Home Care In Whitehall, PA

WHITEHALL, Pa.— On Thursday afternoon, a ribbon-cutting ceremony marked the opening of yet another business in Whitehall this month.

Local government representatives, company officials and managers, and a few shoppers who happened to be in the area stopped by to watch Whitehall Mayor Michael J. Harakal cut the ribbon with a pair of giant scissors.

The building itself is at 1259 Whitehall Mall: previously, the local home of an ill-fated Sears, which once had 3,500 stores, and now has only twelve.

'This is going to bring more people back here'

Whitehall mayor Michael J. Harakal, has lived in Whitehall nearly his whole life. "About seventy years," he said.

Harakal says he's cognizant of the downward-trending retail revenues in the area, which used to be a bigger part of the local economy.

"This was the first mall-type thing in the area," Harakal said. "This was here in the late sixties, and it fell under bad times."

Harakal said attributes this to some management and maintenance decisions in the history of the Whitehall Mall, but also the rise of online shopping platforms, like Amazon.

"Well, you know, we're competing with those folks," he said. "But there are 150,000 cars that go through this intersection, and it draws people in."

"It's going to make us a lot of money," he added. "It's going to bring a lot of people back here."

'They take care of us, it's a good company'

Two store managers spoke at the grand opening: Brandon Keen and Ashley Eggleston. Keen is from New Jersey, and Eggleston is from Chicago.

Both started their careers with Floor & Decor in an entry-level capacity, and worked their way up to positions where the company has paid for them to move to a new state to run a new store.

"They take care of us," Eggleston said, when asked if she likes her job. "It's a good company."

When the two managers were asked if they would say on-the-record if they did not like their jobs, Keen laughed and chimed in, "It genuinely is a great company. I like them a lot."

Eggleston said they are excited to be in Whitehall specifically.

"The township has been great to us, and we're looking forward to serving the community," she said, and then added that they are hiring full-time and part-time staff. Hiring info is on their website.

"Keep those applications coming in," Eggleston said.

WHITEHALL, Pa. – A popular entertainment facility is leveling up its services in Lehigh County.

Dave & Buster’s, the entertainment and dining chain that invites guests to “eat, drink, play and watch,” on Jan. 12 will debut its reimagined Lehigh Valley location, at 1491 MacArthur Road in Whitehall Township.

The Whitehall location opened in October 2020 at a Lehigh Valley Mall outparcel, which was previously home to Friendly’s and Wendy’s restaurants as well as an office building.

Several upgrades, including new furniture, lighting and carpeting, have occurred over the past few months, manager Jeffrey Hartwyk said.

Additionally, new social bays - three for digital darts and two for shuffleboard - are nearing completion in former dining space, Hartwyk said.

The social bays, where guests will have the option to eat while they play, will be able to be reserved by the hour online or at three kiosks near the facility’s entrance.

Also, more shareable dishes are expected to be added to the menu in about a month, Hartwyk said.

The space overall is much brighter, with new neon signage and overhead lighting.

“Our space was much darker before,” Hartwyk said. “The furniture was darker, and the lighting was darker. So, we wanted to improve the atmosphere and make it more inviting by changing the colors and brightening up the space.”

In a news release, Dave & Buster’s announced that “the future of play is here,” with a new design that takes everything the community loves about Dave & Buster’s and “catapults it into tomorrow with fun activities and groundbreaking, innovative new ways for crews to bond.”

On Jan. 12, the first 200 people in line at the Whitehall Dave & Buster’s will receive free games for a year.

“We open at 11 a.m., and we’re expecting quite a line outside,” Hartwyk said.

Later in the day, there will be a grand opening celebration with music and prizes from 6 to 9 p.m. There also will be $5 drink specials from 4 to 7 p.m.

Here’s a summary of what you can expect at the newly reimagined Dave & Buster’s in Whitehall:

• Interactive Social Bays – Brace yourself for innovative new experiences with interactive gaming in high-tech dart bays and shuffleboard bays. You’ll be able to hang with friends in private, reservable Social Bays for two to six players. Darts and shuffleboard have been re-invented with digital interactivity for the “coolest, most innovative, tech-savvy versions of darts and shuffleboard ever,” the release states. Social Bays can be booked in advance online at daveandbusters.com/eatertainment.

