Our Township’s Economic Development strategy since World War II had been driven by private development. Today, that still is happening in Whitehall Township with the redevelopment of several key retail and restaurant locations including: Long Horn Steakhouse, Keystone Pub, Buffalo Wild Wings, Golden Corral, and Griddle 145. Future developer driven projects include:  The Perkin’s site, the Don Pablo’s Site, and the corner of Mechanicsville Road.

 

Today, we are keenly mindful that other local Lehigh Valley cities in cooperation with the State of Pennsylvania have designated locations in their communities such as the NIZ and CRIZ economic redevelopment zones. Redevelopment incentives are offered to properties that have languished for years and have little to no private developer driven interest. In Whitehall, we have several properties that fit that definition and would benefit from assistance.

 

In 2014, Whitehall applied a pilot CRIZ Zone for languishing redevelopment properties in the Township. I plan on continuing to apply once the program is expanded to include more municipalities. In 2015, I have proposed that the 23 acre Lehigh Valley Dairy Site be designated a Tax Incremental Financing Zone (TIF) and that other properties be designated Local Economic Revitalization Tax Assistance (LERTA). This will require the approval of our Board of Commissioners, the Whitehall-Coplay School Board, and the Lehigh County Board of Commissioners. If the TIF and LERTA zones are approved, Whitehall will be on a more even playing field with our neighboring cities in redevelopment efforts.

 

Our economic development efforts will move away from an economy based on brick and mortar retail to a more diversified one over the next few years.  With the aging population of both Whitehall and the country as a whole, the need for medical staffing over the next thirty years will skyrocket.  We look forward to an announcement on the future plans of Lehigh Valley Health Network for the 143 acre campus on MacArthur Road.