Allentown zoning board approves RCI Village Properties' community center at 16th and Chiu with code conditions

The Allentown Zoning Hearing Board on Nov. 17 approved a special exception allowing RCI Village Properties, an affiliate of Ripple Community Inc., to operate a community center at 1539–1551 West Chiu Street, subject to standardized construction and operating conditions. The board’s action followed a legal and procedural history that culminated in a change to the city’s zoning definition of "community center."

Attorney Eric Schott, representing the applicant, told the board the application is the same as the plan previously approved in part in May 2024 and that the only outstanding issue was the community‑center use. He said the Lehigh County Court of Common Pleas decision dated Oct. 24, 2024, had faulted the board only for a restriction on meal service, and that City Council later amended the zoning definition on July 2, 2025, to remove the senior‑only meal restriction. "Now that that has been removed, I believe…