• Immersive watch – The new Dave & Buster’s Watch Experience brings you all of your favorite sporting games and events “like never before,” with more screens, including a 40-foot screen, and top-of-the-line surround sound, the release states. Roughly 50 oversized TVs are situated throughout the space, and there is also VIP Watch Room with bottle service. “There’s no better place to watch a sporting event,” Hartwyk said.

• Evolved menu – Dave & Buster’s invites you and your crew to feast on a revamped, chef-crafted menu, packed with “mouthwatering new and delicious options.”

• Sleek new store design – Dave & Buster’s invites you to step into a tech-forward entertainment destination with a bright, energetic atmosphere that provides “the perfect Eat, Drink, Play, and Watch destination.”

• Midway and prizes – Dave & Buster’s in Whitehall features more than 120 games, VR experiences and a variety of prizes.

To celebrate the grand reopening, Dave & Buster’s has been presenting a “Find the Flag” promotion, where individuals who find five hidden D&B flags in the Allentown area receive prizes. One hidden flag remains missing, and clues will be shared on Saturday, Jan. 6.

“We’re very excited about everything we’ve done here, and to help celebrate, we started our Find the Flag promotion this past week,” Hartwyk said. “Whoever finds a flag wins a $100 gift card and an invite with guests to our VIP Party next Friday.”

Founded in 1982 and headquartered in Texas, Dave & Buster's Entertainment, Inc. is the owner and operator of 220 venues in North America that offer premier entertainment and dining experiences to guests through two brands: Dave & Buster’s and Main Event.

There are 162 Dave & Buster’s branded stores in 42 states, Puerto Rico and Canada offering guests the opportunity to "eat, drink, play and watch."

In Whitehall, there is total seating for around 300 guests, Hartwyk said. There are also private party rooms – two that accommodate around 30 guests and another that accommodates around 80.

In addition to the new social bays, the facility also recently added new Emoji Frenzy and Guardians of the Galaxy arcade games.

Whitehall team members have been working on the upgrades over the past few months, and they are “extremely excited” to debut them to the public, Hartwyk said.

“We can’t wait to reveal this Dave & Buster’s as an entertainment juggernaut to the rapidly growing community of Lehigh Valley,” Hartwyk said. “We’re thrilled for our neighbors to experience this incredible transformation for themselves.”

Specials at the Whitehall Dave & Buster’s include a $5 Happy Hour (4-7 p.m. Monday through Friday) and the $5 Late-Night Happy Hour (9 p.m. to close Sunday through Thursday), where guest can enjoy $5 drink specials including the new Tres Tequila Rita, 22-ounce domestic drafts, wine, Backwoods Blueberry Lemonade and D&B Long Island Iced Tea.

As a token of appreciation to members of the military and first responders, Dave & Buster’s provides a discount of 15% off food and non-alcoholic beverages with valid ID.

Hours of operation for Dave & Buster’s Lehigh Valley are 10 a.m. to midnight Sundays, 11 a.m. to midnight Monday through Thursday, 11 a.m. to 1 a.m. Fridays and 10 a.m. to 1 a.m. Saturdays. Info: daveandbusters.com.

NORTH WHITEHALL TWP., Pa. — Local residents voiced concerns Tuesday after learning that about a hundred new houses may be coming to North Whitehall Township.

The township Planning Commission reviewed a plan for the proposed Rising Sun Subdivision, which would have 116 single-family homes on about 100 acres.

The subdivision would be at 1321 Rising Sun Road, between Fells Creek and the Lehigh River. The land now is used for agriculture.

Single-family homes are permitted “by right” in the zoning district of the property, meaning landowners have the right to build them as long as they meet township requirements.

About 50 people attended the meeting and several raised concerns about the increased number of cars the project would bring to Rising Sun Road and Route 145.

The traffic study for the development has not been conducted. But North Whitehall resident and former Allentown traffic engineer Don Steele said he thinks the development would add about a thousand more car trips per day on Rising Sun Road.

