BETHLEHEM, Pa. (WLVT) - You’ll get to know Backdoor Bakeshop before you even open the door. The smell of cakes, breads and cookies take over a corner of Broad and Center streets.
The business has been in the city’s north side for six years. Co-owner Dina Hall said she’s seen several businesses come and go.
“There’s not a whole lot of foot traffic of people coming, landing here and going and doing business from place to place," she said. "They’re on their way to and from something, but they’re not necessarily here and looking up and seeing and experiencing the actual businesses that are here.”
This week, Bethlehem city officials unveiled “Northside 2027," a long-term improvement plan for this area. That includes making Center and Linden streets two-ways. Hall said that will help her business and slow down the speed of traffic.
“You can hear how the vehicles are going much faster to the point where sometimes people," she said. "They literally race.”
The plan has five chapters:
1) a safe and vibrant public realm
2) foster economic vitality
3) support the housing market
4) community development
5) build a neighborhood brand.
“We absolutely feel the north side needs its own identity, and we have not yet figured that out," said Alicia Miller Karner, the city's community and economic development director, "and so, it’s really up to the community to help us.”
People who live in the north side around the historic district say the plan will make their neighborhoods more attractive and, more importantly, safer.
“i know, for me as a mom of two kids, they walk to school," said resident Amy Rohrbach. "So, having any improvements at the pedestrian intersections where they would cross for school would be very helpful for my family.”
Part of the city’s plan includes improving Friendship Park. The blacktop has been removed, there’s a brand new play system, and there are new places to relax. The city will have a ceremonial ribbon cutting on Tuesday, July 2.
Along with infrastructure comes new development. Bethlehem Food Co-Op sees the north side as a place to meet a community need.
“There’s not a full-service grocery store, and there hasn’t been for many years, decades," said Colleen Marsh, co-op board secretary. "So, we’re looking to solve a practical problem in our community with our community doing that work.”
The city listened to feedback from business owners and residents in past meetings. Now, education leaders say the plan steers the north side in a clear direction.
“It’s so encompassing of all the community," said Moravian College President Bryon Grigsby. "We have issues of mental health. We have issues of education. We have issues of pedestrian access and bicycle access. It will truly make the north side much more of a destination to live, work and be educated.”
“I think, as the economy has been coming back, there’s a lag time for a lot of working families, and any focus on the community redevelopment and development and supporting families helps our students, which is good for the schools," said Joseph Roy, superintendent of schools of the Bethlehem Area School District.
"It's our home," Grigsby said. "It's how we want to live."
To learn more about the city’s plan, visit northside2027.org
City of Bethlehem Unveils "Northside 2027" Plan
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