Condemned Building on Bethlehem’s Historic Main Street Collapsed Partially at Rear

— Jeff Ward, Lehigh Valley News Briefs

The condemned building on historic Main Street in Bethlehem has a partial collapse at the rear, requiring the City to respond and as of March 1, post a big yellow sign barring entry.

The city is “engaged with the owner of the building to try to get things resolved as soon as possible,” City Council President Michael Colon said in an email.

Council member Grace Crampsie Smith said the issue will be discussed at a council committee meeting March 18. She plans to raise issues regarding code violations and condemnations at that meeting.

The building was once a consignment store but has been vacant. The structure at 453 Main St. is in the heart of Bethlehem’s historic district and just a short walk from the Moravian sites that are now part of a UNESCO World Heritage site.

UNESCO status, shared with the Great Wall of China and Mont St. Michel in France, was supposed to draw tourists.

If this building remains condemned for long, visitors to the UNESCO site will get the first impression that they are in just one more decaying Rust Belt city. That’s not fair to Bethlehem, but resolving building problems can take a long time, depending on how the owners respond.

The building is a few steps from the Hotel Bethlehem and the Central Moravian Church, along with many other tourist stops.

Northampton County records say Wens Inc., based in Lower Nazareth Township, acquired the structure in 2014 for $938,131 from Spangenberg Inc.

Council member Crampsie Smith is running in the Democrat primary for mayor against incumbent J. William Reynolds.