“I am acutely aware of the hazards of Rising Sun and 145, and I hope you are becoming familiar with that as well."

Planning Commission member Rod Lowe

Several residents said the roads already are unsafe because of speeding and a lack of visibility.

Planning Commission member Rod Lowe said he lives near the proposed development.

“I am acutely aware of the hazards of Rising Sun and 145, and I hope you are becoming familiar with that as well,” Lowe said, speaking to representatives of the developer.

“That's going to be a major problem with this many houses.”

The developer is commercial real estate agency Access Commercial Development.

On Tuesday, it presented a sketch plan, which is made early in the development process to allow municipalities to ask questions and give feedback ahead of a formal submission.

Access Commercial Development Director of Development Jacob Kim said the company plans to do a traffic study for the project to understand any safety concerns.

Traffic studies investigate whether developers would create unsafe conditions. If they would, the municipality or the state can then require the developer to make improvements to the roads within the land they own.

‘We want people to be safe and happy’

Other issues residents raised were the potential for increased traffic, more flooding in the area, and a strain on the sewage system.

Resident Heather Skorinko asked whether the development would pollute the nearby Fells Creek and Lehigh River.

“What impact is this increased water runoff, yard waste, fertilizer — what impact is that going to have?" Skorinko said. "I think it's very important to determine that."

The Lehigh River is included in a new list of endangered rivers released in April. Experts say the river is threatened by “poorly planned development” of warehouses and distribution centers.

Several residents raised concerns about a narrow S-curve on Rising Sun Road just east of the proposed development.

“Several times I've got around that, there's trucks coming the other way, and they're over the center line," resident Kevin Watkins said. "I’ve had to literally go into grass on the other side to avoid them.”

The S-curve is not on Access Commercial Development’s property. The township can ask the developer to contribute to a fix to that road but can't make that a condition for approval, Township Manager Randy Cope said.

The proposed housing development would be next to St. John's United Church of Christ.

Pastor James Gottwald had similar concerns about road safety on nearby roads. He urged the Access Commercial Development representatives to address the issue.

“We want to welcome people, but we want people to be safe and happy in their new community,” Gottwald said.

Access Commercial Development likely will come back with a more detailed plan in the spring, representatives said.

New camp recreation center

Also Tuesday, the Planning Commission recommended the township Board of Supervisors grant preliminary/final approval to a plan for a new recreation center at Orefield-based Camp Fowler.

Camp Fowler is run by Bethlehem-based nonprofit Valley Youth House. It offers therapeutic summer programs that use outdoor behavioral healthcare to treat at-risk children and teenagers.

The camp’s programs are free for youth who are from low-income families, are in foster care or are homeless.

The recreation center would be called the Carter Family Center and would let the camp hold more group activities in inclement weather.

The building would be about 5,000 square feet and would have two multipurpose rooms, an office and storage space.

The plan now goes to the township supervisors. If they give preliminary/final approval to the plan, Valley Youth House would not have to go before the township again.

The nonprofit originally asked for a waiver from the land development process to keep costs down, but supervisors denied that request.

WHITEHALL TWP., Pa. - A national retail chain assisting homeowners and construction professionals with a wide array of flooring needs will open its first Lehigh Valley location in Whitehall Township.

Floor & Decor, a specialty retailer of hard-surface flooring, is coming soon to the site of a former Sears department store, which is being demolished at the western end of the Whitehall Mall, at Grape Street and MacArthur Road, according to fence signage.

A Floor & Decor spokesperson did not immediately return a message seeking a tentative opening date or general frame for when the Whitehall store is expected to open.

Founded in 2000, Atlanta-based Floor & Decor operates more than 200 warehouse-format stores and five design studios across 36 states.

Regional locations can be found in Levittown, Bucks County and Moorestown, N.J.

The stores offer homeowners and professionals with a broad in-stock selection of tile, natural wood, natural stone, laminate and luxury vinyl plank, under one roof.

Also, Floor & Decor stocks the necessary tools, decorative materials, wall tile, and related accessories for hard-surface flooring projects.

