The organization that oversees Bethlehem’s historic sites is envisioning a plan to create a world-class experience for visitors coming to Bethlehem — including possibly adding a funicular downtown or cable cars up to the Bethlehem Star on South Mountain.
Following the inscription last year of the Moravian Church Settlements as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, Historic Bethlehem Museums and Sites plans to invest $300,000 to create a comprehensive master plan to unify the narrative and accessibility of the city’s 20 historic sites across Northampton and Lehigh counties.
“The master plan kind of knits all of these things together with intention, purpose and possibility,” Historic Bethlehem board Chair Colleen Gilbert told The Morning Call. “It really kind of weaves together the connectivity of the touring experience … [including] maybe even a funicular that could take you from the Colonial Industrial corner up to Main Street.”
The Historic Bethlehem Museums and Sites board of trustees recently voted unanimously in favor of the investment. Funding, Gilbert said, is from donors.
“This is not taxpayer dollars, this is not public funding dollars,” she said. “This investment is from the generous donor support.”
Gilbert said discussions have been held with about a dozen community partners to see what can be done. The city and other community organizations will be brought in later to discuss the options.
“What I can tell you is that there is a lot of momentum and good insights that have come from these conversations,” Gilbert said.
What could be done
The master plan is designed to be a “durable path forward” for the city’s historical assets. Infrastructure ideas include a central welcome center with parking and transportation between the South Side and the historic district.
More outside-the-box ideas include a funicular — a cable-driven railway system designed to travel up and down steep slopes — from the Colonial Industrial Quarter along Monocacy Creek up to Main Street, or cable cars to the Bethlehem Star on South Mountain.
The main idea is to make sure all Historic Bethlehem properties don’t get lost in the shuffle to Bethlehem’s other attractions, such as the casino, universities and hotels.
Gilbert said a firm will create an economic impact analysis to define the scope of the plan. In June, a request for qualifications will be issued to planning firms nationwide that have experience with historic sites.
“The economic study essentially defines the scope of the master plan,” Gilbert said. “Then we would issue an RFQ to the nation’s top planning firms.”
The plan will create steps for the near- and long-term, she said, turning bold goals into wise investments.
“As we like to say at Historic Bethlehem Museums and Sites, we’re in the forever business,” Gilbert said. “We’re so excited that we’ve made this investment and that we’re taking the first step.”
Morning Call reporter Evan Jones can be reached at ejones@mcall.com.