New City Hall Facade Gets Approval from Easton Historic District Commission

By Christina Georgiou

A scale model of the center section of Easton's new city hall building,
to be erected on South Third Street, was shown to the city's
historic district commission members and the public Monday evening.
Click on any photo for a full size view.

Easton's new city hall building got a nod of approval Monday evening from the city's historic district commission after board members and the public got a look at a scale model of the planned structure. Commission member Scott Voelker, who works for architectural firm Spillman Farmer, recused himself from the vote, and chair Robert Jacobs was not present.

Easton's Historic District Commission had formerly expressed worries that the building would be too stark and didn't convey the civic nature of its use.

New plans show that a bridge connecting the parking deck behind the building to the city's  municipal offices, which will be located on the second and third floors of the structure, has been eliminated. Additional changes include polished green granite that will frame the building's main entrance on South Third Street, and a honed granite base on the east, north, and south sides of the structure.

An artist's rendering of plans for the third floor, which, along
with the second level, will house the City of Easton's
municipal offices.

An art glass canopy will also be located over the main entrance, which will also serve patrons for the bus station, to be situated on the first floor.

The upper part of Easton's city hall will be constructed of precast concrete of two different textures.

Other changes to the plan were made too, said Christine Uhler, the commission's historic consultant, but they were not talked about in detail Monday evening.

"It's hard to discuss every single detail as this is a very complex project," Uhler said.

She added that the board's job is just to ensure the modern building fits in with the neighborhood and the historic structures that surround it.

Spillman Farmer architect Randy Galiotto highlighted
some of the new city hall's features with a scale model
of the middle of the structure to Easton
Historic District Commission members Monday evening.

The scale model shown Monday evening reflects some
changes from the original concept drawing that was
presented to the public by architectural firm Spillman
Farmer last October. Easton's Historic District Commission
had requested that the building's design better convey
its civic purpose.

Spillman Farmer architect Randy Galiotto highlighted some of the new city hall's features with a scale model of the middle of the structure, as well as some material samples.

The precast concrete is a sand color and was chosen to reflect Easton's role in the cement industry in the early 20th century. The city's current city hall is located in the Alpha Building, which once housed the office of the Alpha Cement company, a prominent manufacturer of Portland cement.

"I hope you like it because we have a million dollars of it coming," he said.

Glass windows feature prominently across the front of the building's facade and are meant to symbolize "transparency in government" Galioto added.

The artist who will construct the art glass canopy over the main entrance has been chosen and Spillman Farmer is in talks with the individual, Galiotto said, but he declined to divulge the name, promising it would be announced soon.

The new city hall's interior will have some unique features too, the architect said.

"We're hoping to be able to afford a wood ceiling on the third floor that will be a topography of Easton," Galiotto said.

The first floor will house a lobby area that will provide access to the new LANTA bus station on the north side of the building, as well as about 7,500 square feet of commercial space on the south side. The commercial space will additionally have a separate entrance along South Third Street, Galiotto said.

"We are hoping to to with a single tenant," Panto said. He added that the city does not yet have any specific tenant or use in mind for the commercial space and is open to any suitable use. "We just want to get a fair market price."

"I think you'll see we took as many of the Historic District Commission recommendations as we could," Panto said, while thanking commission members for their input. "I think we've ended up with a much better project than was proposed."

The site of Easton's new city hall, a LANTA bus station
and commercial space, along with a new parking deck
on South Third Street in the Downtown district.
Construction on the new city hall building has
not yet begun, though work is under way
for the parking deck that accompanies it.

Construction on the new city hall building has not yet begun, though work is under way for the parking deck that accompanies it. Harsh weather last fall and over the winter delayed the work's progress, Panto said.

The mayor said he hopes the city will be able to move into the new city hall by July of 2015, a couple of months later than originally anticipated. The parking deck must be completed before work on the building can begin, due to space considerations, he added.

Once the parking deck is completed, work on the building can commence. Panto said he expects construction on the new city hall may disrupt traffic on South Third Street for a few weeks to accommodate cranes necessary to raise the building's steet beams, concrete, and glass into place.

"One or two lanes of South Third Street may be shut down," he said, adding that he doesn't expect the street will need to be closed entirely for the construction.

