Alvin H. Butz, Inc. marked the celebration of another redevelopment project in downtown Allentown with a groundbreaking ceremony for Phase III of the Butz Corporate Center at Ninth and Hamilton streets.

The firm has been headquartered in Allentown since 2006 when it moved its offices from South Whitehall Township to the struggling downtown with hopes of encouraging additional developers to do the same.

In 2013, it expanded the original Butz Corporate Center and has leased 95 percent of the building with only 5,000 square feet of retail space available on the first floor.

Phase III includes 60,000 square feet of Class-A office space on seven floors and one level of parking with 43 parking spaces.

United Fiber and Data's Regional Sales Headquarters will move its offices from Butz Corporate Center to Phase III, occupying one floor. The remaining 52,000 square feet of office space is available for lease. Nancy Unangst with Keller Williams is leasing agent.

"Our firm and the Butz family are overwhelmed with the progress and revitalization taking place in downtown Allentown thanks to the Neighborhood Improvement Zone and investment from other private developers like City Center and The Waterfront," said Greg L. Butz, president and CEO of Alvin H. Butz, Inc., at the July 14 groundbreaking.

"We never dreamed there would be this much progress in Allentown when we moved our headquarters here 10 years ago. It has been an amazing adventure and we're so proud to play a part in its continued growth," Butz said.

The Phase III building, designed by Roberson Butz Architects, features a black façade juxtaposed against the steely glass backdrop of the Butz Corporate Center Phase I and II building. Alvin H. Butz, Inc. is construction manager on the project, expected to be completed in Spring 2016.

"We are pleased to have the commitment of our first tenant, United Fiber and Data, who we formed a partnership with in 2013. UFD, Think Loud Development and the band members of Live share in our passion and philosophy for redevelopment. They are one of the reasons we can move forward with this expansion," Butz said.

The project is expected to bring 175 jobs into center city.

The Butz Family of Companies, Alvin H. Butz, Inc., Shoemaker Construction Co. and Alexander Building Construction Co., provides construction management and design-build services.

The firm has experience in the construction of healthcare facilities, colleges-universities, corporate office buildings, hi-tech manufacturing facilities, sports and entertainment venues, government buildings, K-12 schools and retail buildings in Pennsylvania, New Jersey and northern Delaware.