BETHLEHEM, PA. — Demolition is underway along West Third Street in South Bethlehem, marking the first visible step toward construction of a new Tempo by Hilton hotel.
Crews began demolition Wednesday at 14–18 W. Third St., where two connected buildings dating to the 1890s and 1905 have sat vacant since a 2016 wall collapse. The structures and a paved parking lot will be cleared for a seven-story Tempo by Hilton hotel proposed by Lancaster-based High Hotels Ltd.
The site is owned by Patriot Ventures LLC, with High Hotels Ltd. serving as the project’s developer and applicant.
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Workers stand near a fenced-off parking lot at the future site of a Tempo by Hilton hotel on West Third Street in South Bethlehem, Pa. on Jan. 21, 2026. (Photo: Jai Smith/Lehigh Daily)
The project represents a significant change for the Third Street corridor. Greenfield Architects Ltd. designed the hotel, while The Johnson Studio is handling interior design, which will reflect Bethlehem’s rich history through artwork, storytelling, music and architectural preservation.
The hotel will feature 141 guest rooms, a ground-level lobby with a restaurant and bar, meeting rooms and a rooftop bar overlooking the South Bethlehem Greenway. The seventh floor will house an expanded fitness center, with outdoor dining space facing Third Street.
A rendering showing the Tempo by Hilton pitched for West Third Street in Bethlehem (Photo Courtesy: City of Bethlehem)
Demolition follows a series of approvals from Bethlehem City Council and the city’s Historic Conservation Commission. The project was first presented to the commission in September 2024 and has undergone multiple rounds of review and revision to better align with South Bethlehem’s historic character while still allowing for contemporary design.
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Rising construction costs have prompted design adjustments along the way. In October 2025, the Historic Conservation Commission approved a shift to lighter-colored brick and thinner masonry to help manage expenses without compromising the project’s design.
The site sits adjacent to Gateway at Greenway Park, a six-story mixed-use building at Third and New streets that includes a St. Luke’s medical office, restaurants and shared workspace, and is connected to the New Street Parking Garage.
Directly across the street, the ArtsQuest Cultural Center is currently under construction, replacing the former Banana Factory that was demolished in early 2025.
City officials have said the hotel is expected to complement future improvements planned for the South Bethlehem Greenway area.
Project representatives have noted that there are no Hilton or Marriott hotels in downtown or South Bethlehem, despite demand from corporate travelers and visitors to area attractions, including ArtsQuest, Wind Creek, Lehigh University and St. Luke’s Hospital.
Groundbreaking is expected in early 2026, with an anticipated opening in late 2026.
Tempo by Hilton is one of Hilton’s 25 hotel brands. The brand is designed to offer “elevated yet approachable hotel experiences” that support guests’ personal and professional routines.
Isabel Hope is a journalist and website designer based in Bethlehem, PA. She graduated with a degree in journalism from The University of Alabama in 2022, where she served as News Editor of the student newspaper. Isabel has lived in the Lehigh Valley for three years and is passionate about reporting for the communities she now calls home.