Numerous Officials Celebrate Groundbreaking of New City Hall & Transportation Center

By Christina Georgiou

The project to build a new bus terminal has taken more than a decade and been passed along through the terms of four Easton mayors, but Easton's intermodal complex project is finally a "go", as 20 shovels were wielded by people who have played a part in making the project finally become a reality on Friday afternoon.

More than 100 people gathered on South Third Street to witness the groundbreaking ceremony for Easton's new City Hall and Transportation center complex.

The crowd, comprised  mostly of local and state officials of both government and area NGOs, braved a chilly wind as a small batallion of speakers praised the project's finally coming to fruition, after more than a decade of planning, changes and hurdles overcome to make the bus terminal a reality.

Full of praise for the final incarnation of the project, which will be built on the sites of the former Perkins restaurant and Marquis movie theater, one by one officials took to the podium.

"I know we've been accused of rushing things, but I don't think 12 and a half years is rushing things," said Easton Mayor Sal Panto, adding that "doing over" the Perkins site make him happy.

He noted the suburban style of the restaurant's architecture and site plan didn't fit in the city, but that doesn't mean more modern styles like the one that will grace the intermodal center's facade aren't a good idea.
 

 "As you walk Downtown, you can see we built according to the era," he said.

Fred Williams, a former Easton councilman and now LANTA's treasurer, praised the project and noted that change is part of the city.

"Believe it or not, this is the fourth groundbreaking I've been to on this street. I go back a long way," he said. "This is a great project of the city."

For bus passengers, the new terminal will be an improvement over the current one and allow them to be safer when waiting for transfers, Williams said.

He also noted the cooperation of officials over a long period of time to extend grant funding to make the new transportation center, which will also house Easton's new city hall, the National High School Hall of Fame, and a yet to be defined commercial space, a reality.

Planning for Easton's intermodal complex has spanned across
the terms of four Easton mayors. From left to right, current
Mayor Sal Panto, former Mayor Phil Mitman, former
Mayor Tom Goldsmith, and former Mayor Mike McFadden.

"It's not easy to get the right combination, to get local and state and the federal government to work together," he concluded.

One by one, state and local officials echoed that sentiment. The project, envisioned near the end of former Mayor Tom Goldsmith's term, was passed along through the terms of Tom McFadden and Phil Mitman too, to finally be inherited by Panto.

"It was quite a puzzle. As each mayor took office, he had to make the pieces fit. And now they're finally glued together," said Vice Mayor Ken Brown. "The complexity of our city has changed. Development is happening. Easton is changing."

Representing the Easton Parking Authority, which will run the new parking deck at the complex, Skip Fairchild said more parking is necessary to support the growth of tourism, business investment, and new housing in the city.

"I'd like to take the opportunity to say how excited the parking authority is to get this project off the ground, or into the ground, rather," Fairchild said.

However, site preparation construction won't begin in the first week of April as was  recently announced--rather it will more likely start at the beginning of May due to the geotechnical survey reports for the site just being completed now, Panto said.

Now that is done, the city needs to put the site prep work out for bid, he added.

Former mayors Tom Goldsmith and Mike McFadden, Easton
Councilwoman Sandra Vulcano, former Easton Mayor
Phil Mitman, Vice Mayor Ken Brown, and Easton City
Controller Tony Bassil prepare to wield shovels at
the groundbreaking ceremony for Easton's new City
Hall and Transportation Center on Friday afternoon.

The concrete footers and parking deck slabs were to be installed in late June or July, the mayor had previously said, and meeting that milestone is still being anticipated, Panto said.

"We think we'll still be on schedule for site work," Panto said.

"It's taken a number of years, but the that, the building has come full circle," Joseph Biondo of Spillman Farmer Architects. "Imagine this thing rising out of the ground in the next few months...It's going to be a civic building unlike any others seen in the Lehigh Valley."

"In many ways, spring symbolizes rebirth, and this project will be the catalyst to revitalize this neighborhood," said State Representative Bob Freeman, noting the street's past as home to the city's Lebanese community. "Unfortunately, mistakes were made during urban renewal."

Freeman said the project will bring opportunity back to the block.

