SOS In The News

NCC to buy Bethlehem's Discovery Center building

$2 million purchase means the college can expand in South Side.

By Genevieve Marshall of The Morning Call

Northampton Community College announced Thursday that it will pay $2 million to buy the Da Vinci Discovery Center of Science and Technology's building in south Bethlehem.

By moving from the Farr building on Broad Street to a larger space on the South Side, the college can expand its repertoire of classes and reach more students, NCC President Arthur Scott said at a morning news conference in the Discovery Center lobby.

''Our intent is to develop a strong presence in the South Side community,'' Scott said. ''We will be a good neighbor.''

Bethlehem Mayor John Callahan said NCC is a key part of the city's transformation from an industrial-based economy to a knowledge-based economy.

''Companies can grow in the incubator at Lehigh University, move down the mountain to the John Cook Technology Center and train their employees with the help of the community college,'' Callahan said. ''The ultimate goal is that the companies will settle next door on the Beth Works site.''

Paul Pierpoint, the dean of community education, will become dean of NCC's new Southside Campus. The community college has a main campus in Bethlehem Township and a satellite campus in Monroe County.

The college's literacy program will move from the Farr building to S. Third Street in June, bringing 1,200 students and 50 full-time staff to the property.

NCC has raised $3 million of its $4 million goal to pay for the building and the first round of renovations.

Scott estimated the total project cost at $10 million to $12 million.

State legislators have asked Gov. Ed Rendell for $5 million for the project on the community college's behalf.

''The governor hasn't said yes or no,'' Scott said. ''We don't know what to expect at this point.''

Scott said he is optimistic that NCC will get the money because the goals of the south Bethlehem campus ''fit too perfectly into the governor's economic plans.''

But Rendell spokesman Abe Amoros said Thursday that doling out millions to community colleges is not on the governor's immediate agenda.

''The governor's emphasis has been on economic stimulus and the college's project does not fall under that,'' Amoros said. ''The money won't be coming this year.''

Scott said that the sale will go through with or without the state's help, but renovations will take longer as the college tries to raise more money privately and borrows the rest.

Eventually, NCC could have as many as 4,000 students in south Bethlehem, many of them taking general education classes, Scott said.

The sale agreement includes 130 parking spaces near the building but the college will need at least 270 more, he said.

The first stage of renovations will involve turning the first floor into offices, classrooms labs and studios. The upper floors will be renovated as more space is needed and money becomes available, Scott said.

NCC turned its attention to the Discovery Center property — a former Bethlehem Steel office building — after attempts to buy the former Steel Annex building about 100 yards to the east fell through.

The college couldn't reach an agreement with new Bethlehem Works property owners BethWorks Now.

The Discovery Center, which offers hands-on science programs and exhibits for students through schools and community centers, has been trying to sell the building for years and plans to move onto the Cedar Crest College campus in Allentown.

But selling was not essential for the move, said Matt Sorrentino, chairman of the Discovery Center's board, which has raised $5.4 million of the $7.6 million cash goal for the project.

''It wasn't necessary but it sure makes life much easier for us,'' Sorrentino said.

The new facility will open at the beginning of the next school year, but the center will continue to offer programs at the south Bethlehem site until May 31.

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