McNeill: State to invest $6.25 million in Lehigh Valley

Funding to support multiple projects throughout district

HARRISBURG, Dec. 7 -- State Rep. Jeanne McNeill, D-Lehigh, today announced the state has awarded $6.25 million in funding to multiple projects throughout the 133rd District.

“I’m extremely proud that these state dollars are coming back home to Lehigh County,” McNeill said. “When our communities benefit from investments like these, the return stretches long into the future, and our children’s children are given more reason and opportunity to remain where they were born and raised, rather than seek out somewhere else to plant their own roots.”

According to McNeill, the following projects that will receive state funding include:

  • Catasauqua Borough: $250,000 toward redeveloping the former Crane Iron Works site for a mix of commercial, residential, and public uses. This phase includes public improvements at the site which are typically dedicated to the municipality such as water, storm water, and sanitary sewer infrastructure, erosion and sedimentation control facilities, and trenching for dry utilities (electric, telecom, gas, etc.).
  • Lehigh Valley Health Network Inc.: $3.5 million to expand the current 32 bed NICU, accommodate increased needs for Level IV beds and address a need for family-centered care. A single-family room design provides privacy, sleep space for mothers, and superior infection prevention capabilities during a global pandemic. After this project is completed there will be approximately 46-50 Level IV beds with two-four being negative pressure capable. There will be one-two special procedure rooms within the NICU suite.
  • Lehigh-Northampton Airport Authority: $2 million for a new four-lane security screening checkpoint within an elevated terminal connector. The project includes an addition to the terminal complex enabling a federally compliant four-lane passenger security screening area; four new elevators and four new escalators to meet ADA standards; reduced walking distances and decreased ADA vertical transitions; state-of-the-art air purification and anti-microbial finishes; optimized lighting.
  • Whitehall Township: $500,000 toward construction of a new police station adjacent to the existing township building and a series of needed renovations and improvements to several other buildings at the complex. These improvements include the addition of the elevator/lobby to the township building, a solar canopy for police car/vehicle protection, and fit-out of the public works building interior shop and storage mezzanine.

The state’s investment in the above-mentioned projects is provided by the Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program.

“I’m always eager to assist municipalities, nonprofits and others in applying for grant programs like RACP,” McNeill said. “And I would encourage those interested in learning more about the various grant opportunities to consider reaching out to my office for more information and assistance.”

RACP is a commonwealth grant program administered by the Office of the Budget for the acquisition and construction of regional economic, cultural, civic, recreational, and historical improvement projects. RACP projects are authorized in the Redevelopment Assistance section of a Capital Budget Itemization Act, have a regional or multi-jurisdictional impact, and generate substantial increases or maintain current levels of employment, tax revenues, or other measures of economic activity. RACP projects are state-funded projects that cannot obtain primary funding under other state programs. More information about the program is available here.