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First Presbyterian Church of Bethlehem is seeking offers for the redevelopment of its 31.56-acre property. PHOTO/ FOUNDRY COMMERCIAL
Bethlehem church seeks to redevelop its 31.56-acre property
Stacy Wescoe//May 29, 2025//
Listen to this articleWhile it will continue to worship and operate on a portion of the campus, First Presbyterian Church of Bethlehem is seeking offers for the redevelopment of its 31.56-acre property.
In a release, church leadership said that like many churches across the country, First Presbyterian Bethlehem has experienced significant changes in its physical and congregational needs over time. As a result, the church feels called to realign its resources.
The church is now accepting offers for sale, ground lease, or joint venture from any interested parties.
The church has not listed an asking price and will consider proposals that align with its mission and values.
Located in the heart of Bethlehem, the site includes more than 100,000 square feet of existing building space, and about half of the parcel is undeveloped land.
First Presbyterian said it believes the site is an excellent opportunity for adaptive reuse and ground-up development and is seeking a future use that will contribute positively to the surrounding community.
“For 68 years, this property has been a place of gathering, growth, and faith,” said Pastor Lindsey Altvater Clifton. “We believe we are being called into this next chapter—to reimagine how we can be good stewards of this building and land in a way that reflects our congregation’s core values and meets the needs of our community.”
She said downsizing the churches footprint on the property will allow it to focus on its mission and ministry without the ongoing demands of maintaining such a large campus.
In the fall of 2023, the church began to explore the potential for mixed-income affordable housing as a future use on the property. Although that effort was paused during a 2024 pastoral leadership transition, the church’s leadership team continues to express a strong sense of clarity around the need for residential and community-centered uses.
While the church is open to all offers and concepts at this time, leadership is particularly interested in offers from the affordable housing sector or projects achieving equity and access in housing.
