The South Bethlehem Historical Society has filed a
lawsuit against the city to stop construction of a nine-story building on South
Fourth Street.
The suit was filed Tuesday in Northampton County Court.
On Nov. 5, Bethlehem City Council voted 4-2 to approve a
"certificate of appropriateness" for the proposed 37-unit apartment
high-rise to be built on the southeast corner of Fourth and Vine streets.
The suit contends that City Council failed to provide
reasons for the action it took in writing, as it legally is required to do by
state law.
It also maintains City Council failed to consider the
impact construction of the building will have on that south Bethlehem historic
district.
Historical society president Stephen Barron said he wants
the city to abide by its own ordinances. He said the size and scale of the
project doesn't fit the south Bethlehem neighborhood.
Barron said the foundation for the proposed building will
go down 20 feet, deeper than the foundations of neighboring buildings, and not
enough research has been done to determine how that will impact those other
structures.
He also wants research done into how much traffic the new
apartment building will generate. He said the city should have a proper hearing
on the building, which is proposed to have a restaurant on its street level.
Source: WFMZ.com
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