the posting of the property and property addresses notices were sent to

are incorporated into the official City Clerk’s record.

The procedure for the Public Hearing:

1. Mark Hartney, the Deputy Director, will briefly explain the petition so we

are on the same page. The intent will be to have a discussion of the staff

and

Planning Commissions various suggestions at our regular meeting where

this is scheduled to be voted on.

2. The Petitioner will give the presentation to Council

3. The purpose of the meeting is for comments from the public on the

proposal. Members of the public may give statements in support or

opposition to the proposal, please state your name and address.

4. Time permitting, Council can ask questions, but we be also aware that

the petition is on the Council agenda that follows, and further discussion

can take place there; and the Council meeting is scheduled to take place at

6:30 PM. The purpose here is for Public Comment.

5. At the conclusion of all comments, the President of City Council states

the record is now closed and the matter will be deliberated and voted on at

tonight’s regularly scheduled City Council Meeting.

Mr. Mark Hartney, Deputy Director - Department of Community and

Economic Development, stated that the Petition before Council tonight is a

rezoning request and there are basically two parts to it. There are two

parcels that are currently I - 3 that the Petitioner is requesting to be rezoned

to B-5 and then the second part is a text amendment that would allow all

parcels zone B-5 on either side of Riverside Drive to take on B-2 zoning

properties from yard height setback requirements. There will be no

setback requirements on those parcels and they will be able to build as

high as they wanted to on those parcels.

Mr. John Palumbo, Chief Operating Officer- Urban Residential Properties,

stated that here today, he also has his Attorney Joe Fitzpatrick from

Fitzpatrick, Lenz and Bubba to answer any legal related questions that you

may have. If stated that if Council does not mind, he will do just a short

presentation and he will be open to any presentation that they may have.

He thanked Council for taking the time to review this application. He has a

short presentation and will answer any questions. He gave a brief

background on the rezoning overview. This rezoning really stems back to

all the way back to 2019 when they met with city staff regarding the

development of the Riverfront. For nearly two years since 2019 to 2021,

they discussed multiple iterations of the proposed amendment, including a

revision of the IRO. Ultimately, it was recommended by Planning that a

Comprehensive Rezoning approach including a map amendment to B-5

and a text amendment to MFD was the best approach. As many of them

are aware, we presented those amendments to both the Planning

Commission and City Council back in early 2021 and the amendments

were unanimously approved by both the Planning Commission and City

Council. Importantly, since then the Riverfront has started to gain

momentum for the first to time in over 40 years. This includes substantial

construction for the Riverfront Lofts which he will get into in a second. The

unanimous Planning Commission approval for the Neuweiler Lofts had

unanimous Planning Commission approval of Riverview Lofts II, the

construction of Riverside Drive as well as the introduction of improvements

of green space within the area. What we have in front of you today is

proposing to add an additional parcel into the B-5 district which they

believe is a logical extension of an approved zoning as well as the text

amendment to provide for flexibility and multiple uses along the Riverside

Drive corridor. What he did leave out of here and thinks it is very important

to take a community-based approach. They met with multiple community

leaders. He knows Council received a package of community support.

