About a dozen businesses were among the winners this week at the Lehigh Valley Planning Commission’s fourth annual Planning Development Gala at DeSales University Center, Center Valley
The borough of Catasauqua, meanwhile, was the big winner after being named the 2017 “Community of Distinction” for its economic revitalization efforts.
“To be nominated in this category, a municipality has to be doing a lot of things right. This particular borough is doing just about everything right,” LVPC executive director Becky Bradley said at the gala. “Catasauqua has long fostered a strong foundation in community planning, but it carried its commitment to another level through its Waterfront Redevelopment Project.”
Portland, Heidelberg Township and Bethlehem Township also were nominated for the award.
The centerpiece of Catasauqua’s project is the $11 million borough building and fire station that opened in August. The master plan also included improvements to the busy intersection at Front and Bridge streets, business district streetscape enhancements and transportation improvements that included the conversion of Front Street to two-way traffic.
The awards were announced during an event attended by nearly 250 municipal, business and community leaders who gathered to help celebrate excellence in planning and National Community Planning Month.
Other categories and winners were:
Plan, Planning Policy or Ordinance – Easton, AKRF Inc. and Metropolitan Urban Design Workshop for Easton’s comprehensive plan 2035.
Land Development – Easton, Lafayette College, KSS Architects, Whiting-Turner Contracting Company, Spillman Farmer Architects and Allied Building Corp. for the Lafayette College Williams Arts Campus.
Revitalization – Bethlehem, Bethlehem Redevelopment Authority, Community Action Committee of the Lehigh Valley, Lehigh Valley Community Land Trust, Community Action Development Corp., HDC-MidAtlantic and Wells Fargo for the Hayes Street corridor improvements.
Open Space – Upper Milford Township for its open space initiative.
Outdoor Recreation – Allentown, JMT, Jordan Heights Neighborhood Association, Old Fairgrounds Neighborhood Association, Semmel Excavating Inc., U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources for the Stevens Park master plan and park design.
Transportation Infrastructure – Allentown, Michael Baker International, IEW Construction Group, Pennsylvania Department of Transportation and U.S. Department of Transportation for the Design and Rehabilitation of the Albertus L. Meyers Bridge.
Transportation Planning – Northampton County, Northampton County General Purpose Authority, Norris McLaughlin & Marcus, Alfred Benesch & Co., Kriger Construction and Greenman-Pedersen Inc. for Northampton County’s public/private bridge partnership.
Multimunicipal Cooperation – Plainfield Township, Wind Gap and Pennsylvania Department of Community & Economic Development for the shared road maintenance intermunicipal agreement between Plainfield and Wind Gap.
