Catasauqua Borough residents are noting an uptick in borough projects - Iron Works, Front Street, Race and Lehigh streets, Front and Race streets, Race Street bridge and Second Street.

The fact is, all of these projects are part of borough council’s vision of making Catasauqua a more livable, modern community - one envisioned as a destination, not just as a pass-through town.

This, to some extent, began when current council President Vincent Smith was elected to council in 2006.

Smith noted he attended a Lehigh County-sponsored training in 2008 on municipality development, community green spaces and main street improvement initiatives.

This training sparked Smith to investigate physical improvement opportunities in Catasauqua and their impact on community beautification and quality of life.

The story, actually, began in the 19th century.

In 1839, Crane Iron Works opened the first commercially successful anthracite-fueled iron-producing furnace. The iron industry was the precursor to the steel industry, epitomized by Bethlehem Steel Corporation that developed in the late 19th century. Bethlehem Steel became a giant in the Lehigh Valley for nearly a century.

Crane Iron Works closed after World War I. The site was then occupied by a series of manufacturing companies, including Fuller Company.

In 2002, after about 160 years of manufacturing at the site, the property was vacated. Manufacturing ceased. The once-prosperous industrial area that provided good-paying jobs transformed into what is called a brownfield.

A brownfield is defined as a former industrial site where future use is affected by environmental contamination.

The Iron Works project planning began around 2012. However, it was conceptually considered as early as 2006.

It is expected an agreement of sale will be finalized between the borough and developer Dunn Twigger Company possibly in September or October. Dunn Twigger has offered $650,000 for the 10.6-acre Iron Works site.

Ground breaking on the site may begin in spring 2021.

Smith explained the ongoing phased project. The early phase included changing the traffic pattern on Front Street from a one-way to a two-way street.

One-way streets are conduits to get traffic through any community. They are not inviting nor do they promote a destination feel. One-way streets inhibit business expansion and stall the development of a diverse tax base. Unless streets are too narrow, one-way streets are not helpful to grow businesses or neighborhoods and develop a sense of community.

It was determined with a one-way Front Street, the Iron Works project might never occur because developers would not engage a project like this with one-way traffic on the main artery through the area, Smith noted.

Subsequent phases include altering the intersection at Lehigh and Race streets. This intersection has been a rush-hour traffic bottleneck for decades. It is viewed as a barrier to entering the borough.

The Second Street project plan will make Second Street a two-way street from Race Street to Union Street, creating access to Howertown Road, which traverses the borough through North Catasauqua to Northampton.

All the intersection and traffic projects and parking expansions are cumulative to improve traffic flow, so travelers can more easily navigate Catasauqua.

A key to having a successful community development to enhance business-diverse activities is vehicular accessibility and parking, according to Lehigh Valley Planning Commission.

The Front Street project appears to be slow moving. Sidewalk renewal, park benches, brick work and the development of a parking space at Willow Street are occurring.

“The Front Street project is not stalled,” Smith said, citing the Willow Street parking improvement and other actions to improve the street.

Smith pointed out there have been years of study, planning and coordinating the plans to seek funding.

Kim Brubaker, leader of Catasauqua Main Streets, the borough’s business owners association, explained she supports the Front Street project as part of her Main Streets group, whose mission is “Revitalization through Art and Beautification” in the Catasauqua business district.

With six or more projects essentially occurring at the same time or one right after another and a possible five-year time table for overall completion, residents may be struggling. They want things completed rapidly, but that is not always the best course of action with municipal planning.

LVPC awarded Catasauqua the coveted Community of Distinction award for all the planning work completed by the borough during the last 10 years.

To date, more than $3 million has been awarded for the Iron Works project, and Pennsylvania Department of Transportation is assisting with the funding of other projects. The awards are the result of applications for grants and multiple meetings with planners and elected officials.

There is a valid expectation more grant funding will be forthcoming to help fund the $42 million Iron Works project.

One thing is certain - Catasauqua may continue as a hive of forward-looking construction, road improvements, parking expansion and aesthetic work to make the business district and the borough itself a welcoming, thriving destination.