The Southside branch of the Bethlehem Public Library, located at the corner Webster and Fourth streets, was open after hours March 17. The cavernous room was lit and a voice from some hidden corner directed a halting drizzle of people to descend the basement stairs to a long room with a low ceiling and exposed pipes. People outnumbered the folding chairs, and a group of people including John Pettegrew, director of the South Side Initiative and Associate Professor of History at Lehigh University, were bringing more chairs to accommodate the swelling crowd.

Create dialoogue

The meeting had been organized by the South Side Initiative to create a community dialogue about developing south Bethlehem. The flier for the meeting included architectural renderings of new building projects proposed by local developer and attorney Dennis Benner.

Peter Crownfield, of the Alliance for Sustainable Communities, said he was sure that Benner's proposed construction would be on many people's minds.

Benner's plans include a seven-story building mixing offices and retail at the now vacant corner of New Street and Third Street; a 13-story housing and retail complex on West Fourth Street between New Street and Vine Street; and a seven to eight story building including housing, a restaurant and a bar across the street at the corner of West Fourth Street and Vine Street. Between the Benner developments on New Street the Bethlehem Parking Authority is planning a multi-story parking garage.

A good time

Pettegrew called the meeting to order just after 6 p.m. and thanked the attendees for turning out, saying, "Now is a really good time to have a meeting about developing South Bethlehem." Those assembled seemed evenly split between Lehigh University faculty, staff and students and south Bethlehem business owners and residents.

Crownfield, a south Bethlehem resident, was the first to speak, saying some new development is appropriate, but called the Benner developments inappropriate for the neighborhood.

Tim Finnegan, who owns properties across West Fourth Street from the proposed development, agreed, saying the construction would block traffic through"major arteries of the city and that the existing building, which would be demolished in the current plan, are perfectly useable as they are now.

Shock or awe

The conversation was broken by a commotion at the entrance as someone said, "Why don't you come in?" and Dennis Benner took a step into the room, keeping his back to the doorway. Perfectly playing the role of the professional wrestling heel, he stood with his hair coiffed, his suit navy and his arms crossed. He did not speak and, for a moment, whether it was from shock or awe, no one else did either.

Benner is a controversial figure in south Bethlehem, not just for his proposed developments, but also for his work defeating the proposed Community Benefits District earlier this year. Benner had been a member of the South Bethlehem Community Benefits District Steering Committee during the 18 months it spent planning the proposed district, before abruptly quitting and opposing the plan that he had helped author.

Asking questions

Dana Grubb, of the South Bethlehem Historical Society, was the first person to break the silence telling Benner that he "would like to find out more" about his projects.

Benner characterized the buildings as an improvement, mentioning that his were no taller than existing Southside structures.

Finnegan called the existing high-rises the "ugliest blocks on the Southside."

Benner stayed quite while the conversation moved on, when attendees asked to give input on his project he responded, "Call me. My number is in the book," at one point adding, "It has been for 35 years. You have to pick up the phone."

Before he left Benner spoke on the benefits of his projects, saying that existing merchants will have a "whole lot more people at their doors." He characterized the current situation as a Catch-22, saying there are not enough people to support the merchants in downtown South Bethlehem and not enough merchants to draw residents.

"At the end of the day someone has to do something," Benner said. He reiterated, "Somebody has to do something and stop talking about doing something. You can't talk for 300 years."

Roger Hudak, chair of the Mayor's South Side Task Force, agreed with Benner's sentiment, saying, "Nothing changes if nothing changes."

Several of the Lehigh University students and Benner left the meeting shortly before it concluded.

After Benner's exit, Finnegan spoke up, saying Benner's project "is a monstrosity. [Benner] is trying to fill the community with garbage."

Before the meeting adjourned Kim Carrell-Smith, a professor at Lehigh, said she wanted active steps to be taken and passed around a notepad to gather contact information.

Pettegrew thanked people for attending and expressed a desire to make the meetings a regular occurrence.