In an email to faculty and staff that went out late this afternoon, Lehigh University President Alice Gast a major land acquisition:
"As you may be aware, the Donald B. and Dorothy Stabler Foundation has been a generous benefactor to the university, and we are pleased to announce that we have reached an agreement for Lehigh to take possession of 755 acres of property in Upper Saucon Township in a distribution of assets of property currently owned by the Stabler Land Company.
"The property comprises a number of parcels roughly bordered by routes 378, 309 and 78, and is located approximately three miles from our Asa Packer campus and one mile from our Goodman campus. The transfer is expected to become final later this month.
"This property has the potential to be an important part of Lehigh’s long-term future, and we are excited about the possibilities. We will take time to determine the best path forward, but would anticipate some combination of commercial development, open space and university use.
"We have a long-term time horizon for the use of this property, and are proud that Lehigh has demonstrated excellent stewardship of land. Our Goodman campus, for example, is used by thousands of area residents for athletics and recreation.
"We will provide you with more details once the transaction is completed."
You'll notice that at least some of this property is intended for "commercial development." Whether it knows it or not, LU just became a player in the NIZ dispute.
25 comments:
Bernie, I couldn't help but notice that you misspelled Stabler in the title of this post, and forgot to include a verb in the first sentence.... should I draw the conclusion that you are a dummy who is unfit to blog based on this carelessness and clear failure to grasp the basics of the English language?
PS I realize that was snarky, but I couldn't resist! You have to admit the timing is pretty funny.
Bernie isn't running for Mayor, especially the Mayor of Allentown. But he does get more people to this site than you get to yours ...
Fair point. Heh heh. I will fix my post.
Just fixed it. You got me. All I can say in my defense is there is a difference between a typo and a misunderstanding of the difference between "their" and "there." Nevertheless, 'taint a big one.
"should I draw the conclusion that you are a dummy who is unfit to blog"
Most of my friends have already told me that much.
And your enemies say what then?
They know better.
Honestly, wouldn't Lehigh more likely seek a zoning change? I mean, I sincerely doubt the property gets put to that use.
I have no idea what you are talking about I have the president's email, in which she states some of the land will be put to commercial use.
I missed that part. Are colleges even allowed to do that? I mean I get like book stores, but actual commercial use run by a university?
Do you think it creates an uneven playing field?
No, not really. I just find it odd. I mean, if they have a plan, go for it. I'm just saying, I never saw Lehigh as a landlord of commercial land.
Most "well-endowed" universities have substantial commercial real estate portfolios. A good example, close by, is Princeton U's Forrestal Center.
All the Ivies are heavily invested in commercial RE. Stanford has huge direct holdings including a massive regional mall adjacent to the campus.
Is a licesne or some other official stamp of approval from the Government now required to invest in commercial real estate or will the OK note signed by my Mom be good enough?
NOVICE UNIVERSITY
Doc Rock, that's really interesting. New stuff to me, but those are the schools Lehigh competes with academically, so this makes a lot of sense then.
They have enough land. They don't deserve it.
I hereby command Lehigh University to deed all 755 acres
to CACLV.
-Barack Obama
Don't deserve it?
That's all stolen land!
And we want it back ...
LENNY LENAPE
As has been pointed out, most Universities do own substantial tracts of property for non-University use (see Also: NYU who overtook the Catholic Church as the biggest land-owner in NYC a little while back). I could be wrong, but I think Lehigh already does own property in South Bethlehem that is being commercially used in the area around the main campus along 4th Street. It seems unlikely that Lehigh is poised to grow so drastically academically that they could really make use of 755 acres without substantively changing the college's programs, so, short of opening a medical school and hospital campus, putting part of the land to use for commercial purposes makes great sense.
Also to whomever commented to me last night, obviously Bernie saw that I was making a friendly jab and not truly taking him to task, but I'd argue that grammar and spelling are actually more critical to being a writer than they are to being the Mayor, so there's a kernel of my true opinion in my tease, for whatever its worth.
Who is this capri person? Should we care?
As a person with Lenape heritage....gotta chuckle at 10:46. We lost it because we were miserable business men.
Wow Capri! Your 7:03 AM comment is grammatically superior. No run-ons, right?
The entire point about my jab is that when people write in informal venues, be it email, blogs, tweets, texts, or other mediums, its ridiculous to critique their grammar or spelling as somehow indicative of... really anything. Sorry if that was lost upon you!
Should that not be "at informal venues"?
You tell me.
The emergency line at the Grammar Police is busy.
HANGING ON DESPERATELY FOR FURTHER INSTRUCTION FROM PROGRESSIVE LIBERALS
Why even try to use words, if you can't communicate effectively? Maybe, I should have just read your mind?
The proper use of grammar, spelling, or words have not any purpose. The meaning will just be lost in the translation, anyway?
Sounds like 1984.
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