Dallas Basha finally received a certificate of appropriateness from the Bethlehem Historic Conservation Commission for new construction on a vacant lot he owns through Lehigh Properties, LLC Oct. 19. His proposal for building a residential-over-retail structure at 13 W. Morton St. had undergone multiple design changes since first presented to the board as a taller structure in 2017. Assisted by architect Christine Ussler, Basha presented a revised project that incorporated additional board input from the September hearing.

The new four-story brick residential building would be constructed with apartments on the upper floors and a common area on the ground floor. Although plans for retail space on the first level has been abandoned, the first floor façade would retain a storefront-like look.

If a future tenant should locate a business on the first floor, the directors agreed a hanging sign would be sufficient, instead of a previously suggested sign blank.

When a proposition for stepping back the top floor a few feet was made by Chairman Philip Roeder, Basha and Ussler successfully argued that it would reduce a significant amount of living space for tenants living there in a floor plan that was already tight.

The applicants were instructed to return with more details, drawn to scale, for the project, including proposed planters and decorative metal panels for under the windows. Several HCC members expressed concerns about potential maintenance issues with planters.

“I like the way it looks overall,” said Roger Hudak, “I like the concept. It’s a beautiful building and it would fit the neighborhood,” he added.

Landlord Frederick Rooney successfully appealed the board’s previous decision to deny his tenant the use of the internal lighting for replacement panels for two sign boxes at 4 W. Fourth St.

Although the already approved design for the translucent panels featuring decorative serif lettering for “La Lupita Authentic Mexican Food” in caps surrounded by a band of flowers, Rooney had been unable to receive permission to continue to have it backlit at the Sept. 21 hearing.

The signs measure 120.5 inches by 30 inches, with one facing W. Fourth Street, the other can be viewed from New Street. The current signage is beginning to show its age, with some of the lettering beginning to wear off, said Rooney. He informed the board that the restaurant is struggling financially due to the pandemic.

Permission to allow this type of illumination was reluctantly granted as a temporary COVID-19 emergency measure. The board stipulated he must return in a year to present a more historically appropriate way of lighting the signs or present a case to possibly extend the exemption for another year.

The voting was unanimous on both proposals at the virtual meeting conducted through gotomeeting.com.

The Bethlehem HCC is charged with the task of determining if new signs or other alterations to a building’s exterior would be an appropriate fit for the neighborhood in one of three designated historic districts. Previous to the pandemic, hearings were regularly scheduled on the third Monday of the month at city hall.

Obtaining a certificate of appropriateness is only a first step for business owners and residents in a designated historic district who wish to make alterations to a building’s exterior. The commission’s recommendations are later reviewed, then voted on by city council before any project is allowed to proceed.