Planners Approve 1.75 Million Sq Ft Warehouse at Commerce Boulevard

In a perfunctory, twenty-minute, meeting on January 10, Bethlehem planners unanimously gave their blessings to a 1.75 million sq ft warehousing facility on the north side of Commerce Center Boulevard, located near the Route 78 exit. It's located at Majestic Business Center, a sprawling 442-acre tract that was once owned by Bethlehem Steel. If built, it will certainly be among the largest warehousing facilities in the Lehigh Valley.

Engineer Carly Patterson told planners the warehouse will include 325 parking places for its workforce. In addition there will be 339 trailer space for trucks coming in and out of the facility along a ring road that will surround the lot.

Facility manager Eric Scheler acknowledged that, at this time, no tenant has been identified.

In addition to approving the facility, planners quickly adopted four waivers to various impervious coverage and landscaping requirements.

Scheler agreed to pay up to $50,000 for upgrades to a pumping station, a $93,700 recreation fee and $75,000 for landscaping and trees in other areas. He added that, if a tenant is found, it could result in 175 jobs.

This meeting marks the first that Bethlehem Planners have conducted since October.