BETHLEHEM, Pa. – A longstanding tile design signifying the F&W Grand five-and-dime store on East Third Street on the city’s Southside will soon be replaced by a new design.

Building owner Vipul Shah and applicant Emmanuel Patricio told Bethlehem’s Historic Conservation Commission on Monday that reconfigurations, tile condition and hopes of luring new tenants to their property at 13-15 E. Third St. have made replacing the mosaic advertising a long-gone business necessary.

“We’re trying to keep the historic spirit as much as we can, while at the same time attracting a modern tenant that’s going to like the space,” Patricio said.

Commission Chair Gary Lader said his group is charged with serving both the businesses and the district’s history, and considered its role in preserving this bit of Southside history.

According to Jeffrey Long, the city’s historic officer, the buildings date to 1915 and were created in the classical revival style with Romanesque details. Renovations were completed mid-century, he said.

“I wonder if sometimes a business coming in might be proud to be carrying on that historical marker,” he said. “It’s a thing a lot of tenants that come into South Bethlehem are kind of excited about: the history and things that tie into it.”

The applicant argued a reconfiguration for a planned residential entranceway disrupts the layout of the tile, effectively cutting off 13 E. Third St.’s tile design. The tile at 15 E. Third St. just isn’t salvageable, they said, and commission members agreed.

Ultimately, the applicant agreed to continue a tile design while paying tribute to Southside’s history in some way and will provide the commission with designs going forward.

During the application’s consideration, the commission also discussed several other modifications to the property requested by the applicant.

The most significant of those issues included flooring, new storefronts, entrance doors, signage bands, pendant lighting for entranceways and paint for cast stone sills.

Commission members approved the application on the conditions that the applicant supply samples of replacement tiles, proposed designs and paint samples for the cast stone sills.

The applicant will also appear before the board again when signage must be approved.

A proposal for a new seven-story mixed-use building at 327 S. New St. with ground-floor retail and tenant amenity space was removed from the agenda Monday night.