Martin Tower facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Martin Tower |
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| Former names | Bethlehem Steel Martin Tower |
| General information | |
| Status | Demolished |
| Type | Commercial offices |
| Architectural style | International |
| Location | 1170 8th Avenue Bethlehem, Pennsylvania |
| Coordinates | 40°37′54″N 75°23′40″W / 40.6317°N 75.3944°W |
| Construction started | 1969 |
| Completed | 1972 |
| Closed | 2007 |
| Demolished | May 19, 2019 |
| Owner | Lewis Ronca and Norton Herrick |
| Height | |
| Roof | 101.19 m (332.0 ft) |
| Technical details | |
| Floor count | 21 |
| Floor area | 59,789 m2 (643,560 sq ft) |
| Lifts/elevators | 10 |
| Design and construction | |
| Architect | Haines Lundberg Waehler |
| Developer | Lewis Ronca and Norton Herrick |
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Martin Tower
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| NRHP reference No. | 10000401 |
| Added to NRHP | June 28, 2010 |
Martin Tower was a very tall building in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. It had 21 floors and stood about 101 meters (332 feet) high. For a long time, it was the tallest building in the whole Lehigh Valley area.
This famous building was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2010. It was first built as the main office for a huge company called Bethlehem Steel. Martin Tower was a big part of the city's skyline when it was finished in 1972. However, it stood empty from 2007 until it was taken down on May 19, 2019.
Contents
Building History: Martin Tower's Story
How Martin Tower Was Built
Work on Martin Tower began in 1969, and its main structure was finished quickly. The entire building was completed and opened in 1972. It was named after Edmund F. Martin, who was the chairman of the Bethlehem Steel company at that time.
Bethlehem Steel spent a lot of money to make their new headquarters special. The building was designed in the shape of a cross, not a simple square. This design allowed for more offices with windows and corners. The architect who designed Martin Tower was Haines Lundberg Waehler. The building was constructed by George A. Fuller Construction Co. of New York. This company also built other famous buildings like the Flatiron Building in New York City.
Originally, Bethlehem Steel planned to build a second tower next to Martin Tower. That's why some people used to call it "Martin Towers." An extra building, called an Annex, was built to connect the two towers. But the second tower was never actually built.
Life Inside the Tower
The offices inside Martin Tower were designed by special decorators from New York. They used nice wooden furniture and even had doorknobs with the Bethlehem Steel company logo on them. There were also handwoven carpets.
The building showed how strong the economy was in the Lehigh Valley during the 1970s. This was before the steel industry started to struggle. Martin Tower was a clear sign of Bethlehem Steel's power and importance in making steel. Each of the 21 floors had a different department of the company.
When Martin Tower first opened, Bethlehem Steel was the second largest steel producer in the world. It was also the 14th largest industrial company in America. In 1973, the first full year the tower was used, Bethlehem Steel made a record amount of steel. They also made a huge profit that year.
Why Martin Tower Became Empty
By 1987, Bethlehem Steel had fewer office workers. This meant that Martin Tower became almost empty. The building was then put up for sale, and other companies moved in. In 2001, Bethlehem Steel faced serious financial problems and went out of business. They officially left Martin Tower in 2003.
Some companies stayed in the building for a few more years. But by 2007, the last company moved out. This left Martin Tower completely empty.
Martin Tower: Vacancy and Demolition
Challenges of an Empty Building
After 2007, Martin Tower stood empty for many years. Even though the building was vacant, people still used the parking lots around it for local festivals. There were ideas to turn the building into apartments or condos, with shops and fun areas. But these plans were too difficult because the building had asbestos, a material that is expensive and hard to remove safely. The housing market also crashed, making it harder to find buyers.
The city of Bethlehem tried to get a special status called CRIZ (City Revitalization and Improvement Zone). They hoped this would help pay for fixing up the building. The plan was to remove the asbestos and add a sprinkler system by 2016.
Plans for the Property's Future
In 2015, the mayor of Bethlehem, Robert Donchez, announced plans to change the rules for the Martin Tower property. The old rules mostly allowed homes around the building and protected it from being torn down. After many public meetings, the city approved new rules on December 15, 2015. These new rules allowed for more shops and businesses on the property. They also allowed the owners to tear down Martin Tower if they wanted to.
Some people in the public were worried about these new rules. They feared it would make it too easy to remove the building. Others worried it would create a new shopping area that would compete with existing businesses in the city. Despite these concerns, the City Council approved the new rules.
The Final Decision: Demolition
On January 13, 2017, nearly 10 years after the building became empty, the owners announced that they would start removing the asbestos. They said this would happen whether the building was fixed up or torn down.
In January 2019, the owners shared their final plan. It included tearing down Martin Tower. The building was taken down by a company called Controlled Demolition, Inc. on May 19, 2019. It cost about $575,000 to do. Demolition experts said it was a "textbook implosion," meaning it went perfectly. The entire building, made of 6,500 square feet of concrete and 16,000 tons of steel, fell down in just 16 seconds. Roads and highways nearby were reopened soon after.
