Allentown zoners OK plan for Liberty Street convenience store

ALLENTOWN, Pa. -

A Liberty Street convenience store will be remodeled into a combination restaurant and storage facility after garnering the blessing of the Allentown Zoning Hearing Board Monday night.

Zoners, who heard arguments concerning The Campus Shop at 2301-2303 Liberty Street last month,grantedaspecial use applicationfiled by theOSBATT Development, LLC by a 2-1 margin.

Chairman Daniel McCarthy and Juan Camacho voted in favor of the application with Michael Engle casting a dissenting vote.

Zoning Hearing Board member R. Scott Unger did not vote.

McCarthy said the proposed 1,695 square foot restaurant is a very low intensity use, would generate significant walk-in trafficand not adversely affect the neighborhood.

Conditions for proposed restaurant include that it will not serve liquor, will close by 10 p.m., have a maximum load of 30 patrons, and would not utilize the roof. Deliveries leaving the restaurant by car are also not allowed under the conditions.

Jason Lund, of OSBATT Development, said he has talked to five potential food service operators, but does not have a restaurant tenant for the building, located across from Muhlenberg College.

Lund said the walk-in storage business in the building's basement will hold high school-sized lockers as a convenience pay service for college students.

The top floor will sport a remodeled four-bedroom, three-bathroom apartment, said Lund, who is in the process of purchasing the building from its current owners.

Read the rest here:
Allentown zoners OK plan for Liberty Street convenience store