A prominent south Bethlehem church located in one of the most visible areas of the city received approval to convert two blighted properties it owns into six affordable apartment units.

The Cathedral Church of the Nativity, located at 321 Wyandotte St. just across the Hill-to-Hill Bridge, owns two vacant properties at 230 and 232 W. Third St.

The row homes have been vacant for at least 15 years and are in poor condition, according to Christine Ussler, architect with Artefact Inc., who represented the church.

The church applied for a zoning variance on the buildings’ size.

The two homes already are considered “nonconforming,” but their construction predates the city’s current zoning ordinance (the year of construction is listed as 1900, according to Northampton County property records). In order to receive approval for the renovations, the church needed a variance to approve the building’s 2,957-square-foot size, slightly below the 3,000 square feet required for such a residential building.

Ussler, also a professor of architecture at Lehigh University, said her architecture students measured the buildings and designed the apartments in the spring.

“We have a student-developed scheme that would have three units in each of these homes, and it is viable with some additions to the rear that would probably be historically appropriate, and would be done so in alignment with the church,” Ussler said.

The homes are in the South Side historic district, so the renovations will need approval from the Bethlehem Historic Architecture Review Board on its design elements. The church opted to renovate the two homes instead of demolishing and building new housing “given the historic nature of this row of townhomes and their location at a key gateway to south Bethlehem,” according to the church’s zoning application.

The church will serve as landlords for the project, and New Bethany and Community Action Lehigh Valley, two local antipoverty nonprofits, will handle the rehabilitation and future leasing and unit management. The church has received $540,000 in grant funding to support the renovations, which would include facade improvements, roof replacements and other necessary fixes.

Several church pastors and parishioners spoke in favor of the project, and said it would bring much-needed affordable housing to the city. Bethlehem is facing a housing crisis, according to city leaders: Between 2019 and 2023, the median home sale price nearly doubled from $182,000 to $302,000, and median monthly rent skyrocketed from $1,354 to $1,910.

“I encourage you to go ahead with this zoning variance so we can use this property for the good of the community,” said John Stratton, dean of the Cathedral Church of the Nativity. “It helps the mission of the church, and I think it helps the neighborhood as well.”

The vote to approve the variance was unanimous, with board members Peter Schneck, Paige Van Wirt and Sharon Wiles-Young voting in favor.

Reporter Lindsay Weber can be reached at Liweber@mcall.com.

Originally Published: September 19, 2025 at 6:00 AM EDT