BETHLEHEM, Pa. — The demolition crew knocking down the Walnut Street Parking Garage near Main Street in North Bethlehem is making some headway.
With everything above the building's foundations about 65% demolished, Bethlehem Parking Authority Executive Director Steven Fernstrom said Wednesday all is looking “on target” for completion in late May or early June.
Back in February, a “partial collapse” of the garage caused a support beam to fall on a nearby condo. Work was halted as a result, but started back this month.
An initial bid for the new parking garage’s precast went out last week, with a pre-bid conference taking place Tuesday and bids due back April 9, Fernstrom said.
Neighboring property
It also was shared that BPA and the city had chosen a developer for the site next to the incoming garage.
But the agreement, for now, is nonbinding and has to be hashed out before more details potentially are shared at the April board meeting.
The board of directors meets at 4 p.m. the fourth Wednesday of every month at in the BPA office, 85 W. North St.
It was reported Wednesday the city and Bethlehem Parking Authority had chosen a firm to develop the site just to the west of the incoming parking garage at Walnut Street. Details of the agreement need to be worked out ahead of the next BPA board meeting in April, officials said.
City Council approved the nearly 50-year-old garage to be replaced by a smaller but taller structure, providing 243 fewer spaces on about 60% of the land taken up by the former parking deck.
This design was approved to make room for development next door.
Back in January, city and parking officials said the adjoining property to the west of the new garage could:
- Be five to seven stories tall and an estimated 50-85 feet high. The old garage was 71 feet high on its far western end.
- Have 42-177 residential units
- Have 2,500-25,000 square feet of first-floor commercial space.
Parking Organization with Distinction
Fernstrom said BPA had received a distinguished accredited parking organization status from the International Parking and Mobility Institute.
“We were awarded that several weeks ago, that we met the criteria of an APO with Distinction, so that puts us in a smaller bucket of partner organizations,” Fernstrom said.
“To become an APO, an organization must demonstrate its commitment to ongoing evaluation and improvement of program outcomes through the implementation of industry best practices,” according to the IPMI website.
“The APO with Distinction is reserved for organizations exceeding the standard.”
“To become an APO, an organization must demonstrate its commitment to ongoing evaluation and improvement of program outcomes through the implementation of industry best practices. The APO with Distinction is reserved for organizations exceeding the standard.”International Parking and Mobility Institute
That comes following its initial designation as an APO last year.
The IPMI website states this is reserved for groups with “best practices in responsible parking management and operations, access management, customer service, professional development, security, sustainability and more.”
Member organizations are located across the United States, and include one in Dubai.
BPA's year-to-date finances
Christopher Betley, financial consultant with Buckno Lisicky and Co., said BPA brought in revenues of $1.28 million during January and February — about $90,000 short of the budget.
But $722,000 worth of expenses and a budgeted $760,000 means BPA is in the clear about $38,000 year to date, Betley said.
