Business News

Officials and executives at the Lehigh Valley Economic Development Corporation's annual meeting Tuesday pulled back the curtains on Eli Lilly's decision to open in the region.

PPL Electric said it expects electric demand on its system could triple over the next decade. That growth is being driven largely by expansion of advanced manufacturing, new data centers and other large industrial electricity users.

Municipalities should work to plan for data centers that can cover millions of square feet and reshape local economies, according to regional officials.

PBS39 will broadcast a special, hourlong community forum tonight on data centers — their demand, their needs and their potential impact on the Lehigh Valley.

The project, known as The Shoppes at Hamilton, would include 318 apartments, a 160-room hotel and roughly 20,000 square feet of retail space.

The Allentown Neighborhood Improvement Zone Development Authority learned Wednesday night that plans that would have changed the taxing district's borders did not pan out.

Officials are looking to secure a developer to build a mixed-use space at a property that features a large parking lot and a 7-Eleven built almost a half-century ago.

Gov. Josh Shapiro's 2026-27 budget proposal falls back on familiar proposals to regulate skill games and legalize marijuana, two flashpoints that fueled a months-long budget impasse last year.

"The IronPigs will be concluding our naming rights partnership with Coca-Cola in September of 2027, as at that time our current agreement will come to its successful completion,” IronPigs President Kurt Landes said at a joint news conference Tuesday.

A webinar Monday brought together regional planners, engineers and industry leaders to explain how data centers operate and what their growth could mean for local communities.

"Monster Mini Golf" is set to come to the Lehigh Valley, with construction started according to an announcement by the company's Facebook page.

Previously aiming for a 2024 opening, a “final piece of the puzzle” for Bethlehem Co-Op Market includes purchasing equipment, such as refrigerators, freezers, shelving and more essentials to outfit the space at 250 E. Broad St.

A ballot question will allow Allentown residents to weigh in on whether city council should have the power to raise the deed transfer tax. The city's Home Rule Charter has locked the tax at its current rate for decades.

Project executive Joe Petrucci, of J.G. Petrucci Co. Inc., said a local business of prominence is “in need of about 200,000 square feet of cold storage space,” and is targeted to set up shop in the larger of the two facilities if the overall proposal later goes through.

Join Megan Frank at 9:30 a.m. and 6:30 p.m. every Friday for Insights with LehighValleyNews.com on WLVR. This week, she's joined by Easton reporter Brian Myszkowski and environment and science reporter Molly Bilinski.

As of Friday, many airports had reopened and were resuming operations post-Milton, restarting flights from the Lehigh Valley to nonstop destinations in Florida. But at least one airport remained closed.

The Lehigh Valley Economic Development Corp. held its Fall Signature Event on Oct. 10, 2024, featuring a panel focused on cultivating and attracting top talent for the area's tech industry.

The Watson-Batts School of construction is partnering with St. Luke's to offer better health outcomes through workforce development. The school teaches young entrepreneurs and business owners about how to grow their businesses.

Kenneth and Heather Skorinko plan for a distillery and tasting room on part of their rural farmland on 1990 Neffs Laurys Road. Objectors worry about noise and traffic at the proposed "farm to glass" distillery.

Easton City Council approved a $1.5 million sale for the former Easton Iron and Metal site to VM Development Group, with the developer planning to build housing and commercial space.

Northampton County Council began hearings Tuesday on the proposed 2025 county budget. Council members reviewed the General Government budget, including administration, fiscal operations, and the controller's office, among other divisions.

A beloved, locally owned Bethlehem Township business has shuttered its doors. The gyro spot is now available for purchase — including the business name — or for lease.