Easton To Get More Apartments After Two Projects Turn To Office Space, Mayor Says

As Downtown Easton began its resurgence in recent years, first came nighttime foot traffic from people going to restaurants.

After the Pomeroy’s Lofts opened in the 300 block of Northampton Street, that added to the evening surge on the city’s sidewalks and into the city’s bars.

The Crayola Experience on Centre Square has for years provided a daytime tourist presence, and new retail locations and the farmers market have put some feet on the streets during daylight.

When Pomeroy’s developer Mark Mulligan bought the Wolf Building on North Second Street for conversion to apartments after Northampton County moved its human services operation to Bethlehem Township, the daytime/nighttime equation seemed to slide further out of balance.

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Easton City Council Looks At $17 Million Bond For New City Hall

English: Skyline of Easton, PA from Lafayette College (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

If things go as scheduled, Easton will float bonds for its new City Hall in two weeks.

The bonds total $17 million, most of which will go toward the new City Hall, with a small amount for other projects. The amount of debt the city plans to take on for its new headquarters is 50 percent more than officials proposed a year ago, but plans have changed.

Easton was going to solicit a private developer to build out for the three-story, 45,000-square-foot building along South Third Street the city plans to erect in front of a 370-space parking deck. Earlier this year the city chose to take on the entire project and move City Hall to the new building and sell the Alpha Building.

The change in plans meant the city needed to borrow an additional $5 million to complete the project.

Read more: http://www.mcall.com/news/local/easton/mc-easton-city-council-introduces-bond-20130925,0,5236996.story#ixzz2g0cuXS79
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Easton Approves $1 Million Grant For Public Market Project

English: Skyline of Easton, PA from Lafayette College (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Easton will get a public market in every way.

City Council voted Wednesday to give the Greater Easton Development Partnership, a city-run and supported entity, $1 million toward turning the former Weller Health Education Center into a public market.  The market would occupy much of the first floor of the building, in the 300 block of Northampton St., and feature small shops run by local food producers and vendors.

Council voted 5-2 on the grant, with Elinor Warner and Roger Ruggles in opposition. GEDP plans to pay back the grant, but since the deal had to be structured as a grant, there is no guarantee of repayment.  That irked Ruggles. Warner questioned whether the market could generate enough money to payback the city, and whether it was a good investment of tax payer money.

“I just think the public market shouldn’t be paid for by the public,” Warner said.

Read more: http://www.mcall.com/news/local/easton/mc-easton-city-council-approves-alpha-building-sal-20130912,0,7723454.story#ixzz2egokxgcm 
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Easton Reviewing Bids For Sale Of Alpha Building

English: Skyline of Easton, PA from Lafayette College (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Easton‘s iconic brick and stone skyscraper is on target to be in new hands by the end of the year.

Mayor Sal Panto Jr. confirmed that the city is talking to a pair of finalists who want to buy the 91/2 -story city-owned Alpha Building, which anchors the southwest corner of Centre Square.  The city agreed earlier this year to list the building for sale and solicit proposals from developers.

Officials declined to name the two finalists, or to say how many proposals were received — although Panto did say it was more than two.

“We are working more with one (developer) because they offered more,” Panto said of the ongoing negotiations.

Read more: http://www.mcall.com/news/breaking/mc-easton-alpha-building-sale-close-20130802,0,7783825.story#ixzz2aqcrj1xa
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