They got a Petition from nearly 95 local residents with about six or seven

letters of support. Those letters of support represent every single property

owner that be affected by the rezoning in front of you. The next few slides

are going to be a kind of before and after slides on some of the

improvements that have happened in the area since the implementation of

the B-5 amendment. He stated that on the left side of the screen, the

individuals are powerful. On the left side of the screen, this was back in

2020. This is now the Riverfront Lofts which is their second major

development on the Riverfront on the N. Front Street corridor. If you see on

the left side, that is the existing conditions in 2020 and obviously prior to

the previous zoning being approved and then fast forward a 2022 and the

building is now substantially complete and is set to come online later this

year. He stated that he thinks this is really going to be a catalyst for this

area. Ultimately, it is going to spearhead a tremendous amount of

development and ultimately the goal is to create and make Allentown one

of the best mid-sized cities in the country. Here you have a before and

after from N. Front Street and Riverside Drive in 2020 versus 2022. He

stated that to him it is a powerful image because if you think about it, it is

hard to believe that Riverside Drive was a thought and it was planned, but it

was never actually built prior to the rezoning. If you fast forward to 2022 on

the right side of your screen you see how Riverside Drive now blends in

with the newly created Front Lofts and it is really the gateway to the entire

Riverfront. They think that they zoning in front of Council today is a natural

extension to this newly created Riverside Drive corridor. He stated that this

slide is also particularly interesting to him because he remembers when he

was presenting initially back in 2021 and he talked about how when you are

facing the building from N. Front Street, you never know that you have a

beautiful eight-acre park and the Riverfront right on the other side. If you

look on the left side of the screen, in 2020 that is Riverside Drive behind

the Riverfront Lofts before construction. On the right side of the screen it is

a shot right from the middle of the Riverfront Lofts showing that basically,

the project is sitting right on top of an eight-acre park. What they are trying

to do is to create connectivity from the neighborhood to the natural assets

of the city being Bucky Boyle Park and the Lehigh River. In addition to the

improvements that are taking place and the initial rezoning, here he wants

to show a few images and projects that have also been unanimously

approved by the Planning Commission since the implementation of the

amendment. Here you have Riverview Lofts II. This was unanimously

approved by the Planning Commission back in June of this year. This

project is in partnership with APA. They are now working through the

closing and anticipate starting the construction. The demolition is complete

and they are really looking at breaking ground on that later this year or early

2023. It is going to be a nice infill project for the city. It is actually going to

have an indoor pool within the building. It is going to be a great product for

the city. Here you have the Neuweiler Lofts project which was unanimously

approved by the Planning Commission back in July of this year. On the left

side of the screen is the existing conditions verses what the approved

project is. They worked tremendously hard working with the community to

gain feedback and what they did here is they kept the integrity and the

historic features of the building. They kept the cap of the tower and that

beautiful end. They reopened the building on the bottom floors for the

connectivity for the pedestrian walkways. They are actually slated to start

some demolition in November and break ground on that in December of

this year. Really, this is going to be the catalyst of this entire Riverfront. It is

probably one of the most important projects for Allentown Renaissance.

They are getting a tremendous amount of momentum on this project and

the commercial space. They have about 40,000 square feet, 65 percent is

already leased up and he will be announcing those tenants shortly. Here

you have the existing conditions from Riverside Drive facing the back of the

Neuweiler Brewery verses the approved project. Once again, when we got

the amendments approved the first time, there was no Riverside Drive.

Now, this is becoming a very main commercial corridor and this project is

really going to spearhead that and the proposed amendments in front of

Council is a logical extension because the property being added from I-3 to

B-5 is directly adjacent to the site to the right. He stated just to wrap it up

here that this is a quick Riverfront Zoning Map to give an idea where to

projects are located that he was just discussing with them. If you look at the

left side of the screen, it shows the Riverfront Lofts which is under

construction. Directly adjacent to that is 249 the old Atillia Building which is

a future development project. Directly adjacent to the right of that is the

Neuweiler Lofts which he just showed Council images of that. On the top

right, is what Riverview Lofts II is. Directly below that is Riverview Lofts I

which was completed back in 2021 and the parts that they were adding into

the B-5 from I-3 is here checkered on the bottom of your screen directly

adjacent to the Neuweiler Lofts across Riverside Drive corridor. On the top

right of your screen you will see the existing conditions of their lot. It is a

blighted property in need of redevelopment and as he said it is a logical

extension of the previous zoning and they look forward to working with the

city to really create something really special on the Riverfront.

Mr. Ed Zucal asked why wasn't this your initiative in the beginning. Why are

you bringing this to us now after you originally had the B-5?

