Lehigh University Plans for Athletic Facility Expansion
A Lehigh University proposal for expanded facilities at its athletic campus will be reviewed by regional planners this week.
The Mountain Hawks athletics department recently shared their plans for facility upgrades with the WFMZ-69 News.
Below is an excerpt from that story.
The university’s plan for its Goodman Campus in Bethlehem includes an 11,194-square-foot two-story addition to the Cundey Varsity House and the construction of another 96,712-square-foot single-story fieldhouse. The proposed size of the new field house would cover a little more than two football fields.
Lehigh also plans a turf baseball outfield and a turf practice field, along with another grass practice field with lighting.
The Lehigh Valley Planning Commission’s (LVPC) draft review of the university’s plan says trees should be maintained along Goodman Drive to shield neighbors from “the potential blight of light pollution from the proposed stadium/field lights.” The new construction lies within the Saucon Creek watershed.
The planning commission does not approve building projects. It reviews land uses “of regional significance” in Northampton and Lehigh counties and passes along recommendations. Land use is in most cases determined by municipalities based on their zoning ordinance, and in this case, the City of Bethlehem will make the final decision.
Lehigh University is in Bethlehem, PA, and is located 50 miles north of Philadelphia and 75 miles west of New York City. The Mountain Hawks are members of an NCAA Division I conference, The Patriot League, and offer 25 Division I sports.
