Still Looking for You

The Armory was built in 1930, in Art Deco style. It has been unoccupied since 2010, and has been the subject of redevelopment studies, generally for residential uses. The building was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1991. 

If a neighbor hadn’t seen smoke pouring from 433 Vine Street, fire may have claimed the Iampietro family and their home. John Iampietro remembers the source of the fire – a cigar butt a boarder had left in his coat pocket for later. While the family slept, the coat closet caught fire and smoke began pouring from the house. Fortunately, help wasn’t too far away; the Liberty Fire Company, located across street from the Iampietro home, was ready to respond to the fire.

The Garcia family moved from Columbia Street to this West Bethlehem home. Jesus Garcia worked for 30 years at the blast furnaces at Bethlehem Steel.  Between Jesus and his children, the family contributed 207 1/2 years of service to Bethlehem Steel. The years of service of his children are: Mariano, 44 years in the Coke Works; Charlie, 38 years in No. 6 and No. 9 Machine Shops; Vince, 39 years in Weldman Shop and No. 2 Machine Shop; Rosie, 2.5 years in the Corporate Office; Rudy, 48 years at the Sintering Plant; Rueben, 3 years in the Rolling Mills.

The former home of Bethlehem Steel Company President Eugene Grace, the property is now Holy Family Manor.

Molly`s Irish Grille and Sports Pub is located on the corner of 4<sup>th</sup> and New Street and has been located at the same building that houses Campus Pizza and Pantry 1 convenience store since 2010. The corner of the building at New and E. 4<sup>th</sup> Streets has been a bar since the 1980`s, starting off as Bridgeworks Irish Pub and Grille then switching to Lehigh Pub in 2009.

Hill to Hill Bridge with Hotel Bethlehem in background
Looking north, c.1915-1930
Courtesy of Lehigh University Special Collections, LUPC LUPC0216

The original McCrory’s building is located on the busy northeast corner of New and 3^rd Street, and is now a storefront that encompasses five separate businesses from 3 East 3^rd Street to 11 East 3^rd Street.  The large, ornately-carved stone structure was built in 1924, primarily to house a franchise of J.G. McCrory’s in its western half.  McCrory’s was a five and dime store chain that operated across the United States for decades, and it was a welcome addition to South Bethlehem’s commercial district.

New York City Village Pizza, a popular Italian and Mediterranean restaurant, currently operates at 129 West 4^th Street next to the post office. This restaurant is relatively new, opening up in mid-2016. Before it opened, the store front was home to Play It Again music store. Play It Again offered a wide variety of records, CDs, and DVDs and originated in January 1981 with a store in Allentown.

The Vivarium at Williams Hall

Rudolf (Rudy) C. Garcia was born here in 1933 to Jesus and Petra Garcia.  Rudy is one of 9 brothers and sisters.  Rudy's father came from Mexico to work at Bethlehem Steel, where he was employed 30 years at the blast furnace.  Rudy and six of his siblings worked at Bethlehem Steel.