Master Plan

The goal of the Sands Bethworks Master Plan is to create a model for "Smart Growth" redevelopment of a major brownfield site and to stimulate reinvestment and create new economic opportunities for the south side of the city of Bethlehem. It is now commonly recognized by planners, policy makers, and downtown stakeholders that there is a new commitment to urbanism. The Master Plan for the site is for a variety of preservation and adaptive re-use for the most significant of Bethlehem Steel structures.

The Sands Bethworks commitment to urbanism is reflected in the Phase I retail and entertainment uses shown in the Bethworks Master Plan, as well as future phases. Cultural institutions that are tourist attractions combined housing, service retail, destination retail, and entertainment will ultimately help promote a vibrant city center. Arts Quest, the National Museum of Industrial History, and PBS Channel 39 are examples of such institutions. For more information about Arts Quest, please click here. All are proposed to be housed in a combination of renovated existing buildings - such as the Tool Steel Finishing building and the Electric Furnace - and new construction.

The Sands Bethworks development process and final master plan will be respectful of, and be compatible with, the existing community, businesses, and neighborhoods. Development will provide the community with attractive employment opportunities and be compatible with the community that is tied to the vibrant downtown areas on the north and south sides of the Lehigh River.

The importance of respecting the history of the site by maintaining its unique industrial setting is among the chief goals of the Las Vegas Sands Corp. development team.

Design

The architectural design of the casino is derived from the strong, beautiful buildings that remain on the site. Gabled roofs with clerestories and light monitors, lightweight steel trusses, steel frames with brick infill, concrete from loft buildings, and corrugated metal sheathing all provide a rich palette of materials from which to draw.

The design of the casino, hotel, and retail center combines materials and construction in ways that are compatible with the existing buildings and infuse the project with new energy and excitement.

Coordinated dramatic lighting effects in the new building and existing ones will light the site with a glow reminiscent of the glowing furnaces of the plant, circa 1942. The monumental size and drama of the ore crane will be incorporated into the casino design as well, as visitors will drive under it to arrive at a gabled brick and steel porte cochere. Sturdy exposed skeletal steel, red brick, backlit perforated metal screens, and soaring transparent glass monitors will take their place among the neighboring Machine Shop #2 and the majestic High House, where artillery barrels were cast and tempered.

The Sands Bethworks casino and retail interiors will be compatible with the architecture and industrial heritage on the site as well. Exposed steel trusses and brick walls, wood block floors, and clerestory glazing will be combined with contemporary expressions of steel, masonry, lighting, graphics, and signage. Consistent with Bethlehem Steel's history, the public spaces in the casino and retail center combine authentic and regional elements with a modern aesthetic to form a truly unique destination.