Jaindl Properties LLC will lease the first floor of the Hamilton Financial Center Building 640 Hamilton St. in Allentown. Lehigh County Commissioners gave first reading approval for the lease deal July 10.

The vote was passed 8–0; Commissioner Brad Osborne was absent from the meeting.

“I was sorry to see Johnny Bagel move out of the Hamilton Financial Center,” said Commissioner Dr. Percy Dougherty. “With Janidl Properties, we have a really good tenant moving in. They will be advertising their water-front development projects,” said Dougherty. “They want to have a very visible space downtown.”

The 10-year lease stipulates rent to range from $29,700 for the first year and increasing through the life of lease to $34,805 in the final year.

Commissioners also gave first reading approval for amending the Lehigh County Capital Plan to allocate money for X-ray equipment for the county coroner’s office.

The commissioners approved disbursal of affordable housing trust funds to nine recipients: Allentown Housing Authority for redevelopment of 671 Lawrence Court - $75,000; Catholic Charities for case management with emergency rent and mortgage assistance - $30,000;

Community Action Committee of the Lehigh Valley for home ownership counseling and mortgage counseling and mitigation - $33,302.15; Lehigh County Department of Community and Economic Development for home inspection for low-to-moderate income homeowners and related services - $10,003.85; Habitat for Humanity LV for underwriting costs for eight homes on the 600 block of Tacoma Street in Allentown--$100,000; Housing Association and Development Corp. for construction of four new owner-occupied townhouses on the corner of North and Penn Streets - $150,930; New Bethany Ministries for renovation to Columbia House - $33,000; North Penn Legal Services for costs enabling low-income clients to maintain affordable and habitable housing - $10,000.

In other business, Commissioners reappointed William L. Royer and Arland Schantz to the Lehigh County Conservation District. Their terms expire Dec. 31, 2022.