Mr. John Palumbo stated that after the original zoning was approved, they

got this under contract after they got the initial zoning approved. Once we

got it under contract, then he proposed the amendment to add that parcel

into the existing B-5 for development.

Mr. Ed Zucal asked was he talking just the one parcel, correct.

Mr. John Palumbo stated correct. He asked anybody else.

Ms. Ce Ce Gerlach stated that the last time he was here, he talked about

the importance of his develop projects impacting the community. She

stated that she heard that he made statements that he has been speaking

with the community. One of the letters that someone wrote that they are an

employee or was an employee at some point. She wondered if he would

be able to elaborate more on how and what he has done thus far and what

you plan to do that would bring tangible benefits to the community. Not lift

all boats and we will rise. Not that rhetoric, but tangible. How many jobs

have been created in the community. If any workforce, you let be included

and what parks. You had mentioned Bucky Boyle and maybe working with

the city to make some improvements. She stated that she is just

wondering and would like some updates on that.

Mr. John Palumbo stated first he will say they take an extremely local

approach to hiring. If you look at the staff and the contractors who work for

them, he would say 95 percent of them either live right in Allentown or live in

the Lehigh Valley area. They are the type of guys who will give anybody an

opportunity. All they ask is that you come to work with a positive mindset

and that you work hard. A lot of the people who work for them weren't really

given a fair shake to get employment opportunities and they were willing to

do so and they are greatly appreciative of that. They have also local job

training programs that they are working through at 207 N. Front Street

which they are building now. It is actually going to be the headquarters for

the URP Job Training Program. They will be looking for strategic

partnerships with the city or LCCC to essentially work together to create

local jobs for the youth and provide opportunities. In terms of how many

employment opportunities they have created, he would say by the time this

thing is done, it is going to be thousands of jobs and it is not even an

exaggeration. There are going to be thousands of jobs that are going to be

created. Local jobs and ultimately it kind of gets lost in the sauce

sometimes with the details of planning and people don't realize it. The

most beneficial part of his day is that when he goes home, he knows that

he gave people the opportunity to put food on the table for their family. That

is what they do every single day. They are just regular guys who work very

hard. He and his partner come from humble beginnings. His partner has

been in this city for 10 years and slept of the grounds on a dilapidated

brownstone when he was 21 and it took three years to rehab the buildings.

That is what he comes from and what both of their passions are. Helping

the community and engaging in the community. They also do local events

for the community. They do a toy drive for Christmas. They are looking to

do a Thanksgiving drive. Anywhere they can help, they will help.

Ms. Ce Ce Gerlach asked if there are any plans in terms of and she can

see that it is right beside Bucky Boyle. She asked if there were any plans

that the community shared with him on what they want in terms of Bucky

Boyle improvements and what your role will be in that.

Mr. John Palumbo stated that if you look between where the Neuweiler

development is at 249, there is a park space in between there. That has

been his main focus in terms of revitalization of the park space. They meet

with the community groups at least once a month. The community has

been very satisfied because what happens is the biggest problem, they

feel is that they are not being heard. He stated that when they come to a

meeting and says here is a preliminary concept that we are trying to do.

