Rendell To Watch BethWorks Plans

[Penndems]

Link:

http://www.mcall.com/news/local/all-b1_4gov-4rmay11,0,3737806.story?coll=all-newslocal-hed
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Gov. Ed Rendell won't intervene in the sale of former Bethlehem Steel land to a New Jersey developer but will be watching the developer's proposal to make sure it brings desired economic development.

Last week, state Sen. Lisa Boscola asked Rendell to discourage the sale of the 120-acre proposed Bethlehem Works site to Michael Perrucci. She preferred the land go to local developers Kris Kapoor and Abe Atiyeh, who said they'd preserve the furnace stacks and donate 35 acres to Musikfest for a concert venue and arts walk.

''He will keep a keen eye on the situation, and the state will do all it can to ensure that the site is ready for an economic development opportunity,'' Rendell spokesman Abe Amoros said Monday. ''The Bethlehem Works site is a prime location for economic development and one that he hopes will come to fruition soon.''

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As envisioned eight years ago by Bethlehem Steel and widely embraced since then, Bethlehem Works would integrate a retail, entertainment and historical corridor that includes preservation of the blast furnaces.

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[JPZenger]

1. Overly-grandiose

Unfortunately, the plans for the Industrial Museum were overly grandiose. They spent millions on salaries and consultants to plan a huge complex. If they had kept their eyes on a more modest complex, it would have been open by now.