Either in person or via representatives, State Senator Lisa Boscola, former State Senator Bob Mensche, Congressman Matt Cartwright, and others, echoed the sentiment that the new complex will be good for the city and aid in its economic development.

City Planning Director Becky Bradley and Easton
Councilman Jeff Warren smile broadly after taking
part in the groundbreaking ceremony Friday
afternoon.

"The Easton Intermodal Transportation Center is breathing new life into a city filled with vacancies by spurring new economic development that will draw people back to the downtown corridor," said Federal Transportation Authority administrator Peter Rogoff in a press release.  "This facility will also make it easier than ever for commuters from Allentown, Bethlehem and Easton to save money on gas by taking transit to jobs in Western New Jersey, Newark and New York City."

And then, the dirt of the "first" shovels to break ground on the site flew.

Easton Planning Commission Approves Changes to New City Hall, Transportation Center Plan

By Christina Georgiou

Members of the Easton Planning Commission voted 3-1 to approve changes in the building plan for the city's new city hall and transportation center Wednesday evening, including an increase in the structure's footprint and moving the public plaza area from the south to the north side of the building.

Planning Commissioner Dennis Lieb cast the lone dissenting vote, after raising point-by-point criticisms of the construction of the facility, despite having voted in favor of giving the project approval last year.

In a statement that took nearly 30 minutes to deliver, Lieb contended that the design for the new complex "is deficient" in meeting numerous city zoning codes and also does not fit with the city's comprehensive plan for development.

He also took issue with specific aspects of changes made to the design, such as the public plaza area of the building being moved from the south side of the structure to the north.

"The plaza, as rendered, will be quite inhospitable (on the North Side). It could have gotten sunlight if it was retained on the south side," Lieb said.

Lieb also contended that the building's scale isn't in keeping with the character of the 100 block of South Third Street, and that the large windows will result in them being blocked from the inside.

"The garage itself and the bus station may have been pre-approved, but (these changes) affect the whole design," he said, further adding that he feels the building will have security and logistical issues, and that the plan lacks parking for bicycles.

"I think there's a lot of crucial concerns, and I don't have the time and ability to absorb all this tonight and give my approval," he said.

Lieb added that he has spoken with "numerous" urban planners, as well as other residents, and they agree with him.

"But I'm not going to drop any names because it doesn't make any difference," he said.

He added that the plan for the project changed, adding the move of city hall into the complex "out of the blue."

"We're doing this at a very tenuous time in this country (economically)," Lieb concluded.

City Planning Director Becky Bradley countered his complaints individually, citing each of the zoning and planning ordinances Lieb claims are not being followed and explained how each is being adhered to.

"This is a plan amendment," she said, noting that the ground floor is dedicated to commercial space. "It's important to note the plan was already approved. The primary function of the building is a commercial function."

She said that property lots on South Third Street vary "greatly, from very narrow to very wide."

Bradley added that the windows on the second and third floors won't be blocked and that she doesn't know why Lieb would think this would happen. Additionally, the large windows are in line with green building standards to provide natural light.

The building will be LEED-certified, city officials have previously said.

"The design has stayed roughly the same now for the last year," Bradley said, adding that approximately $40 million has been invested in Easton by private developers in the past four years, indicating that the city's parking needs will be increasing.

"That's a remarkable feat for any city," she said.

"This isn't personal. There are a lot of people out there that can't be here at meetings, and when they come to me and I agree with them, I'll speak for them," Lieb said. "This is going to be the city hall I will look at for the rest of my life, and it's not good enough."

Bradley said the building reflects the quality design and building standards of current times.

"We have an unofficial 'no phony colonial' policy," she said.

Great cities, such as Los Angeles and New York, are admired for their mix of architecture, and that is because they approve the construction of new buildings on the basis of their concept, Bradley said.

"Concrete and the cement industry is iconic in Easton," she said, adding that the design of the new city hall and transportation center was drawn somewhat from looking at other buildings, such as the post office and the Simon Mansion, and that the interpretation of what is appropriate in modern construction is the same set of criteria used for the Sigal Museum and new Lafayette College construction.

