The Allentown State Hospital before it was demolished. PHOTO/FILE – Christopher Holland
City Center is looking to move east, tackling what is considered to be the largest development opportunity in Allentown.
Last week, Pa. State Sen. Pat Browne proposed a resolution that would allow for the sale of the more than 195-acre East Side Allentown property that formerly housed the Allentown State Hospital to the Allentown developer for $5.5 million.
J.B. Reilly, president of City Center, told Lehigh Valley Business that if the sale is approved by the legislature his company would work with city planners to develop a project that creates various housing options, public green space and retail and would bring jobs and local tax revenue to the property that has been dormant since it was closed in 2010.
“We are excited and honored to be considered as the developer of this vital site in the city,” said City Center President J.B. Reilly. “As the local company behind the redevelopment of downtown Allentown, City Center is uniquely qualified to responsibly redevelop this important site.”
Gov. Tom Wolf signed the order to demolish the more than 100-year-old main building and other structures on the site back in 2019. The aim was to make the property more attractive to developers.
The cost of the demolition was estimated to be around $15 million.
There had been local protests against the demolition of the buildings from local historical preservationists. The main building gained a bit of fame in recent years after it was featured in the Bruce Willis Movie, “Glass.”
Previous attempts to sell the property by competitive bid had failed.
Starting immediately, a Gilbertsville demolition firm will begin taking down the buildings and structures of the Allentown State Hospital property. (PHOTO/FILE) –
Demolition work is beginning at the former Allentown State Hospital on Hanover Avenue in East Allentown.
Troy Thompson, spokesman for the Pennsylvania Department of General Services, which oversees the property, said the initial job conference was held Wednesday. That’s the official first step of the project and work can now begin.
Thompson said the initial work will be securing the site and prep work to the interiors and exteriors of the 44 structures on the more than 200-acre property.
“The campus has a lot of older building and asbestos is an issue,” he said.
He noted that passers-by won’t be noticing a lot of changes initially.
“You won’t see a building coming down anytime soon, even though the work is beginning immediately,” Thompson said.
The entire demolition project, which is being managed by Neuber Environmental Services Inc. of Gilbertsville, is expected to take around 540 days, which sets an estimated completion date of November 2021.
The demolition will cost about $12.7 million.
The demolition of the historic buildings on the property does not come without controversy. There were numerous protests and petitions and even a lawsuit seeking to save the buildings, some of which were recently featured in M. Night Shyamalan’s 2019 film, “Glass.”
The buildings had stood vacant since closing in 2010 and the state was not able to find a buyer for the property.
The state decided the property would be easier to sell if the aging properties on it were demolished and the property was sold as green space.
After the buildings are demolished the state Department of General Services would begin the bidding process for developers who seek to purchase the property.
A committee was established by the state to oversee the bidding process so that the proposals are chosen for the impact they will have on the community as well as the dollar amount of the bid.
Local developers and elected officials have suggested uses ranging from light industrial to apartments.
Starting in July, a demolition firm will begin taking down the buildings and structures of the Allentown State Hospital property. (PHOTO/FILE) –
The buildings and structures that comprise the long dormant Allentown State Hospital will start coming down this summer.
Demolition contractor Neuber Demolition & Environmental Services of Gilbertsville, Montgomery County, will start July 10 and finish in February 2021, with a completion of its contract work in May 2021, according to a proposal.
The Pennsylvania Department of General Services selected the firm last year for the demolition of the 100-year-old structures and buildings on the state-owned property at 1600 Hanover Ave.
The $10 million project includes demolition of 44 buildings and other structures on about 200 acres, treatment of hazardous materials, utility termination, site restoration, historical salvage, and design documents.
State Rep. Mike Schlossberg (D-Lehigh), said the property costs taxpayers $2 million a year for maintenance. He supported demolition because he believes the value of the property will go up once the buildings go down. A mixed-use site would be the best use of the property, he said.
“It’s a huge site with a lot of potential,” Schlossberg said.
The new use could include light industrial/manufacturing, which is in demand in the area, Schlossberg said.
“You can turn the property into something that will generate jobs,” Schlossberg said.
In addition, the property could have some small components of retail and residential uses, preferably age-restricted housing, he added.
“There’s definitely traffic and access concerns,” Schlossberg said.
However, starting with a cleared site would allow for a fresh start to redevelopment, he added.
Overall, he said the redevelopment should fit in with the neighborhood.
Schlossberg is on a committee that oversees redevelopment of the site and also solicits and accepts proposals for redevelopment.
“There’s going to be a public outreach component,” he said. “We want to be further ahead in the demolition process before we start that.”
Allentown State Hospital on Hanover Avenue in Allentown (File photo) –
Despite numerous petitions and alternate pitches, the buildings on the Allentown State Hospital campus are now being readied for the wrecking ball. The Pennsylvania Department of General Services has posted a request for proposals for the demolition of the structures on the 100-year-old, nearly 200-acre property.
The estimated cost of the project is listed as over $10 million. The scope of the work includes demolition of 44 buildings/structures on approximately 200 acres, hazardous materials abatement, utility termination, site restoration, historical salvage, design documents.
