St. Luke’s buys more land in Franklin
St. Luke’s University Health Network has purchased an additional 20 acres near where it plans to build another hospital in Franklin Township.
Sam Kennedy, corporate communications director for St. Luke’s, said Friday, “We acquired the additional 20 acres, because it was contiguous to the property we already owned.”
“We have no plans for developing it,” Kennedy said. He said the health network is planning the hospital and there are no changes to plans detailed at a recent township meeting.
The parcel is 20 acres, and was sold by Joshua 241324 Properties LLC, to Blue Mountain Hospital, Allentown, at a cost of $2.02 million.
In January, Franklin Township supervisors unanimously voted to grant conditional approval to the St. Luke’s Hospital — Blue Mountain preliminary/final subdivision and land development plans, with several contingencies attached.
St. Luke’s University Health Network in the spring acquired more than 86 acres of land to build another hospital on Harrity Road.
The new hospital will be 50 feet tall and encompass 130,000 square feet on a more than 75-acre lot.
It will begin with 40 bedrooms and eventually have 80. St. Luke’s expects to employ 200 people at the new facility to start. The lot will have 535 parking spots.
It will also include an emergency room and helipad to airlift trauma patients when necessary to its main hospital in Bethlehem. The helicopter will be used only for dire situations, said Rocco Caracciolo, a division manager at the engineering firm Pennoni Associates in Bethlehem.
The plans include widening Harrity Road to include a left-hand turning lane, he said.
Comments
Good morning. Why own land? Because the Lord hasn't created any for a very long time. God willing, you still have a chance to own this priceless section for $50k.
Our private, community organization, the FTAA, showed its prowess in leveraging governments get and maintain the ball fields. Not a bad negotiation for a rookie, loosely managed, organization. Not bad at all. But be aware of the entire agreement.
Consider the leverage you have shown the community to have and consider protecting baseball forever. Leverage the heck out of Franklin to let you buy for the $5,000 an acre before the price escalate out of reach. Lease the township the use on off seasons and off times in exchange for maintenance. A win-win protecting baseball, making government serve the people.
The property in this area went for $100,000 an acre. Ignore the messenger, but I beg you to hear the message. Put ego aside, protect baseball!. Ownership is the only way to guarantee we control the future of baseball.
Sincerely,
Citizen David F. Bradley Sr.