"We're not here tonight to discuss what's already been approved by the Historic Distric Commission," Bradley said. "This is the third location in the city for this site, and it's the best location for this site, near the center of the city, on a road corridor, near rail transport (which supports future development).

"We've put a lot of time and effort in this project, and I think we've gotten it right," she concluded.

Only one member of the public, Pastor Susan Ruggles of St. John's Lutheran Church, which lies adjacent to the planned parking deck, attended the meeting.

"We've been watching this carefully, and we're excited," she said.

Ruggles said the church's only worries about the project involve the buses, that one might collide with an adjacent brick wall near the bus entrance to the parking deck, and the exhaust they emit.

"They're going to be sitting there exuding fumes that are coming into my building. They've been parked out there before, and we've gotten sick," she said. "We've got a beautiful brick wall there, and I'm worried it will be hit."

"We've used the largest bus model to project the turning model. Will that mitigate anyone ever hitting the wall? I can't say that," assistant city engineer Dave Horton said.

He added that a new traffic signal pattern could eliminate the problem of buses idling waiting to exit the bus terminal.

LANTA Executive Director Armand Greco said that idling is against state law and that it won't be allowed.

Signs reminding bus drivers of that, along with prohibiting them from lining up to wait to exit the facility might also alleviate the potential issue, Horton said.

"I know it's going to be a problem, and I'm trying to be proactive," Ruggles said.

Planning Commission members Charles Elliott, Ronald Shipman, and Bonnie Winfield voted to approve the changes to the city hall and transportation plan, with Dennis Lieb voting against approval. Other members of the planning commission were not present Wednesday evening.

Groundbreaking for Easton's New City Hall, Transportation Center Set for Friday

By Christina Georgiou

Image courtesy of Spillman Farmer Architects

Since Easton City Council approved the move of City Hall down the street and the sale of the Alpha Building, it's full steam ahead for the construction of Easton's new City Hall and Transportation Center.

A ground breaking ceremony is scheduled for Friday, March 22 at 2 p.m. at the site, 123 South Third St., says a press release issued from the mayor's office earlier this week.

Construction is expected to begin immediately thereafter, with work scheduled to begin by the first week of April.

Mayor Sal Panto has said previously the work needs to begin immediately to take advantage of construction company schedules, with the concrete slabs and foundations needing to be cast by summer to keep the project on schedule.

The three-story, 45,000 square foot complex will house the city's municipal offices on the second and third floors, with a LANTA bus terminal and transfer station, the National High School Hall of Fame and another commercial space occupying the ground floor.

The parking deck is expected to be completed first, opening in late 2014, and the building is set to be complete by the end of next year, with the move of Easton's City Hall hoped for in early 2015.

While construction is set to go ahead, the final plans for the building are not yet complete, and some "tweaks" may still happen, officials have said.

Easton City Hall Move, Alpha Building Sale Approved by Council

By Christina Georgiou

 Easton's city council approved both the move the city's municipal offices to the planned intermodal transportation center and the proposal to sell the Alpha Building, city hall's current location, with little discussion at their meeting Wednesday evening.

Both city Finance Director Chris Heagele and Easton Redevelopment Authority Director Gretchen Longenbach, along with Mayor Sal Panto, outlined advantages of the move and sale of the Alpha Building for council members.

Panto said the new municipal offices will instill pride and confidence that is lacking with the city hall's current location, though he added again that he supported the city's decision to occupy the Alpha Building in 1997.

"It was the right decision at the time," Panto said. "(But) people still don't know where city hall is. It's either the Alpha Building or the Crayola building."

Longenbach said there has been increase interest in Easton from developers in the last few years, but still, some buildings still need finanacial subsidies and incentives to make them viable investments. Additionally, new developments will require rents that are higher than the average market value in the city, which hinders their competitiveness with repurposed and rehabbed structures.

"The Easton transportation center has been in development for a number of years and affected by various market fluctuations in that time," she said. "While the original plan was to work with a private developer, the ultimate price of that meant substantial subsidy."

The cost of doing that would have been "cost prohibitive," Longenbach added, and moving the city's municipal offices to the new complex "allows for the construction of an attractive building at the gateway to the city."

