State Sen. Lisa Boscola, D-18th, announced $8 million in Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program (RACP) funding to six redevelopment projects in the district.

“It is critically important our state provide capital assistance to assist in the redevelopment of five important economic development projects in the cities of Bethlehem and Easton and a project to improve passenger safety at Lehigh Valley International Airport,” Boscola said. “By investing in these projects, the commonwealth is providing crucial investments to make these projects economically viable, but also create additional economic development projects that will not only create jobs, but also positively impact businesses and neighborhoods in our urban areas.”

One project being awarded RACP funding is $1 million for security checkpoints and terminal connectors at LVIA. Lehigh-Northampton Airport Authority will be able to increase the number of security checkpoints from two to four to meet TSA standards. The project will provide for increased safety and security, enlarged terminal space, improved passenger safety and health, reliable vertical circulation and improved passenger experience.

Additional projects include the construction of a new 80,000-square-foot arts and cultural center at the site of the current Banana Factory Arts Center in Bethlehem, at $3.5 million; the construction of a parking garage as part of a redevelopment project at the old Days Inn site at 185 S. 3rd St., Easton, at $1.25 million; the redevelopment of the former Goodman Furniture building, 30 E. Third St., Bethlehem, into a mixed-used project, at $1 million; the redevelopment of the historic Rinek Cordage Complex to provide Lafayette College Bushkill Campus with additional flexibility and capacity for its expansion initiative and to transform an underutilized industrial site into a 43,000-square-foot campus complex, at $1 million; and a mixed-use redevelopment of the former Boyd Theater, 30 W. Broad St., Bethlehem, into ground-floor retail and apartments, at $250,000.

“I am pleased to have worked with Gov. Wolf and my colleagues from both chambers in the Lehigh Valley delegation on these joint priorities to make this critical funding a reality,” Boscola said. “We recognize the importance of redevelopment projects such as these in our urban cores to promote economic growth and make neighborhoods vibrant once again. Additionally, increasing the ability of LVIA to attract travelers through these necessary improvements will only improve economic growth throughout the Lehigh Valley.”

The RACP is used for the acquisition and construction of regional economic, cultural, civic, recreational and historical improvement projects. Qualifying projects have a regional or multi-jurisdictional impact, help create or maintain jobs and generate economic activity.