Developer Brian Bartee of Skyline Investment Group is reportedly moving forward with plans to redevelop the former Dixie Cup factory in Wilson Borough into 405 apartments despite losing a key tax incentive.

The $160 million project sought local approvals for Tax Increment Financing, or TIF, which would have allowed local taxing bodies to delay increasing the property’s assessed value for a set number of years. The resulting tax revenue from the higher assessment would have been used to pay off bonds issued for construction.

Wilson Borough Council and the Wilson Area School District approved the TIF proposal. Northampton County Council voted it down in early November.

Bartee described the outcome as disappointing but said the development will proceed.

“This was not an unexpected result,” he said, according to a report earlier this month in Lehigh Valley Business. “I had a plan for this. It’s not going to slow us down. It’s too important for too many people.”

He indicated to the business news organization he may seek TIF support again next year, noting that the three county council members who opposed the measure did not win re-election.

County council members cited several reasons for rejecting the plan at their meeting in early November. They raised concerns about granting tax breaks to a developer while the county faces budget pressures.

They also questioned whether the arrangement could shift future tax burdens onto residents.

Council members also argued during the meeting that the $1.1 million designated for affordable housing was insufficient for a project of this size. Additional concerns included the 20-year length of the TIF, uncertainty in long-term financial projections, and whether TIFs should be used to support private redevelopment.

Northampton County Executive Lamont McClure criticized the council’s decision in a statement, saying it demonstrated that members were “out of touch” with residents. He added that the council “dropped the ball,” calling the decision another missed opportunity for economic growth and community investment.

“They continue to prove themselves to be the most useless county council in home rule history,” he stated.