• Home
• About Allentown
  • Demographic Information
  • Maps
  • Business Climate
  • Quality of Life
  • Strategic Planning Areas
  • Site Selection Links
  • Allentown Links
• Real Estate Opportunities
  • Undeveloped Land & Brownfields
  • Industrial Sites
  • Office Space
• Business Resources
  • Financing
    • Enterprise Zone Loans
    • PA Minority Business Development Loans
  • Incentives
    • Keystone Opportunity Zone
    • Enterprise Zone
    • HUB Zone
  • Bridgeworks Enterprise Center
    • Small Business Incubator
    • Hive 4A
  • Economic Development Partners
• About AEDC
  • Staff Directory
  • Allentown Ahead
  • Publications
  • Internships
  • Membership
  • Blog

Contact AEDC
(610) 435-8890
info@allentownedc.com

Strategic Planning Areas

From the City of Allentown's Comprehensive Plan (download)

The following non-prioritized list identifies those areas of the City where either positive economic growth is likely or redevelopment activities should be focused. Some of the areas are obvious and have been long identified as a priority, such as the downtown, while others deserve consideration for their long term potential.
American Parkway Corridor: Located on the City’s East Side between the Lehigh River and Airport Road and served by the recently constructed American Parkway, this area contains several large potential development sites, including a few parcels that were once part of the Agere/LSI facilities. There is easy access to Route 22 and access to the City’s downtown will be improved with the construction of the American Parkway Bridge. The corridor contains the site of the new minor league baseball stadium. The area is suitable for and should be marketed for additional commercial, entertainment and/or light industrial uses.
Lehigh River Waterfront: The Lehigh River waterfront has long been seen as an untapped resource for recreation and economic development. Once the location for heavy industrial uses, interest and activity in waterfront development have never been higher. The America on Wheels Transportation Museum, recently completed improvements to Buck Boyle Park, and an ambitious proposed mixed use project on the site of the former Lehigh Structural Steel are examples of projects already underway. The redevelopment of this area needs to be guided by a master plan. The plan should be developed in conjunction with a committee of waterfront stakeholders and should include an overall design concept, recommendations for the potential scale and intensity of development, zoning recommendations, provisions for public access to and along the Lehigh River, and the identification of associated transportation and access related improvements.
Jordan Creek Greenway: As it passes through the City’s densest neighborhoods, the Jordan Creek is the centerpiece of a corridor that has untapped potential. The stream represents one of the undeveloped greenways in the City, and lies amid a variety of larger, underused structures. Access to the area is provided by the American Parkway. The corridor is part of a larger greenway feasibility study being conducted by the Wildlands Conservancy and is recommended for trail development in the City’s “Parks and Recreation Master Plan”. The combination of improved access and the potential for recreational and open space enhances the attractiveness of this area for reinvestment. This area could develop into a home for the “creative class“ seeking community and affordable work space and housing. In particular, the area north of Tilghman Street and extending west to North 7th Street, is already home to several artists' studio buildings, such as Green Street Dreams and Silkwerks, with plans in the works for a large 45-studio conversion project near 4th and Tilghman Streets. Marketing activities directed toward attracting artists, with incentives to encourage home ownership, should be pursued. Conversion of additional industrial buildings to studios and lofts should also be encouraged and are among the potential reuse possibilities for the area’s building stock.
North 7th Street Corridor: Allentown’s commercial corridors, with small locally owned shops, are experiencing renewed interest, growth and vitality. Nowhere is this more apparent than in the North 7th Street Corridor, which was recently accepted into the Commonwealth’s Main Street Program. The importance of this corridor is two-fold. First, the area is an important commercial district serving the needs of the heavily populated Center City neighborhoods. Second, the corridor serves as one of the “gateways” into the City. Emphasis on organization, business assistance, promotion, and façade improvements need to continue. The continued consideration of the appearance and function of 7th Street itself is also important. Recent improvements include the installation of period street lighting. An overall urban design study should be completed for the entire corridor that provides direction for future design enhancements inclusive of making the corridor more pedestrian friendly.
Downtown and the Cultural Arts and Entertainment District: As a testament to its importance to the overall community, the downtown area has been the focus of a number of planning studies and much public and private investment over the past ten years. Recent office construction, governmental office relocations and expansions, and building renovations have begun to transform the downtown. Currently, a process has been initiated to develop a common vision and strategy for its future. This focus needs to continue. An important component of the downtown is the Arts and Entertainment District where a concentration of regional arts and entertainment facilities and venues attracts patrons from the entire Lehigh Valley. The recent construction of the Arts Park, additional parking facilities and proposed development activities will further strengthen this area.
Little Lehigh Creek Corridor from South 3rd Street to South 10th Street: This area runs along the Little Lehigh Creek and Martin Luther King Jr. Drive and consists of parkland, an auto salvage operation, several vacant industrial buildings and other marginal uses. The area is also home to the Bridgeworks Enterprise Center and Business Incubator, and a large industrial operation. In addition to the existing parkland, the City has acquired a former rail line for the purpose of establishing a trail through this area. Because of its proximity to both Martin Luther King Jr. Drive and Lehigh Street, the area is highly visible and in need of attention.
Lehigh Street/I-78 Corridor: With its proximity to I-78, this corridor has the potential for significant development that could substantially add to the City’s fiscal base and provide much needed employment opportunities. Within this area are a number of potential development and redevelopment sites, including the Queen City Airport. Admittedly, the redevelopment of the Queen City Airport presents substantial regulatory and political obstacles; however, its potential is equally substantial. Also located within this area are the former facilities of Mack Truck, some of which remain vacant and available for development, including a large former assembly plant building. Future development efforts in this corridor should focus on land uses that take advantage of the access to I-78, that enhance the City’s tax base, and that create meaningful employment opportunities.
The West End Theater/ Fairgrounds District: Another up- and-coming commercial district is the North 19th Street area, in the vicinity of the Allentown Fairgrounds. The area has a neighborhood feel, but serves a broader market. Similar to the 7th Street Corridor, continued focus on organization, promotion and design are recommended. Further, the Fairgrounds could potentially play a role in growing the district through cross-promotion as well as through development on the Fairgrounds property.