Lehigh University Housing (Bethlehem, Polk, South Bethlehem: apartment, crime, houses)

[LongTrail23]

I have a sister at LU who is looking at a place on Polk between 3rd and 4th. Any info on this area or concerns about safety? Is it close to nightlife and other students? I am not familiar with the area around the university as I live out of state and have not been able to visit yet.

Thanks for the help!

[toobusytoday]

It looks about as good as I would expect for South Bethlehem. This crime map may help: CrimeMapping.com - National Map

[LongTrail23]

Thanks. Much of it looks like typical urban college type crimes. Do you know if that area is primarily students?

[toobusytoday]

I think that's a very mixed neighborhood, but someone else that knows Bethlehem better may correct me.

[PacoMartin]

Originally Posted by LongTrail23

I have a sister at LU who is looking at a place on Polk between 3rd and 4th. Any info on this area or concerns about safety? Is it close to nightlife and other students? I am not familiar with the area around the university as I live out of state and have not been able to visit yet.

Thanks for the help!

My grandfather bought a store on 3rd street about 50 yards from Polk in 1928 , so my father and aunt's and uncles grew up there. I remember 4th and Polk as the place where you could get live chickens for dinner.

Most of the houses are a hundred years old. It's a very Latino neighborhood today. There is a new (2005) shopping center called 3rd and Polk with an italian restaurant called Molinari's

The old train tracks has become a public park called The Greenway which crosses Polk between 3rd and 4th. While this makes for a nice walk/bike way during the day, it also means you will have foot traffic at night.

There is a new theatre on 4th street called Touchstone . I would say standard urban safety procedures should be sufficient. It is not a known drug trafficking area, but I would want someone to know my sister is walking around at night to make sure she is OK.

[PacoMartin]

Zoellner Arts Center is about 310 yards due south on Polk street from the buildings.

Keep in mind that there is a men's homeless shelter only a block away that services 100 homeless men over the course of year (not all at one time).

The only homes that I know of with Polk street address between 3rd and 4th are the following very old, fairly large homes, that cost very little money when they were purchased. There are a few homes with railroad street addresses that are nearby that she could be referring to.
#328, 2975 sq feet (6 bdr; 1 ba) 05/28/2002 $100,500
#326, 1120 sq feet (4 bdr; 1 ba) 05/17/2002 $30,000
#330, 1689 sq feet (4 bdr; 1 ba) 01/01/1980 $7,500

It is gritty urban. You have to give more information about if she studies late, walks around alone, or will be frequenting the nearby bars. If she is fairly mature and won't endanger herself by getting drunk and walking home alone I think she will be OK. Of course, if she is immature, then I wouldn't recommend living in the town at all.

[LongTrail23]

Thanks for all the help!

[PacoMartin]

Lehigh University student victim of strong-arm robbery, campus police report | lehighvalleylive.com

I caught this article about a Strong-Arm robbery in April at Polk and the edge of campus. The young woman was not hurt, but she lost her possessions in what might have been frightening.

It is typical of student housing, that the last few hundred yards from campus to your apartment can be hazardous. The school provides escorts but students don't want to wait around for them.