Local Government TV

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Friday, February 11, 2011

Data Storage Facility, 100 Jobs, Coming to Bethlehem

California-based Majestic Realty Co., a leader in brownfield redevelopment, has struggled finding tenants for its business park on 441 acres of former Bethlehem Steel land. When this $500 million project was first announced in 2008, officials predicted it wold produce 5,000 jobs, a figure often cited by Bethlehem Mayor John Callahan in his Congressional campaign. Three years after its purchase, Majestic has a prospective tenant, and with it, about 100 jobs.

At a February 10 Planning Commission meeting in Bethlehem, Pennoni Associates engineer Rocco Caracciolo unveiled plans for a new, and very secure data storage facility, on about 50 acres. Five waivers concerning trees, sidewalks and landscaping, were unanimously granted.

Surrounded by a ring of trees and 12' high walls, Majestic Realty's Jack "Skip" Bailey declined to name the company, but stated it is one of the world leaders in data storage. Caracciolo added that most of the 100 jobs will be security and maintenance jobs. He added that engineers would also visit the facility to service the data servers.

"Welcome to the area!" said a union business agent.

Planners also approved 5 sign waivers requested by Jeff Parks for his $70 million Atrsquest project on 10 acres of the Bethlehem Steel brownfield. Most prominent among these is a four-sided "Q" LED sign visible atop the ArtsQuest building.

All signs will be lit up in "international orange", the color of the Golden Gate Bridge, which was built with beams supplied by Bethlehem Steel. Parks told planners that an special "international orange" Mike 'n Ike candy, produced by Just Born, will be available only at ArtsQuest.

The giant Q will from time to time change colors from orange on different holidays. It will be green on St Patrick's Day, for example.

Even Artsquest critics like Bethlehem resident Bob Pfenning, seemed pleased by the "very appropriate" sign scheme, which uses no corporate sponsors.
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