Bethlehem has a new visitor center, next to the towering and rusting blast furnaces at SteelStacks. According to Mayor John Callahan, master of ceremonies at the grand opening on June 14, it's a gateway to the entire Lehigh Valley.

Nestled next to the furnaces that at one time produced hot molten iron, the 16,000-square-foot center is an adaptive reuse of the Steel Company's Stock House, built in 1863 to store the iron ore needed for hungry kilns.

Contractor Boyle Construction preserved the original fieldstone exterior walls and 30-foot-high arch windows at one of the Steel Company's oldest remaining buildings. But a new, two-level interior, includes three computer kiosks with interactive touch-screen maps, a box office for ArtsQuest events, gift shop, restrooms and offices.

Lehigh Valley's tourism czar, Discover LV's Mike Stershic, lauded Callahan, who promoted the concept when the Stock House was a crumbling structure at a dead steel giant.

"Most of us thought he was absolutely nuts," Stershic said.

"He willed a lot of this to happen," added Jeff Parks, who himself willed both Musikfest and ArtsQuest into existance. Parks also gave credit to Bethlehem Redevelopment Authority's Executive Director Tony Hanna, who has used grants and financing tools like a $27 million Tax Increment Financing bond to transform aging and rusting steel buildings into an arts and entertainment district.

Callahan hailed Parks as the Lehigh Valley's "chief visionary officer." Parks explained that this $5.5 million investment in local history might seem expensive, but the Chinese have recently allocated $300 billion for the arts and culture to encourage more creativity. Parks called the SteelStacks campus a "permanent gift ... that will attract the creative workforce that we need to be successful in the future."

Located at 711 East First St., the Visitor Center will be open from 10 AM to 4 PM daily.