History
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The Banana Factory was founded in 1998 “to kindle, support and celebrate the artistic, cultural and creative spirit of the Lehigh Valley.”
The art center offers two contemporary galleries, 27 studio artists, five art classrooms and the Gallery Shoppe, a unique gift shop. In addition, its educational outreach touches the lives of thousands of young people and adults each year.
Offices for ArtsQuest, the nonprofit that operates the facility, rehearsal studios for the Pennsylvania Youth Theatre and the facilities of the Bethlehem Area Vocational-Technical School’s Academy for Video and Media Arts are also located there.
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So, how did you get that name?
While the Banana Factory is only ten years old, the building has a very rich history.
The Banana Factory today consists of several adjoining buildings that have housed an assortment of businesses over the last century – including a banana wholesale warehouse.
The art center took its name from the fact that the site was owned in the 1960s by D. Theodoredis & Sons Inc., which processed, distributed and sold bananas throughout the northeastern United States. Large shipments of the fruit would arrive by rail and truck from South America and were brought here for storage and shipment.
At other times, the block between Second and Third streets, and Northampton and Plymouth streets, was home to a garment manufacturer, a moving company, auto parts store and an automobile dealership. The original building on the site was the Lehigh Valley Hotel, which was built in 1860 and stood on the site for a century. |
An inspired vision is born:
In the early 1990s, the board of directors of the former Bethlehem Musikfest Association (now ArtsQuest), a Lehigh Valley-based nonprofit arts organization, held discussions on how it could branch out in the area of the visual arts. Founded in 1984, BMA annually presented Musikfest in August and Christkindlmarkt Bethlehem during the holiday season. Proceeds from the two would support the new venture.
Led by founder and president Jeff Parks, the board commissioned several studies to assess community needs and best determine a location for a community art center that could educate, present gallery shows and house studio space for established and emerging regional artists.
Parks and others traveled south for a model. Inspired by the Torpedo Factory and its programs in Alexandria, Va., a Lehigh Valley version for the arts facility was born. Several locations were considered, but, ultimately, the board was led in 1996 to a vacant banana warehouse on Bethlehem’s SouthSide. With its promise of future redevelopment, affordable real estate and a budding arts community, the southern side of the city appeared a perfect locale. |
Mosaic-tiled doors are opened:
Many generous donors committed to the mission. Construction took 14 months and was not without its challenges, as the cost to remove the 8-foot-wide banana bins alone was approximately $200,000. But work was completed and the dynamic and exciting new facility was dedicated on a cold January afternoon in 1998.
The program needs soon outgrew the space, so five years ago, an adjacent auto parts store was purchased and an additional 10,000 square feet was added to the Banana Factory.
Today, visitors to the Banana Factory will not spy a single banana on site…..but they will find artists and art lovers -- young and old alike -- who have discovered a perfect oasis for exploring their creative spirit.
The art center welcomes more than 20,000 people a year through its doors, which are a gateway to a wealth of visual arts opportunities. From world-class exhibitions and dynamic hands-on classes, to stellar special events and fun programs for kids, there’s something for everyone within its colorful walls AND through its dedicated outreach in the regional community. |
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