a multi-family apartment use is permitted by right on the land within the city’s High-Density Residential Zoning District.
A two-story structure, at one point a warehouse, at 1004 Evans would be demolished to make room for the residential parking.
A project sketch plan was before planners in 2024, and the city Zoning Hearing Board approved some dimensional variances and parking relief later in the months following.
“We tried to keep both the color scheme, the kind of plank design of it, to somewhat sync up as much as possible with the surrounding buildings,” property owner David Hitzel of HH Evans Street LLC said.
“We were really being more mindful with the height and just making sure from both north and south, east to west, we kind of stayed in accordance with height of neighboring buildings.”
Affordability, emergency site access
Developers said a key challenge going forward will include navigating fire apparatuses on the tight streets close by if the need ever arises.
Though dialogue will continue with the fire department, officials said, first responders could come down State Street and make the turn onto Evans, or navigate from Third Street to Evans.
It may even require removing the spaces along the street-parking area of the property-abutting part of State Street and turning it into a fire lane, officials said.
Will the units end up priced at a monthly rental rate set at no more than 30% of a household’s income, otherwise known as “affordable”?
According to recent fair market rent values, Hitzel said his team would be at a “substantial loss per unit for affordable” and “most likely unable to finance through any banking partner without an above-and-beyond capital investment."
“Even at that point there we’re essentially either a loss or, at best case, break even,” Hitzel said.
