"It Just Needs a Bit of Love": Building on Allentown's "Good Bones"

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SCL had the chance to chat with Trevor Tormann, Senior Planner for the City of Allentown, who shared his insights on the ongoing planning efforts and the city’s unique potential.

“Allentown has good bones, it just needs a little bit of love,” says Trevor. “When we talk about showing love, zoning change gives it love, investment gives it love. The city has that good foundation to receive this and build from.”

Trevor is enthusiastic about Allentown’s potential. He says what’s needed now are targeted updates and strategic investment – a situation common to many older cities after their historic industries leave town. “It’s all small, older cities like Allentown — it’s Bethlehem, it’s Easton. You have a really good foundation to build on. And every new staff member or community group is adding to the city’s history, which is really cool.”

One of Allentown’s key strengths is the city’s compact, urban, walkable form. “That’s not shared by every neighborhood,” Trevor explains. “So that’s what I would change.”

When you walk through Center City, on Hamilton Street, it’s easy to move around and access amenities nearby; it's built for pedestrians. But in the newer suburban fringe, that connectivity is often missing. Zoning reforms present a real opportunity to spread the best elements of Allentown’s urban design throughout the city, enhancing walkability and increasing density – which are key goals of Zone Allentown.

Allentown Alleys

One particularly key example of the city’s zoning change – and a fascinating expression of the city’s intimacy – is happening within the alleys.

“In Allentown, the alleys are used as a space,” Trevor says. “Instead of a 50-foot distance between you and your neighbor’s house across the street, it’s 12 feet. It's almost like forced intimacy… and although there are some spaces where it might feel like we are on top of each other, it has become this space. It’s almost like this whole other social network off the main grid.”

These alley spaces weren’t formally planned; as Trevor puts it, it’s “a space that happened organically.” During Allentown’s manufacturing boom, before the city adopted its first zoning code, residents built small infill homes along the alleys – referred to colloquially as laneway houses. Although these homes couldn’t be legally rebuilt under the old code, they continue to be lived in.

However, Trevor emphasizes that these spaces are more than just residential. “In Bethlehem, when I was working in the [Department of Community and Economic Development] office and surveying homes, it felt residential,” he recalls. “In Allentown, it has that same residential feel — but also something more. There’s a third space in the alleys, which is so fascinating.”

A key feature of Zone Allentown is that it will allow new construction of these laneway houses by right. An upcoming city council meeting will determine whether these reforms are approved.

Collaborations with the Small Cities Lab

The Small Cities Lab has been fortunate to work closely with the City of Allentown on several initiatives, including a new, test-fit project. Allentown is in the process of rolling out Zone Allentown, a comprehensive zoning update that moves away from a traditional use-based code and is instead focusing on form.

This initiative marks the city’s first full ordinance rewrite since 1948 and is the result of extensive public engagement. The Allentown team held numerous community conversations, public hearings, and two formal review periods.

As part of our partnership, we will test design scenarios under the new code, explore its limits, and recommend revisions during the first amendment period. This collaboration is led by Jennifer Gomez, Trevor Tormann, Melissa Velez, and our team at the Small Cities Lab.

Allentown Rowhouses