Allentown State Hospital: Which redevelopment plan is best?
I drove past the Allentown State Hospital site recently for the first time in a long while.
It was odd not to see the stoic main building at the end of that long treelined drive off Hanover Avenue. And a little sad, too.
But it was the right decision to tear it and the other vacant, aging buildings down to make way for new development. And now we have a clearer picture of what that new development could look like.
Last week, city officials released a long-awaited feasibility study that offers three scenarios. All include a mix of housing and businesses, along with recreation and open space. One plan has a school.
So, which do you think is best? Or do you not like any of them?
What other options should be considered? These three scenarios (detailed below) are just examples. None of them has to be chosen.
This is a big opportunity for Allentown. The 195-acre site, a sliver of which is in Bethlehem, is the largest development opportunity in the city. So it’s important to choose wisely what happens there.
Building a mixed-used community of residences and businesses is the way to go, in my opinion. I like the idea of a school there, as the East Side is the only part of Allentown without a middle school.
Some stores and maybe a restaurant or two would be appropriate, but not too many. There already are drug stores, convenience stores and other shops in the area, and places to eat.
But some retail and dining would be appropriate, as the site is near a lot of homes and those businesses would
provide entry-level jobs.
The city should aim higher on employment opportunities, though. The scenarios in last Wednesday’s report project between 4,380 and 6,637 permanent jobs being created. The goal should be to create most of them at wages that are family sustaining.
The site is prime for offices and light industrial uses that would pay more than most retail jobs. The study notes medical offices and life science research space is in demand.
The neighborhood needn’t fear warehouses. The site is too far from highways and interstates to make that practical, not to mention the congested city streets.
Some of the scenarios include a transit center. That makes sense.
The site is halfway between the downtowns of Allentown and Bethlehem, and LANTA needs a hub outside of Center City Allentown. That would make it easier for riders to transfer.
As for housing, the feasibility study suggests a mix of apartments, townhouses, duplexes/triplexes and single-family homes. All three concepts in the report are way too heavy on apartments.
The city should focus on houses, or condos. It should promote ownership, not renting. Owners make a long-term commitment and are more likely to get involved in the community. Some apartments are fine because there is a demand. Some affordable housing should be included.
There should be no tax incentives or tax breaks. Developers should be excited about such an opportunity. That’s rare in an old city such as Allentown.
The city already has its Neighborhood Improvement Zones downtown and along the river. It doesn’t need more. It should seek to maximize tax revenue.
What’s tricky about redeveloping the property is that Allentown isn’t in complete control. The hospital land is owned by the state. So state officials will decide who gets to buy and redevelop it.
The city, though, will have to approve much of the redevelopment plans, and it will have its say through zoning approval. That means residents can have their say, too, at public meetings and hearings. Mayor Ray O’Connell told me the city plans informal meetings on the East Side to get input from people who live there.
A lot of people are angry the state tore down the hospital buildings instead of reusing them. They might not be happy with anything new coming there. But they shouldn’t let that stop them from voicing their opinion about its future.
Let me know what you think about the plans that were unveiled last Wednesday, and about other ideas you have for what should be built on the Allentown State Hospital site. If I get enough responses, I will compile them in a future column.