EASTON, Pa. – Easton City Council approved a certificate of appropriateness for a proposed mixed-use building Wednesday night at city hall.

The proposal, known as The Lynden, calls for a seven-story structure at 101 S. Third St. featuring 73 condominiums and more than 2,540 square feet of first-floor commercial and retail space. The condominiums will be comprised of one-, two- and three-bedroom units and penthouses, which will have balconies. Officials with the application noted there would be a gym and bicycle room on the first floor.

The proposal, offered by developer Basin Street Industrial Development LLC, also features 43 parking spaces on the first floor with an entrance on South Bank Street. The building’s south side will have stepped-back corners and balconies along Ferry Street. Floors two through six will have brick veneer in two or more colors. In addition, there will be several different configurations of large windows in the apartments.

A further property inventory shows the street level will have a different wall material from above and will include storefront framed glass areas typical of mixed-use buildings in Easton. The building will have a corner retail space with a corner entrance. The condo entrance will be located along South Third Street and will have full glass doors and several glass side lights.

At a Sept. 3 planning commission meeting, the developer noted an agreement to acquire 40 parking spaces at the nearby city garage.

There is currently a two-story building on the site that includes a Fidelity bank branch on the ground floor. That building would be razed as part of the project.

The building must return to the city’s historic district commission for more reviews of items such as final material, window and design plans.

On Dec. 2, 2020, the planning commission approved an 11-story, 80-unit apartment complex by developer Garrett Benner at the site. The project never came to fruition.

Borrowing funds

The legislative body also approved an ordinance authorizing the city to acquire debt.

The city will issue a federally taxable general obligation note to provide money to pay for various capital projects. These include designing, planning, acquiring, constructing, renovating and other improvements to the Bushkill Creek corridor, Cattell Street, the Mill at Easton and the former “Easton Iron and Metal” site, along with various city parks.

The legislation states “realistic cost estimates have been obtained for the capital project through estimates made by qualified persons.” It adds the “realistic estimated useful life of the projects constituting the capital project is estimated to range from at least 10 to at least 20 years.” The project estimated completion date is July 31, 2027.

The debt is the amount of $6.06 million, which will commence Nov. 1, 2027. The maximum interest rate is 4.75% for the first four years and rises to 7.25% on Nov. 1, 2031, and will remain there until the debt’s Nov. 1, 2040, maturity date.

Parking lot deals

A resolution to acquire additional parking spaces to address parking demands was removed from the evening’s agenda.

Under the proposed deal, St. John’s Evangelical Lutheran Church, located at 330 Ferry St., would open its parking lot to public parking when the lot is not being used by the house of worship. The availability to the city would be Tuesday through Sunday between 5 p.m. and 8 a.m., except for Sundays from 8 a.m. through 2 p.m. From 2 p.m. Sunday through 8 a.m. Monday, the city would retain discretion as to the public parking hours.

Public parking would also be closed for regularly scheduled church events and observances during the year. This includes Ash Wednesday, one Lenten joint Wednesday evening service, the Holy Week evenings of Maundy Thursday and Good Friday, one joint Wednesday evening service during the Christmas season, Christmas Eve, and nights the church has meetings or Bible studies.

The church would also reserve its lot for unscheduled events such as concerts, memorial services, funerals and weddings.

A separate parking lease agreement with SAI Square One Realty was also removed from the evening’s agenda.

City Administrator Luis Campos said issues remained with both deals but added that neither contract “was falling through.”