Outgoing Mayor John Callahan gave a lengthy presentation at the Dec. 12 planners meeting, during which he summarized a decade of advancement and recovery in a Southside neighborhood called Four Blocks.

The Southside Vision 2014 plan was initially instituted in 2002 as a means of studying and rehabilitating an area directly impacted by the loss of Bethlehem Steel Corp. jobs and business.

Callahan described the program's successes and said alongside partners Community Action Development Corporation of Bethlehem and several influential area businesses, funding was provided for an additional two years of work. The program was only designed to last 10 years.

The program provided for work training seminars, housing improvements, commercial façade repairs, business openings, more youth programs and neighborhood events. Callahan also attributed Southside Vision with improved public safety, better health and business access, thanks to the Greenway, the popular Skateplaza and public art displays and improved community morale.

CADCB Director Ellen Larmer said Southside Vision has ended and they must now apply for a Neighborhood Partnership Program to continue to bring business and resources to the area. Described as "long-term collaborations (five years or more) of business, government and community leaders to produce a comprehensive, asset-based and relationship-driven approach to community development," NPPs use tax credits to garner contributions from corporations.

Larmer said, "Obviously, the tax-credit is very appealing to businesses. And the oversight and contractual obligation is also appealing to both the corporations and to the communities.

"Since the state has a limit on their tax-credits, there is a competitive process for communities who wish to use this program. Of course it would always be possible to do revitalization work with only corporate contributions, but the tax-credit program gets more money out on the street."

Larmer said, "Because we will be applying for a new project in South Bethlehem, we hope that our record of success, corporate support and the community's interest will help to fund another program."