ALLENTOWN, Pa. — A new mural is proposed by City Center Investment Corp., in the heart of downtown Allentown.
The building at 638-642 Hamilton St. owned by Lehigh County houses the Jaindl Enterprises H7 offices and is connected to the Lehigh County Government Center complex at Seventh and Hamilton streets, across from the PPL Center.
The mural will extend 61 feet up from the second floor of the building, showing birds in flight and perching on a plant.
"[Ernesto Maranje] was selected for his fabulous work in flora and fauna, biological evolution, and plant and animal relationships."
City Center's Director of Allentown Mural Arts Jane Heft
It will be painted by Cuban-American artist Ernesto Maranje, City Center's Director of Allentown Mural Arts Jane Heft said in an email.
"Ernesto is an international artist and was selected for his fabulous work in flora and fauna, biological evolution, and plant and animal relationships," Heft wrote.
Heft said Maranje will likely start the mural this October and take about 15 days to complete it.
Commission approval
Lehigh County Commissioners approved a needed easement agreement to install and maintain the mural at their meeting Wednesday night.
"We celebrated the opening of the Da Vinci Science Center last night, and you start to get a feel for the energy that's happening here in the community and how Allentown Seventh and Hamilton has kind of become that focal point for the energy in Lehigh County," Commissioner Geoff Brace said before it was approved.
"So I think this is just going to continue to feed that, and I'm hopeful that we can approve this and hopefully in the early fall, see a mural."
The project joins more than a dozen large murals in the city, with many installations going up in recent years.