A developer in Palmer Township is proposing to turn a location that was once coveted by seafood enthusiasts into a brand-new restaurant and three smaller shops.
25th Street Plaza, LLC, a division of the New York-based real estate development company Lightstone, has submitted plans to demolish the former Long John Silver's building, which is located at 2463 Nazareth Road. The developer, who also owns the current shopping center, would then construct a brand-new 6,715 square foot strip mall inside of it.
The new restaurant would occupy about 2,425 square feet of the space, with three nearby businesses using the remaining area. A 630-square-foot outside patio seating area is required for the planned restaurant. According to plans, there would be 694 parking spots on the site overall, of which 44 would be needed for the building.
Before 25th Street Plaza, LLC formally appears before the township's Planning Commission, plans may alter, according to Township Deputy Director of Planning Craig Beavers, who spoke to lehighvalleylive.com on Thursday. According to Beavers, no tenants have been found for the project as of yet.
The project area is less than an acre, while the overall commercial center occupies roughly 16 acres. It shares borders with the Palmer Heights area to the west, the Lawnherst community to the north, AutoZone to the south, and Route 22 to the east. Additionally, the mall is located in a busy area with easy access for customers to Routes 22 and 33 as well as Interstate 78.
The Dollar Tree, Petco Pet Supplies, and Grocery Outlet already serve as the main anchors of the 25th Street Plaza shopping mall. McDonald's, WingStop, Adobo Latin Kitchen, and Flaming Crab Cajun Seafood are more dining alternatives. Smaller companies and merchants like Metro PCS, Amara Dental, and H&R Block are also present. Preliminary and final site plan approval are sought for 25th Street Plaza. As the applicant continues to consider feedback from the township's engineer, solicitor, consultants, and employees, planners decided this week to forward a proposal to the Board of Supervisors. Beavers stated.
The study also states that some of the restaurant's parking spots and drive-thru access lane are located in a floodplain. The shopping center's Long John Silver's building has been empty for almost five years. The property's leasing agent, James Balliet Property Group, said that a few other vacant shops are also up for lease right now.
All of the Long John Silver's locations in the Lehigh Valley with their headquarters in Kentucky closed by July 2022. At that time, Bethlehem's 2571 Easton Avenue was the final remaining location. Later, the structure that housed Long John Silver's and a nearby KFC restaurant was demolished to make room for the KFC alone.
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