"City hall occupying the Alpha Building saved this historic structure, but now it's the time to return it to the private sector," she said.

In a bullet-point list, Longenbach ticked off the advantages of the sale and move.

She said it will:

• Allow for the construction of an attractive and impressive building at a gateway location which is consistent with the city's urban planning goals and is appropriate in size, scale, and design
  
• Generate sale proceeds to be used to offset costs and reduce project debt
  
• Generate revenue from tenants in th eportion fo the building unused by city hall
  
• Fill a gap in the existing streetscape
  
• Create additional parking that is accessible but partially hidden to improve the street aesthetics, with parking that is needed in part to accomodate additioanl development and increased visitor projection by Crayola
  
• Create an attractive space for a much-needed bus transfer station and passenger area for LANTA and other regional bus lines
  
• Allow for a higher and better use for the Alpha Building in the private sector
  
• Allow for the consolidation of city hall and the creation of a more customer-service oriented experience for its residents and business owners

Heagele said the transportation center project is budgeted at $26 million, of which $4.6 million has already been spent to bring it to its current state.

Of the $21.4 million remaining, site work is expected to cost $1.85 million, construction of the parking deck will cost $8.1 million, the building that will house city hall, the LANTA bus terminal and the National High School Sports Hall of Fame will cost $11.25 million, and financing the deal will cost $200,000.

Grant funding, including $7.4 million in Federal Transportation Authority money through LANTA, will pay for $11.9 million, and the city is valuing the Alpha Building at $4.1 million, the same amount it paid for it in 2001, not a current appraisal of its likely sale price, he said.

A breakdown of the revenue increases and cost savings from a PowerPoint
presentation given by Easton Finance Director Chris Heagele
Wednesday evening.

Selling the Alpha Building and occupying the new space will net the city additional revenue and cost savings, for an estimated total of $645,000 annually, Heagele said.

Because the Alpha Building has "a lot of big ticket maintenance issues" that will need addressing in coming years, it additionally makes sense for the city to sell it, Heagle said, adding that the rent money will lose in transferring ownership is less than the estimated tax revenue the city will gain from it being occupied by private sector tenants.

"Moving out of this building works," he concluded.

Though a number of residents attended, there was no public comment on the proposal, other  than from one resident, who said he believed the project should contain recycled elements, preferably from Easton, wherever possible.

Officials noted that while that is probably not practical, the new building will be LEED certified, and a number of recycled and regionally-source materials are planned to be incorporated into the construction.

"This building speaks to the history of this place," said project architect Joseph Biondo. "We agree..this is the single-most important building that will be built in Easton for generations."

Present city council members voted unanimously in favor of the city hall move, as well as the Alpha Building sale, with the exception of Councilwoman El Warner, who was not present due to an illness, according to Panto.

A presentation outlining the construction contract was pre-empted prior to the vote when attorney Graham Simmons, who is representing the city's interests in the deal with Petrucci and Sons, unexpectedly fainted early in the explanation of the details to council members. Emergency medics were called to the scene, and he was transported to a local hospital, but Simmons was alert and talking after the fall.

Next Step for Proposal to Move Easton's City Hall Goes Before City Council Tonight

By Christina Georgiou


Click on any image for a better view.


The proposal to move City Hall down the street to the planned intermodal complex, which will also house a new LANTA bus terminal and the National High School Sports Hall of Fame, along with a subsequent sale of the Alpha Building is on the agenda for this evening's city council meeting.

Easton's Historic District Commission (HDC) brought the plan one step closer to being a reality after it approved the footprint and general concept plan for the new intermodal complex on South Third Street at their meeting Monday evening, adding that some revision to the exterior aesthetic plan for the building should take place before the project comes before the board again next month for general approval of construction.

The HDC called for the changes after some board members and Easton resident and Lafayette College professor of architecture Paul Felder opined that the building lacks an indication of "civic character" and doesn't seem to fit with the surrounding architectural feel of the city.

"Neither the architects nor this board knows whether they are reviewing a bus terminal or Easton City Hall," Felder said, adding that Easton's city hall will be and should look important.

Felder urged officials to take their time to consider the plans and construction.

"I'd urge (everyone) not to get caught up with deadlines," Felder said. "That's the way politicians keep control. They say, 'We need to do this.'"