Stores carry more than a million square feet of in-stock flooring and offer free design services, as well as a dedicated pro sales team.

"The company directly sources products from manufacturers around the globe, which enables it to bring the world’s best and most innovative flooring trends to its customers, at everyday low prices," a company description reads. "Floor & Decor has locations nationwide, but each store is bolstered by a local focus that creates a store experience and mix of products that meet the needs of each market served."

News of Floor & Decor's forthcoming Lehigh Valley location is the latest update in the Whitehall Mall's redevelopment.

Also set to join the shopping center's retail roster is The Gravity Vault Indoor Rock Gyms, a business aiming to provide a fun, welcoming environment where beginners and experienced climbers can learn, train and enjoy climbing together.

The Whitehall facility, totaling more than 58,000 square feet, will occupy the space previously occupied by PA Fitness gym, which closed in January 2022, according to a conceptual re-development site plan.

Prior to PA Fitness, Gold's Gym operated in the space for about 16 years, and before that, it was home to the mall's former Plaza Theatre and Leh's Department store.

Further details on the Whitehall facility, including a target opening date, are unclear. A Gravity Vault spokesperson could not comment on the project at this time.

The Gravity Vault, with 18 locations open or coming soon in five states, offers memberships, day passes, private climbing sessions and group classes for individuals of all ages and experience levels, according to the business' website.

Facilities feature climbing walls measuring more than 40 feet high, 45-60 top rope stations, extensive bouldering and dynamic lead climbing, cardiovascular and strength training areas, lounges and pro shops and private party rooms.

Wall features include arches, key holes, chimneys, cracks, overhangs and more.

The Whitehall Mall's conceptual redevelopment site plan also shows that there are leases or letters of intent being negotiated for at least five other spaces.

An available pad with a drive-thru, featuring two adjacent retail and restaurant spaces, is being proposed at the site of the former Old Country Buffet, the plan shows.

Additionally, 88 K-Pot, a restaurant offering all-you-can-eat Korean barbecue and hot pot, is looking to open a second Lehigh Valley location at the Whitehall Mall, according to manager Eddie Zhang.

The restaurant opened its first area location in April in the Bethlehem Square on Nazareth Pike in Bethlehem Township.

Proposed construction is expected to begin in the fourth quarter of 2023, the plan shows.

Washington Prime Group, the real estate investment trust that owns Whitehall Mall, is unable to communicate more specifics on the proposed changes at this time.

"A redevelopment plan is underway to bring new retailers and experiences to our guests," a spokesperson said in a written statement. "Whitehall Mall remains committed to providing a dynamic mix of options for the community. We will share more details as we are able.”

In a Lehigh Valley Press article published in February, it was reported that Jordin Horan, of Washington Prime Group, was present at the Feb. 6 Whitehall Township Board of Commissioners meeting to elaborate on the Whitehall Mall redevelopment plan.

Horan noted that Washington Prime Group plans to demolish the Sears Auto Center structure and rebuild on the site, the article states.

"Parts of the Sears and Old Country Buffet structures will also be demolished to align the buildings with other storefronts in the lot, reduce square footage and increase visibility from the road," the article continues.

Other topics addressed at the meeting included the planned rock-climbing gym, leases being finalized with multiple tenants and other improvements such as enhancing landscaping, updating paint and increasing connectivity via sidewalks, according to the article.

A convenience store and coffee shop have also been proposed in the mall's parking lot, the article states.

The Whitehall Mall opened along Whitehall's Grape Street in 1966 with more than 50 stores, including then-popular retailers Woolworth and Zollinger's department store.

Vacancies have increased over the past few years, with 2020 hitting the mall especially hard with the departures of Sears, Old Country Buffet and plus-size retailer Catherines.

Additionally, arts and crafts chain Michaels moved its Whitehall Mall store across Grape Street to the former Babies R Us space at Lehigh Valley Mall in 2020, and PA Fitness - a bi-level fitness facility - closed in early 2022.

In recent weeks, the Whitehall Mall also bid farewell to buybuy Baby, a retailer of baby merchandise including strollers, car seats, nursery furniture, crib bedding, diaper bags and more.

