![](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/City_Center_Downtown_med.jpg\"\/)
<\/p>\n\u00a0<\/p>\n
The New York Times published a lengthy profile of how Allentown is bursting with new housing, offices, and entertainment venues, describing it as \u201can increasingly attractive alternative to those seeking a more affordable, relaxed lifestyle while still being in driving proximity of New York City and Philadelphia.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Headlined \u201cAllentown, Pa., a Former Industrial Town Reborn<\/a>,\u201d the Aug. 27 profile highlights how developers have invested more than $1 billion in the downtown over about the last decade, including 1.3 million square feet of office space, 1,500 apartments, a hockey arena, two hotels, a new science center, and museum.<\/p>\n Allentown is the largest city in the growing Lehigh Valley, a region of more than 708,000 people with a diversified $56 billion economy that\u2019s driven by manufacturing and supporting historically high employment. The article points out that large corporations including PPL Corp.<\/a>, Mack Trucks<\/a>, Air Products<\/a>, and ADP<\/a> \u201cconduct a sizable portion of their business\u201d in the region.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s a critical region, very diverse, politically 50\/50, and the economy is on fire,\u201d J.B. Reilly, President of\u00a0City Center Group<\/a> that has done much of the development, told The Times.<\/p>\n The article shared information and data about Allentown\u2019s history, businesses, schools and colleges, extensive parks system, transportation network, and variety of housing and neighborhoods.<\/p>\n \u201cBeyond the concentrated downtown area, older homes on tree-lined streets fill the West End, while more modest ranches and Cape Cods climb the sloping streets of the East End. The once industrial Lehigh River waterfront has also begun being redeveloped<\/a>,\u201d the article said.<\/p>\n Key Allentown attractions called out include Archer Music Hall<\/a>,\u00a0Da Vinci Science Center<\/a>, Allentown Art Museum<\/a>, Civic Theater<\/a>, Miller Symphony Hall<\/a>, Great Allentown Fair<\/a>, PPL Center<\/a>, Lehigh Valley Phantoms<\/a>, and Lehigh Valley IronPigs<\/a>.<\/p>\n![](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Rose_Garden_2_med.jpg\"\/)
The article highlighted the plethora of small local businesses as well, from iconic names such as Yocco\u2019s<\/a>, Youell\u2019s Oyster House<\/a>, and Hamilton Family Restaurant<\/a> to\u00a0La Placita<\/a>, Sarandonga Latin Bistro<\/a>, and Queen City Realty<\/a>.<\/p>\n