Bethlehem Club Building Renovated for Business

Curtis H. “Hank” Barnette joined the tour of the former Bethlehem Steel
executive’s social club at 520 North New Street in Bethlehem with few
noticing who he was.

The three-story building opened in 1909 and held decades of parties and
enjoyment for steel executives and new hires. After closing in 2007, it
officially reopened on June 7 as a $2.3 million project for

Barnett, who was chairman and chief executive on Bethlehem Steel from 1992
until 2000 and instrumental in the revival of the former plant property,
seemed to enjoy the tour and Glemser’s renovations of the 18,000 square
foot building that included $60,000 in city-financed façade and $2,800 in
signage.

But he couldn‘t help saying, with a sparkle in his eyes: “If walls could
talk.’’

Even Bethlehem Mayor John Callahan admitted that Raymond G. Glemser,
president of Glemser, and vice president Andrew J. Glemser, may hear some
old jubilant voices from steel executives or trainees at some time.

“We talk a lot about historic buildings in Bethlehem and while the former
Bethlehem Club may not be the first building that comes to mind, it is
certainly important to the community,’’ Callahan said.

He said the club lost membership as the Steel did.

“When the club closed in 2007 there was much talk about what would happen
to the building and I’m proud to say that Glemser has become an excellent
owner,” the mayor said.

Callahan concluded his visit to the former Bethlehem Club by bowling free
games in the newly restored lanes in the cellar.

“These types of social clubs are a bit of a dying breed,“ the mayor said.

Glemser was founded by the Glemser brothers, grads, at
the Ben Franklin Technology Center in 1987. It grew into 60 West Broad
Street before making the move to N. New Street.

Glemser, a privately held company, designs and implements content
management solutions for life sciences companies, Raymond said.

It provides consulting, implementation and validation services as well as
our own set of software applications.

Its client list includes Aventis, Baxter Pharmaceuticals, Bristol-Meyers
Squibb, IBM, Johnson & Johnson, Pfizer and Roche.

The company doesn’t disclose  employment information, but is “staffed for
50,“ Andrew  said.

“In 1987 we had just graduated from Lehigh,“ Raymond said. “We always
enjoyed the downtown section of Bethlehem, and decided to move our
incubator company here.

“Now we thought this is a wonderful place to be as a social club. We wanted
to renovate the existing building and give it another 100 year life.’’

He credited Portner & Hetke Architects, the Brownstone Design Group and
Pyramid Properties for the renovation work.

Andrew, the vice president, said he remembered looking at the city when
they were working on South Mountain at the incubator.

“You can see it from here,” he said. “But it took almost 25 years go get
here.”