Nearly 500 LVHN employees to relocate to downtown Allentown

In a news release, the hospital network said the employees will move from 1245 and 1247 buildings in Cedar Crest Professional Park in Salisbury Township once LVHN’s leases for those offices expire.

In Allentown’s Three City Center, the employees will move into 81,000 square feet of space across three floors.

LVHN’s trustees approved a long-term lease at Three City Center.

LHVN already has a presence in the downtown since it opened a 25,000-square-foot sports medicine, sports performance and fitness center at One City Center in 2014 in the office building adjacent to PPL Center arena. That site is one block from Three City Center.

The hospital network said 350 employees will initially move into two floors of Three City Center and be operational by Nov. 1.

“That’s the date that’s being targeted,” said Brian Downs, director of media relations for LVHN. Another 125 or more are expected to occupy a third floor by June 2018, he said.

The network essentially had three reasons behind wanting to relocate to the downtown.

“There’s a cost savings by moving into that location,” Downs said.

While he declined to disclose those savings, the property is in the Neighborhood Improvement Zone, and office space in that zone offers favorable lease rates for tenants.

“We want to show a commitment to downtown Allentown and the growth of the network and the fact that we have some hospitals we’ve merged with. … It will give us more space to have all them [employees] in one area,” Downs said.

The employees, who will move from two separate buildings, will all be under one roof in Allentown.

The move will leave vacant office space in Salisbury Township; it is unknown what will become of that space.

Allan Neibart, leasing agent for Cedar Crest Professional Park declined to comment.