Zoners to Consider Treatment Center at Silk Mill

Yet another of developer Abraham Atiyeh’s controversial development plans has landed on the schedule of the city Zoning Hearing Board.

The board has scheduled a special hearing next week to consider Atiyeh’s proposal to turn the old Bethlehem Silk Mill at 238 W. Goepp St. into a 100-bed inpatient voluntary drug treatment center. The building is currently at least partially .

Atiyeh is requesting a special exception from the board, which will convene at in Town Hall at 6 p.m. on May 9.

In the meantime, City Council voted 6-1 Tuesday night to commit its own resources to opposing this plan and two other Atiyeh proposals for treatment facilities in Bethlehem, according to The Express Times.

Council has stepped in before to oppose Atiyeh’s plans to convert the former into a treatment center. The Zoning Hearing Board did reject the proposal, though Atiyeh has appealed it to court.

The newspaper also reported that council introduced a new bill that would outlaw the development of rehabilitation centers within 1,000 feet of schools, playgrounds, public parks, day care centers and colleges. A council hearing on that proposal is scheduled in June.

The Zoning Hearing Board had been scheduled to hear the other two proposals – at the former Moose & Bug Flower Shop, 2349 Linden St. and another on the corner of Center and Dewberry streets – on Monday, but Atiyeh asked for a continuance on those applications for at least another four weeks.