BETHLEHEM, Pa. — Bethlehem Planning Commission has approved land development plans for 49,920 square feet of new light manufacturing space along the city’s eastern gateway stretch.
Lehigh Valley Industrial Park, with its headquarters also nearby, proposes to build the facility on 5 acres at its Lot 8, 1550 Spillman Drive.
Planners unanimously approved the project Thursday.
LVIP Chief Executive Officer Kerry Wrobel said LVIP VII has been under development for the better part of 25 years, starting with 1,000 acres and is now down to less than 30.
He said there’s “a dramatic need for quality industrial space, buildings that are sold instead of being leased.”
“The intent is to sell to a manufacturer — we’ll be patient to do that. And the goal would be to find a light manufacturer with no emissions, no odors, no outside storage.”Lehigh Valley Industrial Park CEO Kerry Wrobel
“The intent is to sell to a manufacturer — we’ll be patient to do that,” Wrobel said.
“And the goal would be to find a light manufacturer with no emissions, no odors, no outside storage.”
Project to break ground in spring
Light manufacturing typically calls for using previously prepared materials in developing products for everyday consumer use.
With frontage on East Fourth Street and south of the site, it also has Lynn Avenue to the east, Spillman Drive to the north and Lehigh Heavy Forge Corp. to the west.
Spillman would offer two access points to the site, according to plans.
The proposed use in the Industrial Redevelopment zoning district also won’t come with the same “tremendous turnover” associated with warehousing, Wrobel said.
The site is proposed for 57 vehicles parking spaces, four loading docks and appropriate buffer landscaping.
LVIP also was approved to defer the sidewalk requirement for East Fourth and Spillman, pending future development on neighboring properties.
The building’s design features brick on the first eight feet, with painted panels above. Vertical narrow clear glass windows and facade fins would break up massing from the roadway, officials said.
The project is expected to break ground in spring 2026, according to project partner SAGE.
