Citing Brookings Institution economist Alan Berube in his annual state-of-the-city address recently, Mayor Bob Donchez said Bethlehem is among the country’s strongest recovering industrial cities.

Berube said in an interview earlier this year, in which Donchez participated, that strong cities have innovation engines to create and grow new products, companies and jobs, usually connected with a local research university, and a heavy reinvestment in their downtowns.

Donchez immediately cited Lehigh University’s 154-year history in the city and its continued infrastructure investments and business outreach, while also thanking community partners Moravian College and Northampton Community College.

Donchez named numerous other community entities, from schools to hospitals to industrial parks and the casino, for continued development and job creation, to the new Factory business accelerator project with FreshPet CEO Richard Thompson, while praising CRIZ, LERTA, KIZ and other investment incentive support programs.

Donchez explained, “To give you an idea of the tremendous amount of investment Bethlehem is experiencing, let me share some statistics with you: 2018 saw the most construction permits pulled in the city’s history at 8,404. The total estimated cost of construction in the city last year, based on these permits, was $295 million. Outside of the Sands Casino, this investment exceeded any prior year by almost $54 million. And to show how much the city has grown and how much confidence people have in investing in their homes and businesses, the estimated construction costs over the last four years exceeds those of the previous four years by $370 million.”

Other improvements and projects Donchez announced include:

• Citywide technology upgrades, including LED streetlights, wireless tablet water meter readers, and a website redesign, all of which will save time and money

• $2 million in street upgrades for West Broad Street, East Boulevard and Carlton Avenue

• $7 million for recreation facilities such as parks and pools, and more after school programs

• Historic Moravian Bethlehem is on the tentative list of being named a World Heritage Site; there are currently only 23 such in the United States, the closest being Independence Hall in Philadelphia.