Planning to vacate the shopping center soon is Bed Bath & Beyond, a home goods retailer offering bedding, bathroom items, home décor, furniture, beauty products and more, which filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in April.

About a dozen Whitehall Mall tenants remain, including Five Below, Lane Bryant, Comic Masters, Bellisima Nails, The Pet Shop, Bella Bridal, Shoe Carnival, Men's Warehouse, Buffalo Wild Wings, Mission BBQ and anchor tenants Kohl's and Raymour & Flanigan.

Floor & Decor will open about a half mile west of another Whitehall flooring store, Lomax Carpet & Tile Mart, which opened in 2020 at the former Toys R Us building.

WHITEHALL TWP., Pa. — Township commissioners gave conditional-use approval Monday night for a 116-unit, age-restricted, special care residential community.They also approved a land development/major subdivision project for a retail center on MacArthur Road.

WB Homes Land Acquisitions, of North Wales, Montgomery County, will build the 55-and-over community on 27.5 acres on Rural Road, between Mechanicsville Drive and Fellowship Road.

The conditional-use request was approved by a 5-1 vote; member Charles G. Fisher was the lone dissenting vote.

The age-restricted homes are planned as 1,700- to 2,000-square-foot single-family attached and detached dwellings.

Also approved was a land development/major subdivision plan for MacArthur Commons at 2601 and 2631 MacArthur Road. It will consist of a free-standing retail business, indoor entertainment center facility, car wash and a future expansion of Walmart.

Owners of the parcels are Wal-Mart Real Estate Business Trust, of Bentonville, Ark., and ARD Maccommons LLC, of Elkins Park, Pa.

Local residents issued concerns about increased traffic, tree removal and stormwater runoff.

"This will be a great addition to Whitehall Township."

Christopher R. Canavan, president, W.B. Homes, Inc.

The proposed age-restricted residential community is located in the township's R-3A zoning district and is consistent with the township’s zoning plan, officials said.

The parcel had long been used for agricultural purposes by the prior owner.

The area surrounding the property is developed with a variety of residential uses, including two special care communities — Horizons at the Village at Whitehall and Fellowship Community.

"This will be a great addition to Whitehall Township," said Christopher R. Canavan, president of W.B. Homes Inc.

Impact on traffic

Commissioners approved plans submitted by W.B. Homes that demonstrated the building design meets the township’s architectural requirements and ordinances.

The requirements were for access, parking, streets and pedestrian walkways, landscaping, utilities, water, sewer, stormwater, trash loading and deliveries.

Under questioning by Erich Schock, legal counsel for the project developer, Canavan addressed the commissioners.

Canavan said the residential community will include a communal clubhouse with a wellness center, fitness center, dining facilities and activity center.

Sidewalks throughout the community and a trail network are also planned.

Plans for the proposed community indicate it would not substantially increase traffic congestion nor overburden the water, sewer, schools, parks or other public facilities.

Canavan referred to a video slide presentation with traffic study data that showed the residential community will be the least impactful to the area relative to traffic.

Board secretary Thomas Slonaker asked Canavan to investigate having a LANTA bus stop in the retirement community.

Neighbors' issues

Commissioners' Vice President Philip Ginder voiced concerns over the residential community plan showing only one entrance, which could be a problem in the event of an accident there. Canavan said he is agreeable to addressing that concern.

Several residents addressed the commissioners during public comment.

William Groller, who lives on Mechanicsville Road, identified that road as one of the most heavily traveled and dangerous roads in Whitehall. He noted numerous fender-benders have occurred there.

Brent Fenstermaker of Mechanicsville Road owns property that stretches three-quarters of the length of the left side of the parcel. He is concerned his retention pond will not be able to handle the amount of stormwater runoff from the main building due to the ground downslope.

Karen Poshefko resides at Fellowship Community. She is concerned about the elimination of trees on the proposed residential community. She believes the reduction of trees would negatively impact wildlife.

Canavan said the project plan calls for the planting of 290 trees and preserving as many older trees as possible.

Construction of the age-restricted community would not begin until fall 2024, according to Justin B. Strahorn, project manager at W.B. Homes.