A Lehigh Valley development group presented plans Tuesday night for a 12-story mixed-use building in downtown Easton, prompting some community members to express concern over the impact the project would have on the historic neighborhood.
Bethlehem developer Garrett Benner and project architect Antonio Fiol-Silva appeared before the Easton Historic District Commission to provide a general overview of the project. The 133-foot-tall building, which would include 78 apartments and ground-floor retail space, would be behind the BB&T building at 101 S. Third St., which Dennis Benner bought in June for $1.6 million under the name Matador Hospitality LLC with the intention of redeveloping the site.
At just under 140 feet tall, the building would meet the zoning requirements of Easton’s downtown street corridor overlay district, but the commission — an advisory board tasked with making recommendations to the city’s planning and zoning departments — was hesitant to give a recommendation for a building that would not be compatible with the historic character of the neighborhood.
“The introduction of such a tall building so close to the historic church is not historically appropriate,” said Chris Ussler, consultant for the historic district commission, referring to St. John’s Lutheran Church at 330 Ferry St.
Ussler recommended the building be built on top of the BB&T building or in place of that building “in order to be part of the modern streetscape.” Benner said his team considered that option but abandoned the idea after concerns were raised about construction safety at the site and disrupting the tenants in the building.
Sue Ruggles, head pastor at St. John’s Lutheran Church, supported Ussler’s recommendation, fearing that construction near her congregation would exacerbate air and traffic congestion in the narrow Bank Street corridor. She also felt the commission was doing a disservice to longtime residents who have made considerable investments in their properties to comply with the historic preservation requirements of the downtown district.
“That looks like a robot,” Ruggles said, pointing to a 3-D rendering of Benner’s building displayed on a TV monitor in the meeting room. “It doesn’t look historic. Meanwhile, our church has spent thousands of dollars on our church to keep it historic.”
Tom Jones, a longtime Easton resident and historic preservationist, asked commission members to table the project before making its recommendation.
“I think this is a very troubling project,” Jones said. “It has a long way to go in terms of design to even begin to meet the standards of historic preservation.”
While Benner’s refusal to budge on the location of the building did not appear to be a dealbreaker, commission members decided to hold off on making a recommendation until their December meeting, at which point the architect could provide minor modifications to the building design that would better match the neighborhood aesthetics.
Commission member Sharbel Koorie said he feels the project could be successful if the final design plan includes the right balance of old-school historic preservation and modern economics.
“I understand trying to keep it historic, but we also have to give credit to someone who’s willing to put a building in our city. It’s an investment that I think will enhance the city,” Koorie said.
Peter Blanchard is a freelance writer for The Morning Call.