Mayor Sal Panto has said the project needs to be fast-tracked to ensure a slot this spring and summer with contractors who will pour the concrete foundations and slabs for the new construction.

Felder compared the changes in planned use without a major change in the building's design to someone wanting a very large house and then deciding they didn't need all that space and subsequently converting some of the plan to accomodate a convenience store and a bowling alley.

"I do believe there is such a thing as civic architecture in the 21st century, and this isn't it," he said.

HDC member William Dohe said the building front on South Third Street could be better designed to work with the rest of the surrounding architecture.

"(A building) is like a piece of music. There are breaks in the song. I wonder if you've considered that," he said.

HDC consultant Christine Uhler suggested potential changes to the building plan might not have to be major to make it work better.

"It could be very simple, whatever it is that could be tweaked," she said.

But city officials didn't agree the building's style is inappropriate.

City Planning Director Becky Bradley said the plan includes regionally-source materials and is designed to be pleasing both at the close-up street level and as a whole from a distance.

"We're looking at a sort of graduated rustication," she said, noting that polished granite will form the base near the ground level and a concrete composite stone above. "We're looking at the post office and the Simon Mansion when it comes to color."

"I love my old home, but I also love modern architecture. I love the Sigal building," Panto said. "(The current city hall) isn't City Hall, this is the Alpha Building."

He added, "The deadlines are not what drove the architecture. But there will not be enough parking this summer (if the plan isn't approved). If you can approve the plan, we can move this forward."

Cost is also a factor in the city's push to move the project forward quickly, the mayor told HDC members.

"The project is up to $26 million. This project is revenue neutral. If it goes up any higher, it won't be," Panto said. "We're not going to build the Taj Mahal. We're going to build something we can maintain."

While a public presentation of the financial side of moving Easton's municipal offices to the intermodal complex has not yet happened, it is expected at this evening's city council meeting before the council votes on whether to authorize administrators to seek proposals for the sale of the Alpha Building and to proceed with the construction of a  "City Hall/Transportation Facility".

The council meeting, which includes public input, is at 6 p.m. tonight in city council chambers on the sixth floor of the current city hall, the Alpha Building, located at 1 South Third St.

More Details Announced about Planned City Hall Move, New Bus Terminal

By Christina Georgiou

Easton officials released a new drawing of the intermodal complex planned for South Third Street
on Wednesday afternoon.
Image courtesy of Spillman Farmer Architects

City of Easton officials, accompanied by LANTA representatives, announced more details of the new intermodal center planned for South Third Street on Wednesday afternoon. The new complex will house a bus terminal and the very-likely-to-be-relocated city hall.

While some details will still change, officials showed off completed new drawings of the intermodal building and parking deck. The plans will be up for approval later this month, and it's likely construction will begin by the beginning of April, said Mayor Sal Panto, adding that a groundbreaking ceremony is scheduled for the third week of this month.

The three story building will be occupied by the LANTA bus terminal and the US High School Hall of Fame on the ground floor, and if approved, city hall will occupy about 30,000 square feet on the second and third floors, a similar amount of space the city currently uses, but laid out more efficiently, officials say.

Additionally, another commercial space will be located on the ground floor, though it's undetermined at this point what sort of business will occupy it. Mayor Sal Panto said a restaurant or coffee shop might be a good fit for the space.

If plans for the project are approved by the Easton Historic District Commission and City Council later this month, it's expected that the parking deck will start going up in July.

While more detailed drawings were unveiled at the Wednesday afternoon press conference, officials said there will still be "tweaks" to the plan as it progresses.

"This is the first LEEDS-certified building we've built in the city," said Panto.

Spillman Farmer architect Joseph Biondo talks about the new
complex, while LANTA treasurer Fred Williams, Armand Greco,
Easton Planning Director Becky Bradley, Easton Mayor Sal
Panto, left, and other city and project officials, right, look on, at
a press conference about the intermodal project on Wesnesday.

"Our team will look to significantly reduce the environmental impact through skillful and sensitive sustainable design," said project architect Joseph Biondo of Spillman Farmer, who is designing the space. "We intend to be conscience of the building’s environmental impact not just through construction but through the life cycle of the building."

