Townhouses proposed in Bethlehem

A Nazareth developer is proposing 12 townhouse condominium units on a south Bethlehem hillside around the corner from the Sayre Mansion Inn.

Selvaggio Enterprises Inc. filed drafts Tuesday with the city's Planning Office proposing the development of a 1-acre lot on Cherokee Street between Brighton and Third streets.

The plans call for two 21/2-story buildings with a landscaped courtyard between them. The northern building would include seven units, each with a two-car garage in the basement. The southern building would include five units, each with a basement one-car garage.

''I think it will be a very nice site, very attractive for development,'' said Bethlehem Community and Economic Development Director Tony Hanna. ''It's another indication of the strength of the economy of the city that we're still seeing residential development proposed.''

The project was initially proposed nearly three years ago by developer Donald Ronca, who received Zoning Hearing Board variances for density and rear-yard size. Ronca talked of condominium units that would sell for about $275,000 each.

The serene suburbanlike setting, with another row of town homes across the street, belies the bustling neighborhood around it. Thousands of cars pass over the Hill-to-Hill Bridge, a block away, every day. Just beyond that, are the shops and restaurants of Third and Fourth streets and the Lehigh campus.

The landscaping plan promises to augment the tranquil environment, calling for the planting of 92 shrubs and 33 trees — Yoshino and Sargent cherries and Japanese Zelkovas — in the courtyard and along the edge of the property line.

More here.