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Allentown honored for bus station design

The newly redesigned Allentown Transporation Center has been recognized for excellence. 

The LANTA and Allentown Parking Authority building was honored by the Urban Land Institute of Philadelphia with its 2023 Award for Excellence in the Open Space category. 

The transit plaza, which is located on Church Street in Downtown Allentown, was funded through the Allentown Neighborhood Improvement Zone Development Authority’s Public Improvement Investment Program.  

The 1.64-acre plaza serves as the central hub for LANTA, with 3,000 passenger trips daily. The central configuration of the pavilion allows riders to make bus transfers without leaving the platform; in the previous configuration, they had to walk two blocks to transfer. 

One of the highlights of the plaza is its origami-inspired bus shelter pavilion, designed by the project’s landscape architect, Omnes.  

It features a green roof that captures stormwater to offset the impermeable pavement below. Because of required clearances and paving for bus circulation, the shelter uses the pavilion as a device for greening the plaza.  

According to a press release he structure reduces stormwater runoff with an approximate 7,508-gallon capacity by incorporating a living green roof consisting of more than a dozen species of sedum plants, as well as water collection and drainage along columns.  

The design team, which included Omnes, architect Bernardon, and lighting designer Diversified Lighting, worked with transportation authorities to develop signage, audio-visual placement, and LED lighting to illuminate and enhance the function of the transit hub. 

 

Core States Group expanding into Allentown

Core States Group is moving into the 520 Lofts in Allentown, a building designed by its Bernardon division. PHOTO/COURTESY CORE STATES GROUP
Core States Group is moving into the 520 Lofts in Allentown, a building designed by its Bernardon division. PHOTO/COURTESY CORE STATES GROUP –

Core States Group, a firm that designs, builds, and manages multi-site programs and build-to-suit projects is expanding with a new office in Allentown. The company has 21 offices in the U.S. and Canada. 

The new office will open in April at 520 Lofts on Hamilton Street. 

The property is a mixed-use building designed by Bernardon, a division of Core States Group. 

The new Allentown office will be the company’s fourth office in Pennsylvania.  

This new location will allow for expansion throughout the region. 

Core States Group has been involved with multiple programs for nationally known convenience stores, retail banking, and restaurant brands. 

It has already been active in the region and has worked on more than 30 projects in the Lehigh Valley, including the 1010 Apartments, Cityplace South, the Morning Call redevelopment, The Hive, The Gallery, Walnut Street Commons, and the Walnut Street Parking Garage.  

“I am proud of the contributions the Bernardon team has made in the revitalized landscape of Allentown and the surrounding Lehigh Valley,” said D. David Dugan, president and CEO of the Core States Group. “The decision to expand was a logical next step for us as we continue to create a world where all environments improve everyday life.”
  

 

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