One of the reasons to move city hall is to take advantage of potential energy and maintenance savings, City Administrator Glenn Steckman and Finacial Director Chris Heagele have said.

The Alpha Building, city hall's current location, has been the focus of several developers inquiring about buying the building, which would return it to the city tax rolls, city officials also said.

"We believe putting this building back on the tax rolls is the right thing to do. We're looking to put this building to hte highest and best use," Panto said.

Heagele offered no new details about the city's portion of funding the project nor it's projected cost savings or the expense of moving the municipal government offices, but  said the financial plan for the project will be forthcoming in detail at the city council next Wednesday. He of

Formerly officials have said the complex is budgeted at about $22 million, of which LANTA is contributing $7.2 million in federal grant funding.

City council formally approved leasing the space to LANTA at their meeting last week.

LANTA riders could be using the new location for transfers by the end of 2014, shortly before the new bus terminal officially opens, LANTA Director Armand Greco and LANTA treasurer Fred Williams said.

"Our riders will be under cover," said Williams. He added that the new terminal will allow up to eight buses to convene at once.

"It's an exciting time for LANTA. It's a wonderful project, and it will be wonderful for the city," he added.

"It will be a better space, with space to sit. There will be bathrooms as well," said Greco. "It will be an improved space."

City Planning Director Becky Bradley said having is mixed use transportation hub is a progressive move for the city, and pointed out that it's not only the only one in Pennsylvania, but usually found only in much larger cities like New York.

"This for us is a very historic moment in terms of growth and innovation, and I'm really proud of it," she said.

The building is currently planned have multiple entrances on the ground floor along South Third Street to accomodate each of the building's tenants. Additionally, the parking deck will be accessibly both from the street and from the second floor of the new building directly, planners say.

City Plans to Sell Alpha Building, Move City Hall

By Christina Georgiou

Easton Mayor Sal Panto speaks with members of the press on
Monday afternoon, accompanied by a number
of city administrators and city council members.

 

 

The City of Easton plans to move City Hall in favor of the new intermodal complex being built just down the street and sell the Alpha building to a developer, Mayor Sal Panto announced Monday afternoon at a press conference .

Preparations for the new site, which is to include a new LANTA bus terminal, are going forward, Panto said, estimating that work will begin again this spring in April and May. The concrete slabs for both the building and the new parking deck are to be cast and laid in June and July, he added.

"The parking garage itself is on target," Panto said.

This isn't the final plan, but the new intermodal
complex on South Third Street is envisioned
to look similar to these preliminary sketches.

While the final design of the facade and interior of the new structure is not yet complete, the bus terminal is set to encompass 3,000 square feet of the structure's total 45,000 square feet, with easy access to parking, he said.

Panto said the decision to move, subject to city council approval, was precipitated by "at least three" developers approaching the city with inquiries about purchasing the Alpha Building.

"It's not that I want a new office," the mayor said, adding that he believes the move is a financially smart decision for the city.

The Alpha is aging and will need significant costly repairs, including a new roof, elevator upgrades, and parapet maintenance in the next few years, Panto noted.

Additionally, since the city will be footing about half the cost of the new intermodal complex, about $10 million of a roughly estimated $22 million project (including state and federal contributions), floating that bond loan to sell the property to a developer later makes little sense.

"It's okay to subsidize and incentivize developers, but when you've got a $14 million project, and the developer puts in $4 million, (local government) putting in $10 million is just not fair to the taxpayers," he said.

By moving city hall, the city will see the money from the Alpha Building's sale in the meantime, the mayor said.

The rest of the intermodal project will follow essentially the same plan as it has, Panto said, though a number of details are still yet to be determined, such as which floor the planned High School Sports Hall of Fame museum will occupy, and where in the structure the new city hall would be placed. A ground floor location for city offices is possible, he speculated.

But, Panto said, the new city offices will occupy less space than the current ones, and the new space will also provide the city with a savings on  cost overhead too, from maintenance to office supplies like printers and copiers.

"So we'll have less space, more efficiency," Panto said. "Downtown is definitely the place for City Hall. It does not have to be the most prominent building though. I know we will get more and better use out of this building."

