For the past few years, the brownfield along Front Street has been called the FL Smidth property, the Fuller land, a brownfield and, by opponents of the purchase, a mistake.

"We believe the property needs to be branded," said Eliot Nolter of Spillman Farmer Architects. "We worked on it and selected Iron Works to designate the property."

Nolter, a Catasauqua native, along with Russ Pacala, introduced conceptual drawings of how the property might be developed to the public at a formal presentation May 12, at Catasauqua's municipal building. Architects at Spillman Farmer worked closely with Taggart and Associates who studied the marketing aspect of the project.

The borough, which owns the property, hired Spillman Farmer eight months ago to provide ideas on how to best utilize the property to maximize tax revenues and to analyze marketing ideas designed to increase the property's value.

In their conceptual drawings, the architects incorporated some of the ideas they presented in October 2013 and updated other concepts.

"We have two plans," said Russ Pacala. "Option A has all municipal services under one roof. Option B splits off the fire department into a separate building."

Splitting the municipal services may allow the fire department to quickly erect a garage it so desperately needs.

In an earlier conceptual diagram, the firm had the municipal offices in the former plate shop building.

"We felt the best location for municipal services was in the northern part of the site," said Nolter.

In reviewing the site, Nolter addressed density issues.

"We want to add about 200 residential units, apartments and townhouses," he said.

Concept plans are just that – a concept. An interested developer could rip up the idea and start anew.

"This will give us something to talk to developer's about and show what we would like," Borough Manager Eugene Goldfeder said.

Nolter compared density looks from several different conceptual plans. Ideas ranged from Philadelphia's narrow urban look to the suburban look of a Bethlehem high-end scheme, once deemed a possibility for the site. The condensed urban feel won approval as more characteristic of the community.

Donna Taggert of Taggert and Associates commented on the design.

"Empty nesters and young professionals prefer the urban style where they can walk to stores and entertainment," she said.

Chad Helmer, also of Taggert Associates, presented demographics of the area showing an older but faster-growing population than surrounding areas. Catasauqua shows higher home ownership than surrounding communities, but the housing stock is deemed to be older and less expensive.

Although not cast in stone, the concept plan does propose returning Front Street to a two-way street.

"I don't think anyone is going to want to go into this with Front Street as one-way," Pacala said. "We may need to expand the street to incorporate parking on both sides."

Another item pointed out by a resident is that the borough does not own all the property. The old roller rink along Front Street remains independently owned. The designers also took the liberty of creating a four-way intersection at Bridge Street rather than the offset that exists now.

The two alternatives have differences; the largest distinction, as shown in Option B, keeps the old plate mill. An often-discussed option for the plate mill is an indoor sports complex. However, a detailed analysis showed the borough's existing parking requirements would need to be altered to allow a sports facility. Existing parking requirements would take up most of the site.

Other items on the borough's wish list were deemed not economical. A medical facility was on the list.

"The location is not conducive to an urgent care facility because there is no high-traffic visibility," Taggert said.

Additional retail also received a thumbs down.

"Catasauqua is too close to competition on MacArthur Road," Taggert explained.

The scope of the proposal includes a heavy reliance on residential development, with apartments along Front Street and townhouses further back, closer to the canal.

A brew pub discussed for the former depot building remains a viable option, although it would be adjacent the police station.

"The best way to get a brew pub is to find a successful one you like and convince the owner to open a second one," Taggert said.

How would a Catasauqua downtown look?

"People will come here for a special experience. That would include boutique shops, spas and places to wander about," Taggert said after the meeting. "The best way to start the process is with a unique restaurant."

As her partner Helmer warned, it will take time for the area to develop. Taggert was involved early with Bethlehem's reawakening.

"We started with what we called restaurant row," she said. "Those businesses brought people to town."

Councilman Brian McKittrick adamantly called for all new housing to be market rate. Unique boutique shops grow from dedicated artisans who willingly toil to put out handcrafted products. Artists live in artist's lofts not market-rate housing.

Some provision might need to be made to accommodate those who will make strolling the sidewalks of Catasauqua a mandatory leisurely activity.

The latest concepts will be revised based on input from the public meeting and presented at an upcoming council session.

None of the borough officials or architects was willing to comment on whether or not there is a developer interested in pursuing the project