Twenty-one local residents took part in a real estate and transit bus tour last week of the Lehigh Valley Dairy property.

Sponsored by the Lehigh Valley Economic Development Corporation, the tour left visitors with visions of what the future could hold.

Greeting visitors with Whitehall Mayor Edward D. Hozza Jr. were Howard Lieberman, executive director of the Whitehall Township Industrial and Commercial Development Authority, and Lee Rackus, Whitehall Township bureau chief for zoning, planning and development.

Visitors were presented with a brief overview of the MacArthur Parkway study, a historic revitalization plan for southern MacArthur Road, with the dairy property as its anchor.

The tour began in Historic Bethlehem and traveled to the dairy property and Schoens Building in Allentown. LVEDC Director of Envision Study Holly Edinger said the tour provided a means of showing new development trends and the continued redevelopment along key corridors of the region's public transportation system.

It was noted LANTA is vital in creating a more sustainable Lehigh Valley and plays an important part in attracting younger professionals to the area.

Tour participants included bankers, developers, engineers and real estate brokers, among others.

"It certainly was a positive tour, the goal was to get to highlight properties on the LANTA routes," Edinger said.

"I think it went over well, " Hozza said.

A couple of developers on the tour showed interest in the property, Hozza said.

"I am very happy," Hozza said, adding the tour was a way to promote Whitehall, the southern section of MacArthur Road and the privately owned dairy property.