The Waterfront Mixed-Use Development in Allentown

Site Engineering for The Waterfront

Isett served as lead civil engineer and landscape architect of record for the 29-acre land development, working alongside numerous architects and the construction manager for the project owner. The first of 12 proposed buildings to occupy The Waterfront – 615 Waterfront, named the Mohrbank building (pictured) – is a six-story, 131,000 SF building that includes five floors of commercial office space and first-floor retail/restaurant space. Occupancy began for 615 Waterfront in 2022 with the entire 12-building development estimated to be completed over the next 8 years.

With the new development, a previously inaccessible area of the riverfront will be available to nearby residents and visitors. Beyond the buildings slated for the site, the project also includes the River Walk, a paved trail surrounded by public gathering spaces and highlighted by the River Theatre outdoor amphitheater. Isett’s Landscape Architecture department led the design of the River Walk and outdoor public gathering spaces.

Isett’s Grantsmanship department secured two grants for the project including a DCED Multimodal Transportation Fund grant and a PennDOT Multimodal Transportation Fund grant for a combined $3.28 million. These grants funded the first phase of Riverside Drive, a new 3 ½ mile multimodal project that opened in May of this 2022. Isett’s Transportation Engineering department led the preliminary design for the new corridor, which will span from the City of Allentown through Whitehall Township when complete and create a critical extension of the D&L Trail.