For more than 250 years, Northampton County has been one of the larger and most economically important counties in the Commonwealth. When Northampton became its own county in 1752, it was primarily because the county was strategically located at the confluence of two important rivers (the Delaware and the Lehigh), and, because of that central location, was one of the most important terminals on Pennsylvania’s vital canal system. That canal system brought anthracite coal and iron ore to the emerging iron industry in and around Bethlehem, and transported the various items produced by the county’s small manufacturers to customers throughout New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania. Now, the national museum affiliated with the Lehigh Canal attracts tourists and visitors from all around the Northeast to learn how this dynamic transportation system transformed America.
From about 1850 on, as iron and steel production, and the production of Portland cement, made Northampton County one of the most important industrial centers in America, the county, its two cities, and the rest of this beautiful part of eastern Pennsylvania flourished.
The legacies left behind by industrialists like Packer, Sayre, Fritz, Schwab, and Grace are evident in our colleges and universities, in the institutions, large and small, that they endowed, in the flourishing arts and cultural centers that have made Bethlehem and Easton particularly special places, and in our exceptional parks and recreational resources. Because of steel, Northampton County will always hold a key place in the history of industrial America.
But history, no matter how glorious, mostly creates libraries and museums; it rarely creates any new industrial jobs, and this community, especially with the decline and then the complete fall of Bethlehem Steel, needs new, exciting sectors of employment. Just because the Bethlehem area was once the home of some of the largest industrial buildings in North America means nothing at all for the future of our community. Now, successfully dealing with the remains of “The Steel” is a full-time job for economic development professionals; taking advantage of those “remains” to create a new prosperity for the entire community, young and old, is the challenge that Northampton County’s government leaders and its professional economic development staff are undertaking in the first decades of the 21st century.
The county government’s role in economic development is significant. Under the direction of the nine-member County Council and the County Executive, the staff of the county’s Department of Community and Economic Development is responsible for facilitating the strategic allocation of the county’s resources to encourage business growth, to create and retain employment opportunities, and to improve the quality of life in Northampton County through the support of affordable housing initiatives, the provision of community services, and investment in community and public facilities.
This department provides Northampton County business owners and managers, as well as businesses looking at the community as a place to invest, with significant services and resources, which include:
Legislative Liaison and Public Relations
NCDCED provides a full-range of community and business advocacy services. If you have a project, program, product, or service you want people to know about, NCDCED can help you promote that idea. The same goes for legislative issues with your local, state, or federal government. We can help you get the ear of your legislators!
Financing
Through the Northampton County Industrial Development Authority, Northampton County General Purpose Authority, Northampton County Higher Education Authority, and Northampton County Hospital Authority, NCDCED’s Authority Administrator can arrange for various types of community and economic development financing, as well as providing counsel to local business owners and managers on how to best package available programs.
Project Planning and Consulting
NCDCED’s staff has years of experience in planning community and economic development projects. NCDCED’s experience and its multi-tiered referral network are always available to assist clients with every aspect of the development process.
The Lehigh Valley Land Recycling Initiative
LVLRI is focused on promoting economic development through the reuse of abandoned and underutilized commercial and industrial properties, also known as brownfields.
Partner Organizations
The Northampton County Department of Community and Economic Development works closely with a number of partner organizations in Northampton County and the Lehigh Valley. These partners include:
The Lehigh Valley Economic Development Corporation (LVEDC) serves as the regional, economic development agency. LVEDC provides demographic information, finance and business incentives, site and facility availability, and workforce services. The City of Bethlehem's Office of Economic Development encourages business location and expansion through technical and site selection assistance and financial programs. The Easton Economic Development Corporation (EEDC), in partnership with the City of Easton and the Downtown Manager, assists businesses that need access to financing programs, site selection, and coordination with city and outside agencies. The Lehigh Valley Planning Commission was formed by Lehigh and Northampton counties in 1961 to create a comprehensive plan to guide orderly growth in Lehigh and Northampton counties.
The Lehigh Valley Industrial Park (LVIP) is a community-owned, non-profit economic development corporation that was created in 1959 to take advantage of Northampton County’s exceptional geographic location, and to try to diversify the community’s economic base.
Please refer to the comprehensive listing of economic development organizations listed on the right for detailed contact information.
Organizations
Ben Franklin Technology Partners of Northeastern Pennsylvania
116 Research Drive
Plaza Level
Bethlehem, PA 18015
Phone: 610-758-5200
Email: info@nep.benfranklin.org
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City of Bethlehem
Department Community & Economic Development
10 East Church Street
Bethlehem, PA 18018
Phone: 610-865-7085
Fax: 610-865-7330
Email: econdev@bethlehem-pa.gov
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Easton Area Industrial Land Development Co., Inc. (EAILD)
National Building
400 Northampton Street
Suite 305
Easton, PA 18042
Phone: 610-258-5647
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City of Easton
Department of Community and Economic Development
123 South Third Street
Easton, PA 18042
Phone: 610-250-6719
Fax: 610-250-6789
Email: economicdevelopment@easton-pa.gov
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The Greater Lehigh Valley Chamber of Commerce
840 Hamilton St Suite 205
Allentown, PA 18101
Phone: 610-841-5800
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Discover Lehigh Valley
840 Hamilton Street, Suite 200
Allentown, PA 18101
Phone: 610-882-9200
Check out our blog:
Lehigh Valley InSite
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Lehigh Valley Economic Development Corporation
2158 Avenue C, Suite 200
Bethlehem, PA 18017
Phone: 610-266-6775
Fax: 610-266-7623
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Lehigh Valley Industrial Park, Inc. (LVIP)
1720 Spillman Drive, Suite 150
Bethlehem, PA 18015
Phone: 610-866-4600
Toll Free: 1-800-3600 LVIP (5847)
Fax: 610-867-9154
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Lehigh Valley International Airport
3311 Airport Road
Allentown, PA 18109
Phone: 610-266-6001
Fax: 610-264-0115
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Lehigh Valley Planning Commission
961 Marcon Boulevard, Suite 310
Allentown, PA 18103-9397
Phone: 610-264-4544
Toll Free: 888-627-8808
Fax: 610-264-2616
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Manufacturers Resource Center
Hanover Office Plaza
961 Marcon Blvd., Suite 200
Allentown, PA 18109
Phone: 610-628-4640
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Nazareth-Bath Regional Chamber of Commerce
201 North Main Street
Nazareth, PA 18064
Phone: 610-759-9188
Email: canderson@nazarethchamber.com
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Northampton Community College
Center for Business & Industry
3835 Green Pond Road
Bethlehem, PA 18017
Phone: 610-861-5580
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Northampton County Department of Community & Economic Development
2801 Emrick Blvd., 1st Floor
Bethlehem, PA 18020
Phone: 610-829-6306
Fax: 610-559-3775
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Small Business Development Center of Lehigh University
416 E. 5th Street
Bethlehem, PA 18015
Phone: 610-758-3980
Fax: 610-758-5205
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TeamPA CareerLink Lehigh Valley Center
555 Union Blvd.
Allentown, PA 18109
Phone: 610-437-5627
610-437-0741(TTY)
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