BETHLEHEM, Pa. — The city's Historical Architectural Review Board said Wednesday it wants to see tasteful adjustments to a proposed mixed-use building with 105 apartments next to the new Walnut Street Garage.
Those adjustments include the new structure’s height and massing as it moves closer to Main Street.
From there, the board would plan to vote early next year on the historical appropriateness of the new "Ironside Lofts" seven-story building with a modified setback on its top floor, officials said.
Bethlehem Parking Authority, owner of the 33 W. Walnut St. property, and applicant Larken Associates, of Branchburg, New Jersey, have plans for a mixed-use building with 105 dwelling units — including 67 one-bedroom and 38 two-bedroom units ranging from 759 to 1,279 square feet.
It also would feature two ground-level retail spaces and storage, fitness area, clubroom and outdoor amenity space.
Just next door, officials cut the ribbon on the new Walnut Street Garage on Nov. 20.
New setback, density
Stuart Johnson, architect and principal at Minno Wasko Architects and Planners of Lambertville, New Jersey, said his team has worked on modifying the scale and mass of the building per HARB’s request when the plans were previously before the board in August.
One change in the design that was reviewed Wednesday showed architects added a 7-foot setback on the Walnut Street side of the building’s seventh floor.
"Standing on West Walnut Street and looking at the building, the eye is drawn to that sub-cornice line. That upper floor largely fades away and provides for the reading of a six-story building.”Stuart Johnson, architect and principal at Minno Wasko Architects and Planners of Lambertville, New Jersey
“There was a conversation about ways to further reduce the mass of the building,” Johnson said. “There was a question — could we look at reducing an entire floor of the building?
“Could we look at perhaps extending the setback that we were creating at the seventh floor of the building, really, with the goal and objective to reduce the visual mass or impact of the building as viewed walking or driving around it?”
“Standing on West Walnut Street and looking at the building, the eye is drawn to that sub-cornice line. That upper floor largely fades away and provides for the reading of a six-story building.”
Compared with the former Walnut Street Garage’s 71-foot height, the proposed building, measured from average grade to highest point of the roof deck, is 88 feet high, officials said.
The land slopes downward as it moves west to Main Street.
'Stuck with height we don't want'
“I'm impressed with what you did,” HARB Chairwoman Connie Postupack said of the updated design.
“However, I still feel as though once it's built, it will feel so heavy visually and massive.”
HARB member Joseph McGavin said, “I mean, what they're proposing now, I think that would be very strange to go and have had this building looking like it's a staircase going down to the Red Stag building.
“And so again, we're stuck with height that we don't want."
“I'm impressed with what you did. However, I still feel as though once it's built, it will feel so heavy visually and massive.”Bethlehem Historic Architectural Review Board chair Connie Postupack
“We shouldn't be thinking about this just in relation to the massing of the parking garage,” HARB member Rodman Young said. “We need to be thinking about it in relation to the massing of the entire Historic District area.”
HARB member Joy Cohen said it’s “too large for the Historic District.”
“I think that coming up Walnut Street toward the western part of that building — the analogy would be very similar to walking up to a cruise ship,” Cohen said.
“The closer you get, the more massive you realize it is."
Chief Building Inspector and HARB member Mike Simonson said, “I think matching those roof lines and setting that seventh story back like we asked them previously does fit what we asked them to do last time.”
Complementing what's next door, down the street
Hotel Bethlehem Managing Partner Bruce Haines said he advocated for the city’s historic character in his taking the podium.
The new building should not be taller than five stories, he said.
“I don't see how this board, in any way possible, could approve this thing. Yeah, you'll probably get it approved at City Council. But I just think, from this perspective, I think it's disrespectful.”Hotel Bethlehem Managing Partner Bruce Haines
“I don't see how this board, in any way possible, could approve this thing,” Haines said. “Yeah, you'll probably get it approved at City Council.
“But I just think, from this perspective, I think it's disrespectful.”
After HARB passed along its disapproval of the neighboring garage’s design early in 2024 — calling for a taller but smaller garage compared with the half-century-old predecessor — City Council approved the plans.
Martin Romeril, of Market Street, said to the design team, “You’ve made an attempt to provide the neighboring residents with some privacy, and I appreciate that because we have received none of that from other entities in the city.
“And so I appreciate that the developer has tried to follow the rules."
