1170 8th Avenue Bethlehem, PA

(Click to see full size picture)

              1972-2019

The Greatest Building in the Lehigh Valley

​​Martin Tower 

Martin Tower was once the world headquarters for Bethlehem Steel. Bethlehem Steel was the second largest steel company in the world for many years. Martin Tower was constructed from 1969 until it was opened in 1972. The dedication for Martin Tower was on January 27th, 1973. The building had 21 floors of office space, and each floor was a different department. It had a cozy and lavish interior, and the building had 8 corners instead of 4, to provide more corner offices with a beautiful view. It was the tallest building in the Lehigh Valley, standing at 332 feet. 

Over the next 20 years, Bethlehem Steel's sales declined and many were laid off. In the 1980s and 1990s, space inside the Tower was being leased out to other companies. These companies included Union Pacific Railroad, Dunn & Bradstreet, and a lawyers office to name a few. Bethlehem Steel left the Tower in 2003. 

In 2006, Martin Tower was bought by developers Lewis Ronca and Norton Herrick. They had stated their intent to redevelop Martin Tower into condominiums. The last tenant left the Tower in 2007, whom was Receivable Management Services.

Over the next several years, Martin Tower sat vacant. In 2010, the building was put onto the National Register Of Historic Places. The question was first raised in 2013 if it would be easier to take down the building instead of renovate it. The building had asbestos inside, as well as it needed a sprinkler system put into all the floors. In December 2013, the city of Bethlehem, PA was awarded a CRIZ, which many thought would help the developers renovate Martin Tower. 

In 2015, the zoning for the Martin Tower land was changed. Originally the Tower was protected from demolition. In 2015 however, the zoning was changed and it took the Tower off from being protected. In early 2017, it was announced that Martin Tower would have asbestos removal and interior demolition done. For the next two years, that work was done on the Tower.

On January 28th, 2019, it was announced the owners would demolish Martin Tower. It was not yet stated at the time how it would be done, and no dates were set. On March 7, 2019, it was announced they would implode Martin Tower instead of dismantling it. The date set for the implosion is Sunday, May 19, 2019.

Bethlehem, PA is losing a true treasure in the city. Many saw Martin Tower as historic, beautiful and even a landmark to guide them home. It holds a lot of memories and emotions for the residents of the community.