Lower Macungie Township

Farmland Next to Allen Organ Approved for Apartments, Shopping Center and More

All five Lower Macungie Commissioners agreed to amend the commercial district regulations for land next to Allen Organ.

The Lower Macungie Township Board of Commissioners voted unanimously on Thursday to amend commercial district regulations involving the farmland next to Allen Organ, just outside the borough of Macungie. Ordinance 2013-01 allows multi-family apartment dwellings and gas stations as conditional uses to the land which is zoned C-Commercial. The vote was unanimous at 4-0 with Commissioner President Ron Eichenberg abstaining since he is the realtor of record for the property. Eichenberg, who recently announced he will run for re-election did not participate in any discussion, but remained in his seat on the dais for the duration. The ordinance also provides for "...lot area, width, building requirements and additional standards for multi-family…

•  27 Comments
• Photos (1)

Lower Macungie Township

Commissioner President Apologizes for Possible 'Misinterpretation'

Going forward, Ron Eichenberg will remain silent on matters regarding the Remington/Allen Organ property for which he is real estate broker of record.

Lower Macungie Township Commisioners listened to several residents during the public comment portion of the March 1 meeting as they accused Commissioner President Ron Eichenberg of unethical and illegal behavior at the Feb. 16 meeting. Two weeks ago, the board of commissioners voted to refer a rezoning request for the property surrounding the Allen Organ headquarters to the township planning commission.  Eichenberg, a broker for the Frederick Group, is the agent of record for the property. He was accused of making comments that contributed to the "formation and framing" of the motion. He denies this, saying he only called for the vote as he is supposed to do in his role as president of the board. Eichenberg also "afforded no opportunity …

•  7 Comments
• Photos (1)

Bill Thomas

8:49 am on Saturday, March 3, 2012

I'm in JTs corner on this. The candidates for the 134th seat were indeed grandstanding.   more ›

Lower Mac Planners Hear Proposal for Allen Organ Property

Construction could include an apartment complex, stores and a restaurant.

Remington Property Corporation of Ambler, Montgomery County, recently presented a proposal to the Lower Macungie Planning Commission involving development of the Allen Organ property that runs along Route 100. Remington President Jay Beste plans to put a major grocery store, restaurant, bank and a 3- and 4-story apartment complex on 36 acres of property next to and behind Allen Organ between Route 100 and Gehman Road. An additional nine acres of land on the property is unbuildable, but will be incorporated into recreational use. The apartment complex, which will be built about 35 feet from Route 100, includes 180 one- and two-bedroom units, a clubhouse, fitness center, swimming pool, and an esplanade down the middle.  Current plans also …

•  17 Comments
• Photos (1)

Scott Alderfer

12:03 pm on Thursday, September 20, 2012

The Patch reporter also referred to Jim Lancsek as the Lower Macungie Township zoning officer. He is, in fact, the former zoning officer, and is now a current Township Commissioner. And yes, Scott, changing the zoning for this project to mixed use could make it an example for future in-fill projects to be mixed used. But there has to be a concrete cap on residential density to keep mixed use …   more ›