The developer who is renovating the Lehigh Valley’s Dixie Cup factory is inviting the public to watch the building’s iconic cup come down Thursday morning.
Skyline Investment Group plans a ceremonial lowering of the iconic rooftop Dixie Cup, beginning at 9 a.m. at 12 S. 24th St. in Wilson.
The developer is renovating the former factory into 1921 at Dixie, a mixed-use building featuring 412 apartments, a restaurant, a movie theater, indoor golf and pickleball, and a community space where the original cup will be displayed as a centerpiece exhibit.
“This isn’t just about salvaging an old factory — it’s about embracing sustainability while honoring the building’s architectural legacy,” said Brian Bartee, managing partner of Skyline Investment Group. “This is a new chapter for a building that our entire community has held close for over 100 years.”
For decades, the rooftop cup — visible from Route 22 — served as an unofficial welcome sign for Lehigh Valley residents returning home. The facility produced Dixie Cups until it was shuttered in the early 1980s.
After Dixie Cup stopped manufacturing, the factory became a logistics and warehouse facility until the early 2000s. It was mostly vacant since then and had become a significant eyesore for the borough.
The building was recently named to the National Register of Historic Places, a designation that both honors its architectural and cultural legacy. Historic elements of the building will be preserved and restored as part of the project.