Give us your feedback and let us know what you think, and we can make

tweaks and take it from there. We have an initial meeting and people are a

little skeptical and after the second and third meeting they see that we are

actually taking their ideas and try to implement them into the park and

basically enhance the community. They have become very supportive and

that's why you see the Petition from local residents. It was close to nearly

100 local residents. Literally, he would be walking on the street on N. Front

Street and people will come up to him and say "hey, can I sign your

Petition." "Can I sign your Petition." They say "thanks so much, we love

what you are doing for the city." He stated that is very rewarding. In terms

of Bucky Boyle Park, they do have a vision for Bucky Boyle Park. They

haven't got there yet in terms of working with the city to come up with an

actual Comprehensive Plan. He stated that his thought was to get a

smaller park up and running. Start gaining some momentum and then

come up with an overall Comprehensive Plan for Bucky Boyle Park. He

stated from an urban setting, there are not that many opportunities to

redevelop an eight acre park on the Riverfront in a mid-sized city in this

country. It is a tremendous opportunity. He stated that anything that he

could do to help move that forward, he is willing to do it. Anybody that he

can work with to get that done, he will be happy to work with them and what

his though process is that the more momentum they get, the more likely it is

to actually come to fruition. Everything can't be done in one day, but

ultimately this is a 10 - year plan and over the course of 10 years and he

goes back to his original statement that he believes that Allentown is going

to be one of the best mid-sized cities in the country, period.

Ms. Ce Ce Gerlach stated thank you.

Mr. Ed Zucal asked if there were any other questions from Council. He

thanked Mr. Palumbo and asked if they had any individuals from the public

that are either opposed or in favor of that would like to speak. If so, come

forward.

Ms. April Riddick, southside Allentown, stated that she has also been a

person that has been at Bucky Boyle for 30 years coaching down there.

She is here today assessing the signs hanging up and she came as a

concern. She stated that she knows that they are trying to develop

Allentown and there is a lot of developing going on. Some good. Some

bad. She stated that she wants to make sure that the park stays intact.

She stated that she is that community. She has been down there and there

are other people down there for 40 years coaching. With the develop that

is going on, they are just concerned that it stays intact and the development

that happens benefits that community that is down there. People say that

they are doing development here, but so far in the city the development that

is happening has came and is causing a lot of people to be homeless.

People can't afford the apartments. They can't even afford to shop at some

of the stores. She is concerned that coming down to that area. She stated

that she is not just a coach there, she grew up on Ridge Avenue and grew

up on Second Street. She grew up on Fifth Street. She stated that she is

an Allentonian. Born and raised here. It is nothing wrong with change, if

change was cohesively with the community and everybody. There are no

programs. They are dying little by little. A's been around and they fund

everything strictly from their pockets. She stated that they are not the ones

that get the grants and all that. They are an organization that makes sure

they are there for the kids. She stated that their model there is it takes a

community. We believe in that. It is not just about sports with them, it is

about that kid that is not doing well in school or whatever maybe the case.

What can they do for Buck Boyle if they want to develop it? They can

create a club house that has been promised to the community for many

years down there and they keep getting overlooked. The city is taking it

where they have to be a nonprofit. She stated that they are not a nonprofit

because of the fact that most sports organizations aren't. They don't have a

facility there. They have made the park smaller. There is no parking down

there no more. There used to be a track that went around park. It is not

there no more for the kids to jog around. She stated that her concern is that

this development does not take from the park. She stated that is all she is

asking. It is needed for these babies to continue to have, even when she is

not there. She stated that is her concern. The traffic coming through is her

concern. Right now, there is speeding down the street and there are no

speed bumps down there. She stated that they asked them to put a stop

light in before they finish, and they said that it was not enough data. The

city was down there last week and they had a meeting with Parks and

Recreation and they witnessed it for themselves. She stated that her

concern is that will be a danger in the future. She asked if they do the

development, they take into consideration that there are kids there outside

of them there are events there. There are families there. She stated that

they have to make sure that everything works cohesively before you do

anything.

Mr. Ed Zucal thanked Ms. Riddick and made a suggestion that she sits

down with Mr. Palumbo. He seems like a genuine guy.

Mr. John Palumbo stated that all you have to do is pass his number along

to her and give him a call.

Ms. April Riddick stated that she is part of the Planning Commission

Committee that is for that area too. She suggested that he reaches out to

them as well. She stated that she will gladly give him her information. She

will give him tons of parents to talk to.

Mr. John Palumbo stated that is awesome. He stated that he appreciates

that.

Mr. Ed Zucal thanked Ms. Riddick and asked anyone else in reference to

this Public Hearing?

Enactment No: 15844

ADJOURNED: 6:25 PM