Feb. 18, 2026
— Jeff Ward, Lehigh Valley News Briefs
Bethlehem City Council approved Tuesday a “Certificate of Appropriateness” for a seven-story apartment building next to the Walnut Street Garage, about 100 steps from historic Main Street.
Some city residents spoke against granting the certificate, known as a COA, in the historic downtown but the final vote was 5-1 in favor.
The approval came after the Historical & Architectural Review Board (HARB), recommended approval of the plan, known as Ironside Lofts, from developer Larken Associates.
Branchburg, New Jersey-based Larken will put up a building that will be about 69 feet high at its western edge.
The plan is for “a 7-story mixed-use building. The building’s first-floor will contain commercial, retail, restaurant, and/or personal service spaces and the upper floors will house 107 dwelling units,” according to Tuesday night’s council agenda.
Before the vote, City Council was told by its solicitor (legal adviser) Stephanie Steward that Council’s vote was limited to the HARB recommendation on the exterior appearance of the Larken building. The height of the building, for example, was not to be considered at Tuesday’s vote.
The zoning ordinance would allow a building as high as 150 feet at the site.
HARB is an advisory body that judges how buildings will fit in with the northside historic district, which includes Main Street, just a stone’s throw from the Larken site.
Voting in favor of granting the COA were Justin Amann, Jo Daniels, Hillary Kwiatek, Rachel Leon and Michael Colon.
Council member Bryan Callahan voted no. He said land in the historic district is limited and using some of it for a seven-story building was a bad idea.
He said the project looks good, but “I think it’s in the wrong spot” in the historic district.
Council member Colleen Laird was not at the meeting.
There was a lot of discussion about the Bethlehem Parking Authority at the meeting. The authority is an independent body and has its own public meetings.
Also during the meeting, somebody spoke against fascism — this is a Bethlehem City Council meeting — and asked the Council to condemn the authoritarian political ideology.
Let’s not going down that route again. Many hours were spent at Council as people spoke about violence in the Middle East, to no avail.
Perhaps Council should oppose embezzlement, bad weather, idiotic television programs and all bad things.
Go for it.
Lehigh Valley News Briefs 
Very bad decision as this building is totally incompatible in the historic district where buildings are 3-4 stories high. This belongs on Broad Street outside the district as Callahan suggested.
Solicitor is wrong about the height not being a consideration in the historic district.
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I agree that the solicitor here is wrong. Council has CONSIDERED HARB’s opinion, which does include the appropriateness of the mass/bulk/height of the project. Council in fact can consider the opinion of HARB null and override it, as it has done many times. Council can consider whatever it wants.
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