Besides the reduced maintenance costs of occupying a new space, the intermodal complex will be built following LEED guidelines, and LEED certification may also be in the works. The advantages of energy, water and resource efficiency will also help keep future city costs down, he said.

The Keystone Opportunity Zone designation the site was granted will not be affected by city ownership of the property, but it's largely a moot point, since as a city property, it will be tax exempt anyway, said Easton's Economic Redevelopment Director Gretchen Longenbach. However, as the city will have some commercial tenants, school and county property taxes will still be paid on some of the space, she added.

J.G. Petrucci, who was to develop the property, will still manage the construction aspect of the new construction, Panto added.

"His team is still important. They've already saved us money," the mayor said.

As for the Alpha Building sale, Panto refused to divulge projected figures or what offers the city has received on the site, saying that an official appraisal of what it's worth is in the works.



"One thing we want to do is make sure we get the best price with the best use," he said. "We won't sell it for less than the appraised value."

The city police department, currently housed under the Third Street parking garage, however, will not be making the move to the intermodal complex, despite the need for a new police station. The current location is too small and suffers from water leakage.

"There's no way to get a private entrance and exit at this location," Panto said. "I don't think you want...guys coming out in shackles (there). It's not the best impression for the city. It doesn't work financially or physically."

City offices have occupied the Alpha Building since 1996. Originally, Easton rented the building, which was vacant at the time, and bought it three years into a five-year lease, Panto said, adding that he believes it was a good decision for the time and circumstances.

In the last few years, the city has diminished the floor space it uses, from six floors to five. In 2011, it spent more than $100,000 to refurbish the sixth floor to move city council chambers and offices there.

The remaining floors of the nine-story building are leased. With the Crayola store moving next door and other spaces vacant, it's is a good time to consider selling the building, Panto said.

While the move isn't likely to happen until late 2014 or early 2015, the city seems to be on a fast track to make it happen.

Historic District Commission grants preliminary approval

At Monday evening's Historic District Commission (HDC), preliminary approval was granted for the concrete work to begin for the parking deck and laying the foundation for the new complex.

Easton Mayor Sal Panto talks about moving City Hall to the
new intermodal complex at Monday evening's Historic
District Commission meeting.

There, Panto made the case for the project and moving City Hall again.

The mayor also hinted at a possible future for the Alpha Building, saying that the first floor would likely be retail/commercial space, the second through fifth floors could be offices, and the sixth to ninth floors might be "high-end" apartments.

He noted that the city will be largely free of the multi-million dollar debts awarded in the Cuvo and Sollman lawsuits by the time the project is complete too.

"If it weren't for those two things, this city would be wealthy," Panto said.

The new complex is needed for its parking anyway, he added, noting that the Crayola expansion is projected to bring in an additional 150,000 visitors to the city annually, with a total of 450,000 coming to the city to see that attraction.

HDC board member William Dohe wondered what would happen if the retail and office space part of the project plan was found to be economically infeasible and wasn't build.

The mayor said funding for the new complex, to be paid for with a $10 million bond, will eventually be paid back through parking revenue.

"Everything we're doing here will be coming from parking money, not general fund revenue" Panto told HDC members. "We believe we do have an economically feasible plan.

"This will be the first new construction (Downtown) since the Larry Holmes buildings. And it will be built," Panto added.

HDC member Gary Ringhoff wanted to see more details of the plan before making a decision.

"I think we need something more solid," he said. "I need solid information of what that final building is going to look like. Because we could be stuck with a parking deck that's as lovely as the one we're looking at (across the street) right now."

Randy Galiotto, project architect from Spillman Farmer, said final details of the building's design will be presented to the HDC next month.

HDC members unanimously approved the preliminary stages of construction.

More of the plan, especially the financial aspect of it, is expected to be presented to city council, which will also need to give its approval, and the public at the regular city council meeting on Wednesday, Feb. 13 at 6 p.m.

A resolution in support of City Hall's move will be presented at city council's Feb. 27 meeting, and its passage in March is expected, though no city council members have yet commented on the plan, the mayor said.

"This will be the first new contruction Downtown...in several decades," Panto said.