A Community at the Table: Master Planning Advisory Council Forms to Help Shape Historic District’s Future
On Sept. 1, dozens of Lehigh Valley community leaders came together at the 1869 Luckenbach Mill for the first Master Planning Advisory Council Meeting hosted by HBMS. Donovan Rypkema, principal of PlaceEconomics, the global heritage tourism research firm HBMS selected to lead a community and economic impact study, was also on hand to speak about the work his team will be doing. The firm brings more than 30 years of experience studying the economic impact of historic preservation, including in other World Heritage destinations such as Willemstad, Curaçao; Yogyakarta, Indonesia; and Melaka, Malaysia.
The council, which will meet regularly, will provide important input as HBMS develops a plan that preserves and protects Bethlehem’s rich history while improving the visitor experience and respecting local community needs. Collaboration will be the key to success, so HBMS is also planning public input sessions for later this year.
A Bigger Conversation
The community and economic impact study for the Historic District and the Advisory Council are part of a broader community conversation about what comes next for Bethlehem now that it holds World Heritage status. Larry Eighmy, chair of strategic planning for HBMS, took up that question in a recent op-ed in The Morning Call.
Eighmy noted the designation has been earned, but the real work — building the infrastructure and community benefits to match it — is just beginning. He points to basics like a real welcome area with parking and accessible paths, a proper gathering space for Celtic Classic and Musikfest, and better connections between the Colonial Industrial Quarter, Burnside Plantation, SteelStacks, the downtown, and the D&L Trail, drawing on examples such as Quebec City and the San Antonio Missions World Heritage Site to show what thoughtful investment can do for a destination without overwhelming it.
As Eighmy puts it, “growing without a plan creates friction; growing with residents at the table creates durability.”
That’s exactly the goal behind the Advisory Council: welcome more visitors, tell Bethlehem’s history well, and do it in a way that strengthens rather than strains the neighborhoods around the Historic District and the historic sites.
Read Larry’s full op-ed:
