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(L-R) Sr. Project Manager LoriAnne Jones, Principal Swarupa Samant, Junior Interior Designer Elena Nestico, Junior Architect Evan Carroll, Sr. Project Manager Paul Graebener and District Superintendent Dr. Carol D. Birks break ground at Allentown School District's Family & Community Resource Center. PHOTO/DIG
Architect breaks ground on first project in Lehigh Valley
Stacy Wescoe//January 22, 2026//
Listen to this articleDIGroup Architecture and the Allentown School District (ASD) have officially broke ground on the first-of-its-kind Family & Community Resource Center.
The center will be located at 265 Lehigh St. on the campus of Bridgeview Academy of Health, Science, Innovation, and Technology.
The architect said the project marks its first school-related Architect-of-Record assignment in the Lehigh Valley.
The 13,750-square-foot, two-story community hub is designed to be a “one-stop shop” for students and families.
By centralizing student enrollment alongside vital health, workforce development and educational services, the center aims to eliminate one-time systemic barriers to facilitate and support family success and student achievement.
One of the goals is to transform community engagement by cultivating and expanding opportunities for communication, collaboration and connection among families, students, schools and community.
Founded in 2006 to transform educational infrastructure in underserved urban areas, DIG said it has spent two decades refining a design approach that champions educational equity at its core.
“DIG was founded on the premise that great architecture is a right, not a privilege, and should profoundly impact community equity and wellness,” said DIG’s Principal Swarupa Samant. “To have our first major assignment in the Lehigh Valley be a project as visionary as the Allentown School District’s Family & Community Resource Center is a privilege. This building is designed to bridge the gap between education and essential human services, creating a welcoming and compassionate ‘front door’ for every family entering the district.”
Partially funded through a Multi-Purpose Community Facilities grant, the $11 million project is slated for completion in December 2026.