Proposals are due Oct. 10 by 2 p.m. Prior to that the department has scheduled a pre-proposal conference at the site at 1600 Hanover Ave., Allentown.
The property had been vacant for more than 10 years, but its main building got a great deal of attention after the release earlier this year of the M. Night Shyamalan movie “Glass,” which was filmed on the property in 2017.
That shined a spotlight on some of the structure’s historic architecture, and a number of petitions were circulated in the Lehigh Valley calling for its preservation. Those petitions gathered several thousand signatures.
A number of developers, including former Allentown mayoral candidate Nat Hyman, attempted to convince the state to allow them to redevelop the property with the historic buildings in place.
But ultimately, the signatures and alternative proposals failed to sway the legislature, which voted unanimously to demolish the buildings and then sell the property to a developer.
Local legislators told LVB that they thought it was ultimately the best choice for the reuse of the property and economic development in the area.
After the buildings are demolished the state Department of General Services will begin the bidding process for developers who seek to purchase the property.
A committee will be established to insure that the proposals are chosen for the impact they will have on the community as well as the dollar amount of the bid.
Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf today signed Senate Bill 701, which permits the sale of the lands that currently house the Allentown State Hospital after it is demolished.
The plan to demolish the properties had been opposed by many in the community who wanted to see the more than 100-year old buildings on the nearly 200-acre property preserved and redeveloped.
However, the legislature was nearly unanimous in moving forward with the demolition, with local representatives saying having a clean slate of open land would bring in the largest amount of money and best options for development for the East Side property.
After the buildings are demolished the state Department of General Services would begin the bidding process for developers who seek to purchase the property.
A committee will be established to insure that the proposals are chosen for the impact they will have on the community as well as the dollar amount of the bid.
The Allentown State Hospital on Hanover Avenue in Allentown. (Photo by Christopher Holland) –
The Pennsylvania House of Representatives has voted 200-1 to move forward with the demolition of the Allentown State Hospital on Hanover Avenue in Allentown and hold a competitive-bid sale of the property after the work is complete.
A Republican Berks County representative was the lone no vote.
The bill now returns to the State Senate to concur with what were described as “minor technical word changes” in the house version.
The bill, which was sponsored by State Sen. Pat Browne (R- Lehigh County), had already been approved by the state senate in a 49-0 vote and it’s expected that the changes will be quickly approved by the senate at be sent to Gov. Tom Wolf for signature.
“We’ve been working very closely with the state Department of General Services on this and fully expect Governor Wolf to sign it,” said State Rep. Mike Schlossberg (D-Allentown), who voted in favor of the bill.
Schlossberg said he was not sure what the timetable would be on moving forward with the project once it receives the expected governor’s signature, but he said the goal is to move forward as quickly as possible so the nearly 200-acre property can be sold to a qualified developer that will find the best reuse for the property and get it back on the tax rolls.
The buildings had been sitting mostly vacant for the past 10 years.
While the demolition appears now to be a done deal, it has not been without controversy.
A petition was signed by several thousand area residents seeking to stop the demolition of the buildings on the property, especially the 107-year-old main hospital building, which was recently featured in the M. Night Shyamalan movie “Glass.”
The movie generated extra attention to the fate of what many consider to be historic buildings.
Also, an Allentown Developer, Nate Hyman, had filed a lawsuit, which he later withdrew, that tried to stop the demolition. He said he had the redevelopment experience to renovate and retain the structures.
But the bill that has just been approved countered the arguments Hyman had made in his lawsuit and he previously told Lehigh Valley Business that it was unlikely he would continue his fight.
Part of the bill puts a guiding hand over the future of the property.
A committee would be established to review bids. On the committee would be Browne and Schlossberg, the secretary of the Pennsylvania Department of General Services and a representative of the city of Allentown.
That committee would take bids, but consider them based on what is best for the community and not just the highest dollar amount.
The Allentown State Hospital on Hanover Avenue in Allentown. (Photo by Christopher Holland) –
The Pennsylvania Senate voted 49-0 to approve a bill sponsored by state Sen. Pat Browne (R-Allentown) that calls for the competitive-bid sale of the Allentown State Hospital property on Hanover Avenue in Allentown and the demolition of nearly all of the structures on it.
The legislature voted previously on the buildings’ demolition and the sale of the nearly 200-acre property to a buyer, TCA Properties of Doylestown. But a lawsuit from Allentown developer Nat Hyman challenged the original bill and the deal with TCA fell through.
The new bill states that it supersedes any local ordinance, which was the crux of the legal argument against the original bill.
It also requires that the buildings be demolished before the property is put up for bid.
The demolition of the 107-year old hospital has been a source of controversy. Not only did Hyman file a lawsuit, but local preservation groups were able to gather thousands of signatures asking for the structures to be saved.
The property, which has been vacant and on the market for nearly 10 years, was recently used in filming of the M. Night Shyamalan movie “Glass,” which generated extra attention to the fate of structures there.
But state Rep. Mike Schlossberg (D-Allentown), told Lehigh Valley Business in a previous interview that he and other members of the legislature felt that demolishing the buildings was the best way to turn the property into a developable tract of land that will benefit the city and the Lehigh Valley.
