The rezoning of a Southside lot, which had been the subject of a public hearing in April, was sent back to committee by city council May 2.

By a vote of 5-2, the controversial proposal to allow rezoning to permit the building of a six-story complex with 240 units is being sent to the Community Development Committee for further discussion.

At the April 18 meeting, lawyers James Preston and Kevin Serfass, who represent developer Serfass Development & Acquisitions, spoke about the benefits of rezoning 119 Technology Drive to allow for a housing complex. The lot is across the Fahy Bridge from the Riverport condos.

City Planning Director Diane Heller said the Planning Commission approved the rezoning proposal unanimously, and in order for the project to move ahead, it must receive council approval.

President Michael Colon expressed his concern, comparing this situation with past projects. “Those [projects] were not taking industrial or geographical job creators and turning them into residential units.”

Grace Crampsie Smith, who opposed the motion to send the ordinance to committee, did raise concerns about tearing down a building built in the 1990s to replace it with a new one. “My concern is that we are disregarding that taxpayer money that was put into the building and basically we are just throwing taxpayers’ money away by saying, let’s get rid of the building. I also have a concern about the environmental impacts, because while it was mentioned that some of the items that are at the building, my concern is what the demolition and new construction of another, especially if it’s a five or six-story building, is going to have on the environment, especially that it is so close to the river,” she said.

She concluded, “As we keep on building these high-end luxury apartments, I’m not convinced it is helping us address our affordable housing crisis, because we know for a fact that the majority of folks in Bethlehem cannot afford these apartments.”

Council colleague Dr. Paige Van Wirt voiced a different view, explaining, “When I think of where I would want a residential building downtown, it would be at a place like 119 because it is right in the Southside, at the very heart of new and developing arts district.”

Due to the May 16 elections, note that the next city council meeting will be held Wednesday, May 17 at 7 p.m.