SOS In The News

Steel site's historical value cited

Blast furnaces last of their kind, museum CEO says.

Wednesday, November 12, 2003

by Gregg W. Bortz, Express-Times

BETHLEHEM -- When it comes to saving historic buildings at the former Bethlehem Steel home plant, Steve Donches hopes there's strength in numbers.

Donches, chief executive officer of the proposed National Museum of Industrial History, held a Veterans' Day news conference at the former Steel site to highlight its importance in American history.

"This plant stood tall and delivered for our nation," Donches said, noting that Bethlehem Steel was the country's top defense contractor through both world wars.

Donches was joined by national, state and local historic preservation groups to help him tout plans for his Smithsonian-affiliated museum there -- and the economic benefit such a facility provides through tourism.

"Visitors want a sense of someplace," Donches said. "We are trying to preserve our heritage to make (Bethlehem) a someplace."

Donches said Bethlehem's leaders showed foresight through its history by preserving historic buildings elsewhere in the city, giving Bethlehem a unique character.

Historic Bethlehem Partnership Executive Director Charlene Donchez Mowers said Bethlehem landmarks like Main Street's Sun Inn and Goundie House were targeted for demolition in the 1970s before preservationists intervened.

Mowers said that between the Moravian 18th-century industrial complex along Monocacy Creek and the Steel complex, Bethlehem would be the country's only standing monument to three centuries of American industry.

Susan Shear, executive director of the statewide nonprofit Preservation Pennsylvania, said the Steel site "has the potential to be a world-class heritage tourism venue that will reinvigorate the local economy."

In August, Preservation Pennsylvania put the Steel's property in South Bethlehem at the top of its yearly "Pennsylvania at Risk" list.

Adrian Scott Fine, director of the Philadelphia office of the National Trust for Historic Preservation, said Steel's plant is prominently featured in his organization's current campaign to raise money for historic preservation.

The part of the Steel plant in question is more than 100 acres that includes some buildings dating to the 1860s. Some structures, like the Steel's signature 1906 blast furnaces, are the last of their kind anywhere, according to Donches.

Donches is encouraging local preservationists to write to elected officials and to International Steel Group, the Cleveland-based owner of the former Steel land, to keep part of the Steel site known as Bethlehem Works from getting bulldozed.

ISG bought the remaining assets of Bethlehem Steel in May and is negotiating to sell more than 100 acres of Steel land comprising the blast furnaces and other historic buildings to real estate investor Delaware Valley Real Estate Investment Fund.

Donches wants to preserve and use the 450,000-square-foot No. 2 Machine Shop on the site to house industrial artifacts from throughout the country. So far, the museum has raised about $11 million toward a $15 million Exposition Center in the only building it owns, the former electrical shop.

Donches wants to preserve many standing, historic buildings on the site where iron and steel began being forged 150 years ago.

Donches said the museum's board will soon launch a fund-raiser to get all the money needed for building the Exposition Center by next year.

Donches said the Exposition Center's opening will re-energize people to the potential of the Bethlehem Works site.

Museum officials also want to save the cavernous No. 2 shop for a $240 million renovation to house massive industrial artifacts, but Delaware Valley has said it can't promise to keep all the historic buildings if they interfere with development opportunities.

Donches said he has met with Delaware Valley recently, and is pleased with their plans to save "as much of the history as possible."

Mayor Jim Delgrosso said he too is encouraged by Delaware Valley's commitment to historic preservation.

Delgrosso pointed out the city has spent more than $13 million for infrastructure improvements to the site. Steel I-beam park benches and historic streetlights adorn the unused First Street, where the news conference was held.

About 25 people attended the event -- which was hampered by rain and cold -- including Mayor-Elect John Callahan and several South Side activists.

Also in attendance was Curtis "Hank" Barnette, the former chairman of Bethlehem Steel who was in charge when the company launched redevelopment efforts in 1995.

Barnette said afterward that "patience and vision" will be needed for the site. Barnette said he always expected the site to take up to 20 years to become fully developed.

Reporter Gregg W. Bortz can be reached at 610-867-5000 or by e-mail at gbortz@express-times.com