Officials abruptly postponed a hearing Wednesday night on a plan to build more than 150 apartments in Upper Nazareth Township on the site of the the former Calandra’s Italian Cheese factory.
With a crowd of more than 100 people filling the township meeting room, the zoning hearing board decided to reconvene the meeting in September.
One More Properties LLC, which is part of Bethlehem Township-based Tuskes Homes, applied this year to build 154 rental units on nearly 9 acres at East Lawn Road and Friedensthal Avenue. Angela Strohl, the township’s zoning officer, previously ruled the complex, dubbed Apprise Nazareth, violates the township’s density regulations.
Strohl’s decision led to Wednesday’s meeting, in which the developer sought clarification from the zoning hearing board on how many units are allowed on the lots.
“We believe the ordinance says one thing and the township is arguing something else,” Phil Malitsch, land development director for Tuskes, said shortly after the meeting was postponed 10 minutes after it started.
It’s unclear how many apartments the township would allow on the property. Commercial spaces on the first floor and four apartments could make up one of the units, but Tuskes does not want to include business space, Malitsch said.
“Our belief is the ordinance, when we submitted our plan, did not require that,” he said. “That is the meat and potatoes of our position, that we can do apartments without that restriction.”
The proposed apartment buildings would be near Nazareth Area Middle School, other residences and the Hercules Cement property off the Friedenstahl Avenue side. The school district did not send a representative, but attorney Jim Preston said he is representing the cement company on the matter.
Residents did not speak during the meeting, and zoning board solicitor Steven Goudsouzian said the zoning hearing board can only deal with the ordinance issue.
“Some of you might have concerns about traffic, health or whether this is a good plan or a bad plan, and you are welcome to have those opinions,” Goudsouzian said. “That’s not going to be heard when we have the zoning hearing, because it’s a limited issue as to how the zoning ordinance is interpreted.”
The project must also be taken up by the township planning commission, which would review Tuskes’ land development plan to address such issues. The planning commission postponed action in July due to the zoning matter, Strohl said.
Still, that did not dissuade people who lingered in the meeting room after Wednesday’s brief session to share their views.
Robert and Christine Favocci moved to Upper Nazareth Township about 20 years ago for quality-of-life issues such as open space and a friendly community. They worry a cluster of apartment buildings would bring increased traffic and accidents.
“Progress happens,” Christine Favocci said, “but it’s almost like they’re actively trying to ruin everything that makes this community what it is.”
Malitsch said Tuskes operates several apartment complexes in the region, including in Drums, Luzerne County.
Malitsch said Tuskes has an agreement of sale for the property with the Calandra family, who closed the popular cheese-making factory and retail business in 2020 after more than seven decades in the township. He said plans call for tearing down the brick Calandra’s building that sits on East Lawn Road, because it would not be possible to “sensibly integrate” the building into the concept.
Next up
Officials have scheduled the next meeting for 6:30 p.m. Sept. 18 at a site to be determined.
Zoning board Chair Andrew Bohl said during the meeting that he is recusing himself from participating in a vote because of a “conflict of interest.” He said later it is because he works for an engineering firm that has Tuskes as a client. Alternate member William Whyte will join Vice Chair Keith Haverstock and board member Mark Stewart in casting the upcoming vote.
Contact Morning Call reporter Anthony Salamone at asalamone@mcall.com.
Originally Published: July 29, 2025 at 4:06 PM EDT
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