Pektor plans 71 homes at silk mill -- themorningcall.com

A century ago, workers finishing their shift at the Bethlehem Silk Mill often filed out of work and straight into the city's burgeoning downtown.

[Karl]

This will make a lot more money then renting to rumply students. It's a good thing someone burned the place to the ground when they did!

[Michele of Bethlehem]

Another great project from Pektor! It's a shame the Silk Mill was damaged in the fire but it sounds as if Pektor is ready to move on.

[Joe Allentown]

STOP buliding new homes. The Lehigh Valley CAN'T handle any more people, especially the trash that comes in form NY & NJ. The schools, county and city services are overwhelmed. The infrastructure is about to collapse. THe Lehigh Valley was once a great place to live. Now it's a dumping place for NY & NJ's rubish.

[BID]

It sounds great, but where are they going to find the young upcoming adults ? No high paying jobs, no college educated youth to spend some money on this. I hope it works tho.

[Sarah-Sally]

Michele of Bethlehem wrote:

Another great project from Pektor! It's a shame the Silk Mill was damaged in the fire but it sounds as if Pektor is ready to move on.

I agree.
Lou Pektor is not converting green spaces here, he is preserving as much as possible of historic buildings and/or their architectural feel while increasing the tax base.
This sounds like good housing that may be affordable (while not to me!) to some of our young people, so maybe not all of our best will leave the area, which is a good thing.

[Rickster]

Is he going to make them affordable to normal people?

[Getting Gray]

Does anyone know or has anyone heard what is going to happen with the property in Allentown behind Union Terrace Park. I am talking about the land that used to be the Eastern Industries cement plant. There was a proposal to build upscale townhouses there but city council has neither accepted or rejected the idea.

[Bucks County Resident]

BID wrote:

It sounds great, but where are they going to find the young upcoming adults ? No high paying jobs, no college educated youth to spend some money on this. I hope it works tho.

Good point. The LV pays squat compared to the Philly area. What jobs can support the 200K price tags these condos will carry? Especially if they are looking to sell to the young professional (22-28 yrs old).

[questions]

What is the fascination with Lou Pektor? It seems to me that there are a lot of projects that are in the works but aren't going anywhere. I see Ashley signs all over town but no building or progress. What's the story? Are all of the Riverport apartments sold? Who's going to live in these places?

[Tea]

I agree, what young professionals who work in the Lehigh Valley are going to be able to afford a home with a price tag of $200k and up? The jobs around this area are not reflective of the salaries that are being paid. Such a shame that everyone coming down from NY and NJ are taking our housing.

[KJE]

I live in this area already and welcome this news. This will rejuvinate this neighborhood and bring much needed youth to it. As a young professional living in this area already,$200,000 is a great price in that area for a starter home.

My main concern is investors purchasing and renting to college students? Is there any way the city can stop this?

[lv toilet]

what a waste. more crap to clog the toilet the lehigh valley has become. Up coming adults...my arse. how about just making it projects with a prison in the middle to better serve the upcoming criminals.

[Lynn]

I would prefer this over low-income housing any day. It will maintain or increase the value of the homes in that area. THey will hopefully solicit the businesses in the downtown as well.

[RideEmCowboy]

KJE wrote:

My main concern is investors purchasing and renting to college students? Is there any way the city can stop this?

I believe they can zone it for only 1 related family per unit. While a collage student could rent the loft/townhouse/condominium, they would have to live there by themselves.

There might also be a strong Home Owners Association, that would tightly control any attempt at renting.

[Phillies Fan]

KJE wrote:

I live in this area already and welcome this news. This will rejuvinate this neighborhood and bring much needed youth to it. As a young professional living in this area already,$200,000 is a great price in that area for a starter home.
My main concern is investors purchasing and renting to college students? Is there any way the city can stop this?

The alley behind my house butts up against this property. The neighborhood is filled with destructive, drinking college children. Who wants to buy a condo on a VERY crowed lot? Mach Chunk and Goepp Sts. can not handle any more traffic. Try again!

[Mike]

Actually, the city can't do much to prevent them from being rented to collage students. I believe p to four unrelated people may live in a single unit in Bethlehem provided there is a certain amount of bedrooms and a certain amount of square footage.

[Phillies Fan]

RideEmCowboy wrote:

<quoted text>
I believe they can zone it for only 1 related family per unit. While a collage student could rent the loft/townhouse/condominium, they would have to live there by themselves.
There might also be a strong Home Owners Association, that would tightly control any attempt at renting.

There's a house in the neighborhood that butts up against this property and there have been up to 9 unrealated people living there at any given time. To the neighbors it's more like a rooming house. Current zoning states up to 5 unrelated people per home.

[Michele of Bethlehem]

Sarah-Sally wrote:

<quoted text>
I agree.
Lou Pektor is not converting green spaces here, he is preserving as much as possible of historic buildings and/or their architectural feel while increasing the tax base.
This sounds like good housing that may be affordable (while not to me!) to some of our young people, so maybe not all of our best will leave the area, which is a good thing.

Yes, that is what I like about Pektor, he is not out there building up the suburbs. He is using brownfields and historic building instead and really helping the urban areas.

And before all the Pektor bashers jump on me...I do not see things as just black and white. I know there have been some issues with Pektor, and yes he is a developer and he wants to make a buck. But he could be making that buck out in the suburbs with lower costs and less hassle.

I give him a lot of credit for helping the urban areas, but I'm not saying he is a saint. He is definitely a business man.

[Michele of Bethlehem]

questions wrote:

What is the fascination with Lou Pektor? It seems to me that there are a lot of projects that are in the works but aren't going anywhere. I see Ashley signs all over town but no building or progress. What's the story? Are all of the Riverport apartments sold? Who's going to live in these places?

Riverport is not apartments, they are Condos and they are mostly sold. A friend of mine lives there (owns, not renting) and he said it is at least 80% occupied. There is probably another 10+% sold with investors looking for tenants.

[Michele of Bethlehem]

Tea wrote:

I agree, what young professionals who work in the Lehigh Valley are going to be able to afford a home with a price tag of $200k and up? The jobs around this area are not reflective of the salaries that are being paid. Such a shame that everyone coming down from NY and NJ are taking our housing.

There are plenty of young professionals in the Lehigh Valley making enough money to afford a $200K house.

The key term is "Professionals."