State Senators Mario Scavello, R-40th, and Pat Browne, R-16th, have announced the approval of $2.1 million in state funding to help redevelop the Mary Immaculate Seminary and St. John Neumann Building, Cherryville Road in Lehigh Township.

The grant is expected to help pay for repairs and construction necessary for Jaindl Land Company to begin the conversion of the site into a destination resort hotel with event venues, restaurants and a full-service spa.

The project will renovate nearly 134,000 square feet of the Mary Immaculate Seminary and St. John Neumann Building. This involves roof replacement and repair of the fascia, eaves and copper gutter system. The masonry will be repointed and sealed. The project will also construct a nearly 150,000-square-foot expansion.

“This project will bring jobs to our area while creating new use for these gorgeous structures,” Scavello said. “This will be a great addition to our regional tourism network, which creates so many good jobs and produces an abundance of economic benefits.”

“The transformation and rehabilitation of one of the Lehigh Valley’s most iconic historical assets for modern use will preserve the memory of the Mary Immaculate Seminary and St. John Neumann Building for generations to come,” Browne said.

The funds were made available through the Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program.