Dr. Augustine E. Moffitt, Jr. elected senior
vice president and chief administrative officer.

For Immediate Release

Public Relations Division
Public Affairs Department
1170 Eighth Avenue
Bethlehem, PA 18016-7699
(610) 694-3711 - Phone
(610) 694-1509 - Fax

BETHLEHEM, Pa., November 18, 1997 -- Bethlehem Steel Corporation and its consultants presented the Master Plan for the Bethlehem Works property this evening to residents of the City of Bethlehem in a community meeting at the Comfort Suites.

Speaking on behalf of the project were Stephen G. Donches, vice president, public affairs, Bethlehem Steel Corporation and president, Bethlehem Development Corporation; Robert F. Barron, president and chief operating officer, Enterprise Development Corporation, and Jeanette Dunlap, representing HOK Studio E, Orlando, Fla.

Bethlehem Steel is the owner of the 160-acre tract between the Minsi Trail and Fahy Bridges. Enterprise is the site's master developer, hired by Bethlehem in 1996 to oversee the revitalization of the property, and HOK is the master planner.

The meeting was held to update the community on the plans for the property and to receive community input as the Bethlehem Works project advances.

Project Goals and Objectives

In opening the meeting, Mr. Donches said the four primary goals for the development were to:

1. Provide a collection of cultural and commercial uses to create a viable and sustainable commercial development to help revitalize the South Side.
2. Retain the industrial character of the site through the reuse of existing buildings and the addition of new buildings designed in compatible style.
3. Provide economic benefits to the City of Bethlehem and the surrounding region through increased employment opportunities, increased tax revenues and overall growth in economic activities.
4. Create a project of such quality and significance as to complement and enhance the image and identify of the city, state and region.

"The size and scale of Bethlehem Works requires public/private partnerships involving the city, county, state and federal governments working with the community, Bethlehem Steel, Lehigh University, the Smithsonian Institution and other end-users and developers. This master plan signifies Bethlehem Steel's continuing commitment to the South Side and the City," Mr. Donches said.

Highlights of the Master Plan

Enterprise Development Corporation's Robert Barron described the master planning process that considered and developed plans for infrastructure, parking, traffic and aesthetic aspects of the development. "We have submitted to the city planners documentation derived from the master plan, which is required under the special requirements section of the zoning ordinance for approval by the Planning Commission.

Referring to a large illustrative master plan, Mr. Barron showed the property's street grid, which would restore First and Second Streets as part of the site, establish three primary access points, and create a west zone oriented to local uses and an east zone containing attractions with more regional and national appeal.

For example, Mr. Barron explained, the west zone could include a 16-screen cinema, ice skating center, natatorium and family fun center. The east zone could include attractions that appeal beyond the Lehigh Valley, including the National Museum of Industrial History, hotels, shops and restaurants. Parking would be located in both zones.

Character and Theme

Ms. Dunlap, discussed the character and theme of the plan and described the artistic renderings of key structures on the site in relation to proposed new uses.

One artist's rendering is a view from street level on A Street, a proposed new access in the center of the property looking north toward the blast furnaces. Another view is from First Street looking westward along the current main plant roadway featuring structures such as the No. 2 machine shop and steel foundry to the south and the weldment complex to the north. The final new view is the planned eastern entrance to the site by the ore bridge along Daly Avenue near the Minsi Trail Bridge.

"Our plans retain many of the prominent buildings of historical significance. We also incorporate visual icons, such as the blast furnace in the logo, and have planned our streetscape, signage and lighting to reinforce the industrial character of the site," Ms. Dunlap said.

Economic Impact

The following economic impacts are expected:

• Overall development costs for the project could amount to about $400 million from investors, developers and end-users.
• About 2,000 construction jobs would be created over several years as major components of the plan are completed.
• When fully built-out as currently envisioned, on-site employment is estimated at about 4,000 full and part-time jobs, which is the equivalent of 2,500 full-time jobs.
• When completed as currently envisioned, the property could generate about $20 million annually in new tax revenue, about $2.5 million for the City of Bethlehem.

With the completion of the Master Plan, Bethlehem indicated it is positioned to negotiate appropriate development agreements for the site and to begin an extensive marketing program. Bethlehem Steel plans to sell parcels to developers and end-users.

 
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