BETHLEHEM, Pa. — Historically, it’s been to hell and back.
A century of standing along a busy thoroughfare in Bethlehem came to be a true test of time for the old Boyd Theatre. Over the years, the building sustained wind and fire damage; a decade-long, debilitating roof leak; identity crises; and a number of changes in ownership.
But after a two-year overhaul of the property, including a full demolition, the Boyd is back and bigger than ever — an emphasis on “bigger than ever.”
The new Dream Boyd Theatre at 30 W. Broad St. — now standing six stories tall, with 205 apartments, two commercial spaces and 200 feet of street frontage — to some, may look like a total about-face compared to the namesake theatre, which closed its doors in 2011.
But as soon as Oct. 1, the building will have first- and second-floor availability for tenants, though the entire complex will be up and running some time this winter, according to Zachary Fortier, community manager with Dream Live Prosper Communities.
DLP Capital owns the property, while Dream Live Prosper Communities will be managing the site, he said.
Rent and amenities
Monthly rent averages $1,600 for studio units, $1,900 for one-bed/one-baths and $2,600 for two bed/two-baths, with over 20 different floor plans to choose from. Studios will be sized between 416-454 square feet, with the one-beds around 480 square feet and two-beds about 860 square feet.
Fortier said the development is intended to provide housing for the local workforce, at a price that falls within average area pay ranges. Three times the rent is required as income for those actively applying to live at Dream Boyd Theatre.
“At the end of the day, the Lehigh Valley has a major housing shortage, and everybody is upset with where rent rates. The only way to really control that and have any impact on that is to have more rental units available to people.”Zachary Fortier, community manager with Dream Boyd Theatre property management company Dream Live Prosper Communities
“At the end of the day, the Lehigh Valley has a major housing shortage, and everybody is upset with where rent rates are,” Fortier said. “The only way to really control that and have any impact on that is to have more rental units available to people.”
The following amenities come with the newest edition of the Boyd:
- Kitchens with white subway tile backsplash, white quartz countertops and stainless steel appliances
- Washer and dryers in unit
- Wi-Fi smart thermostats
- Walk-in closets
- Electronic keyless entry
- Swimming pool with ADA lift and sundeck
- Fitness center and private fitness studios
- Resident lounge and fireplaces
- Garage parking (for around 60 residents)
- Community kitchen
- Garden deck
- Reservable theatre room with “plug-and-play” capabilities
- Dog wash station
- Mail room
- Bike repair and storage room
- Loading bay with freight elevator
- Monthly social events for residents
- 24-hour emergency maintenance
Fortier said one of the building’s commercial spaces is set to house the first Lehigh Valley location of Paris Baguette — a “French-inspired café with South Korean roots” and 4,000 locations around the globe. That business, projected to open in February, will feature a full bakery on site.
“You’re not going to find the amenities that this building has in a location like this,” Fortier said. “From the pool to the movie theater room to the amount of outside space that we’ve created, [it] does not exist in downtown.”
Further considerations for tenants
Pet deposits will be $500. Monthly pet rent will be determined through a third-party screening service, Fortier said.
An $85 monthly amenity fee covers Wi-Fi, valet trash pickup, pest control, a 4x4 storage unit in the basement and general upkeep of the property perks.
Water and sewer charges will each be individually billed, but the services will be procured through the property management company. Tenants will need to consult with PPL for electric service, Fortier said.
The site has around 60 parking spaces in a basement garage that residents can use for $125 monthly. Fortier said developers are working with the Bethlehem Parking Authority to get residents with no spot on site access to the North Street Garage and service lot on Broad Street for $65-80 a month.
If you’re especially wanting to live in one of the upper-level units, that’ll cost you.
Expect a monthly floor premium of $10 for the third floor and up to $75 for the sixth.
Taking a tour of a unit and like what you see in the staged furniture? Buying the pieces may be arranged through Staging Craft of Doylestown.
A historic spot
Following restoration, pieces from the original theatre soon will be back on site to be used as decor, including the original chandelier, a film projector, some of the old theatre seats and pieces of historic artwork.
From a live orchestra once complementing silent films playing on site, to the state-of-the-art (at the time) Dolby sound system in house bringing the boom for Star Wars debuts, it seems the property, at the very least, is a landmark within the cinema realm.
But in its day, the building was a number of things beyond that — once home to a billiard and bowling academy, a restaurant on site, again another billiard and bowling academy and finally what was known as the Boyd in 1934.
“Losing a historic building is never anything a community takes lightly. But unfortunately, it was just the condition of disrepair that the building had gotten into, which is why we definitely tried to preserve a bunch of the historic aspects of it.”Zachary Fortier, community manager with Dream Boyd Theatre property management company Dream Live Prosper Communities
“Losing a historic building is never anything a community takes lightly,” Fortier said. “But unfortunately, it was just the condition of disrepair that the building had gotten into, which is why we definitely tried to preserve a bunch of the historic aspects of it.”
Along with actively accepting applications for tenants, Dream Boyd Theatre also is searching for both a maintenance supervisor and a leasing specialist, Fortier said.
The sidewalk along Broad Street will be redone and open again some time next week, he added.
