The Waterfront has been named Office Project of the Year by the Lehigh Valley Commercial and Industrial Real Estate Foundation. Seven Lehigh Valley developments were honored for their role in revitalizing their communities and advancing the region’s economy.
The awards were presented Oct. 13 at a sold-out breakfast, an event that does more than hand out trophies. This year’s gathering raised more than $180,000 to help hospitals and families care for children born prematurely or with serious medical needs. Over 30 years, the Foundation’s awards have raised more than $2 million for that cause, pairing recognition of the region’s best work with support for its most vulnerable families.
What earned the office award
The Office Project of the Year went to The Waterfront, a 29-acre neighborhood under construction along the Lehigh River in Allentown. The plan calls for five office towers, four residential buildings, restaurants and retail promenades, two outdoor plazas, and a half-mile River Walk, all developed by The Waterfront Development Company. The office component reconnects the city to its riverfront and brings Class A space to ground that sat underused for years.
That mix is what sets the project apart. Rather than a single building dropped onto a lot, The Waterfront is a full district where work, home, dining, and open space sit together along the river. Offices anchor the daytime population; River House and the other residences bring life after hours; the plazas and the River Walk give everyone a reason to be outside.
A flagship of the NIZ
The Waterfront rises inside Pennsylvania’s Neighborhood Improvement Zone, or NIZ, the 2012 program that has helped draw more than $1 billion in new investment to downtown Allentown. The zone is a central reason a former industrial site can deliver competitive Class A office space and a neighborhood at this scale. Recognition as Office Project of the Year affirms The Waterfront’s standing as a flagship of what the NIZ was built to achieve.
Source: “Projects of the Year Awarded by Lehigh Valley Commercial & Industrial Real Estate Foundation,” Lehigh Valley Economic Development.
See the award-winning offices for yourself. Explore Offices or walk the River Walk. Schedule a visit.
- "Projects of the Year Awarded by Lehigh Valley Commercial & Industrial Real Estate Foundation" | Lehigh Valley Economic Development