June 8, 2026
— Jeff Ward, Lehigh Valley News Briefs
Work has finally started at the intersection of Butztown Road and Linden Street in Bethlehem, where apartments will take the place of a large one-level house with a pool.
The house came down last week. The land is at the southeastern corner, across Butztown Road from a Bank of America branch.
Back in 2022, Bethlehem approved a plan for a three-story, 200-foot building with 36 apartments and 72 parking spaces at the corner property. That was four years ago, but a lot of local plans have been on hold.
At the other end of Butztown Road, there was some activity recently at the old Bethlehem Drive-In in Bethlehem Township, where 220 or so apartments were approved years ago. I saw a couple trucks there recently, moving gravel or some other material.
The Butztown/Linden intersection is already busy. Nearby, in addition to the bank, is a Walgreen’s store, Linden Beverages and 61 apartments at the old Stefano’s restaurant site. There are schools nearby, including Governor Wolf and Spring Garden elementary schools.
The owner is 2854 Linden LLC, a limited liability corporation linked to a property owned by developer Lewis Ronca. The LLC acquired the 2.7-acre property in 2025 for $1.2 million.
Trees were taken down at the site, then the house was demolished.
Many years ago, there was talk of a funeral home going on the corner. Neighbors might have preferred that.
Lehigh Valley News Briefs 
Why are they building all these apartments?
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We do not need more apartments in this area. The traffic is already so much more than these roads can handle. This area of Bethlehem was always nice because it was still a small and quiet area, peaceful and beautiful but now all you hear are sirens, loud cars and music blaring from everywhere. Why do we have to stick apartments in every crevice of our city? Another apartment building? Really? That is so saddening and will totally change the whole fabric of what our quiet beautiful neighborhood used to be like. All for what, to fill someone else’s pocket with more money. Shame shame shame and so very sad.
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Because big business guys don’t have to live there and deal with it. All they care about is enriching themselves and making more money. It’s the local small people that have lived there for years that suffer. This is the new America!!! If you don’t have a lot of money they don’t care about you or your thoughts. Plus big investors want you to have to pay rent instead of saying you own your on house.
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