He noted that part of the proposed legislation puts a guiding hand over the future of the property.
A committee would be established to review bids.
On the committee would be Browne and Schlossberg, the secretary of the Pennsylvania Department of General Services and a representative of the city of Allentown.
That committee would take bids, but consider them based on what is best for the community and not just the highest dollar amount.
The Allentown State Hospital on Hanover Avenue in Allentown. (Photo by Christopher Holland) –
As plans to demolish the Allentown State Hospital on Hanover Avenue in East Allentown get back on track, Allentown’s Democratic state Rep. Mike Schlossberg is saying it’s the right thing to do.
“We need to move forward with demolition,” he said.
State Sen. Pat Browne (R-Allentown) introduced legislation June 3 that would call for a competitive-bid sale of the nearly 200-acre property, but only after demolition of all structures on the property, except for a state-owned air monitoring station.
Original demolition plans were put on hold last month after an Allentown developer, Nat Hyman, filed a lawsuit against the project. He withdrew a preliminary injunction against the state after it agreed to put the demolition on hold and give him 30 days’ notice if it restarted demolition plans.
Schlossberg said part of the bill does address the issues brought forth in the lawsuit and is aimed at getting the demolition back on track and the property sold.
Hyman had relied on a local ordinance in his original lawsuit, but the legislation introduced by Browne directly states that it would supersede any local ordinances, taking the wind out of Hyman’s legal challenge.
The bill also would terminate negotiations with TCA Properties of Doylestown, which had been awarded a contract to purchase the property at a negotiated rate after the demolition was complete.
Schlossberg said since the state announced that it would be demolishing the property, a number of new parties have come forward and he expects there will be interest in buying the land once the buildings are gone.
He noted that prior to that notice the property had sat vacant with little to no interest for a long time.
“For nine years people would tour the property and say, ‘Nope. We can’t do this in a way that is economically responsible.’ It’s time to move on,” he said.
Hyman, who has redeveloped a number of properties in Allentown, has said he can successfully rehabilitate the vacant properties and he disagrees with those who say it can’t be done.
Hyman said he was unsure if there was anything he could or would do to continue his fight if Browne’s bill becomes law.
“I will be talking to my lawyer,” he said. “This is very disappointing.”
Besides Hyman’s interest there had been other public outcry over the demolition of the 107-year-old hospital on the property.
The property and its main building got a great deal of attention after the release earlier this year of the M. Night Shyamalan movie “Glass,” which was filmed on the property in 2017.
That shined a spotlight on some of the structure’s historic architecture, and a number of petitions were circulated in the Lehigh Valley calling for its preservation. Those petitions gathered several thousand signatures.
But Schlossberg said the important part of the proposed legislation was that it puts a guiding hand over the future of the property.
Under the legislation, a committee would be established to review bids. On the committee would be Browne and Schlossberg, the state secretary of General Services and a representative of the city of Allentown.
The committee would take bids, but consider them based on what is best for the community and not just the highest dollar bid.
The Allentown State Hospital on Hanover Avenue in Allentown. (Photo by Christopher Holland) –
Plans to demolish the Allentown State Hospital on Hanover Avenue in East Allentown appear back on track.
State Sen. Pat Browne (R-Allentown) has introduced legislation that would call for a competitive-bid sale of the nearly 200-acre property, but only after demolition of all structures on the property, except for a state-owned air monitoring station.
Original demolition plans were put on hold last month after an Allentown developer, Nat Hyman, filed a lawsuit against the project. He withdrew a preliminary injunction against the state after it agreed to put the demolition on hold and give him 30 days’ notice if it restarted demolition plans.
Hyman called the legislation “clearly directed at my lawsuit.”
He has repeatedly expressed interest in buying the property and redeveloping it with its historic buildings intact and called the latest legislation a setback for his efforts.
“The only thing I really wanted to do is have them not demolish it,” he said. “I don’t care who buys it.”
The bill also terminates negotiations with TCA Properties of Doylestown, which had been awarded a contract to purchase the property at a negotiated rate after the demolition was complete.
Hyman had relied on a local ordinance in his original lawsuit, but the legislation introduced by Browne directly states that it would supersede any local ordinances, taking the wind out of Hyman’s lawsuit.
Hyman said he was unsure if there was anything he could do to continue his fight if Browne’s bill becomes law.
“I will be talking to my lawyer,” he said. “This is very disappointing.”
In addition to Hyman’s interest in the property and his subsequent lawsuit, there had been some public outcry over the demolition of the 107-year-old hospital on the property.
The property and its main building got attention after the release earlier this year of the M. Night Shyamalan movie “Glass,” which was filmed on the property in 2017.
Under the legislation, a committee would be established to review bids. On the committee would be Browne and state Rep. Mike Schlossberg (D-Allentown), who has supported the property’s demolition. The other two members would be the state secretary of General Services and a representative of the city of Allentown.
The committee would take bids, but consider them based on what is best for the community.
One thing that won’t be locating at the former state hospital is a casino.
The legislation bars the property from being sold for gaming uses.
Efforts to reach Browne and Schlossberg were not immediately successful.
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