615 Waterfront has been named a Top Project honoree by Lehigh Valley Business at its Real Estate and Development Summit 2024. The recognition celebrates developments shaping the region, and it puts the flagship office building at The Waterfront among the work defining the Lehigh Valley’s next chapter.

This year’s summit centered on adaptive reuse, the practice of giving old buildings and underused land new purpose rather than starting from raw ground. Zachary Jaindl, President and COO of Jaindl Enterprises and The Waterfront Development Company, joined the panel. His point was practical: repurposing real estate adds inventory and eases pressure on prices, which helps the whole market move.

A riverfront brought back
615 Waterfront and the broader district are a working example of that idea. The Waterfront sits on 29 acres along the Lehigh River in Allentown, ground that once served heavy industry and sat underused for years. Today, it carries offices, residences, retail, and dining, with public plazas and a River Walk tying it together. A site the city had largely turned its back on now faces the river and invites people back.

That turnaround did not happen by accident. The Waterfront rises inside Pennsylvania’s Neighborhood Improvement Zone, or NIZ, the financing program created in 2012 that has helped draw more than $1 billion in new investment to downtown Allentown. The NIZ is a central reason a former industrial parcel can deliver Class A office space at a cost that competes with far less ambitious buildings. The Waterfront stands as a flagship of what the zone was built to do.

Why the recognition matters
Awards like this one measure a project against its peers across the region, and they reward work that moves the market forward rather than simply filling a lot. 615 Waterfront earned its place by reconnecting Allentown to its riverfront, supporting the local economy, and showing what thoughtful redevelopment looks like at scale. The honor reflects both the building itself and the larger vision behind it.

See the building behind the recognition. Explore 615 Waterfront or browse Offices. Schedule a visit.

Stay In The Loop