Jaindl Properties Purchases 1516 W Court Street

Following Their Acquisition Of 1519 W. Hamilton Street In 2011, Jaindl Properties Reunites The Historic Shimer Estate After More Than Three Decades.

Jaindl Properties has purchased 1516 W. Court Street, the former Carriage House to the adjacent Shimer home. The main house, located at 1519 W. Hamilton Street, was acquired by Jaindl Properties in 2011 and fully restored to its early 1900’s grandeur. The newly acquired 1516 W. Court Street will undergo the same extensive renovation and will once again be reunited with the main house to preserve the historic nature of one of Hamilton Street’s most iconic residences.

“Allentown is in the midst of a truly amazing transformation right now, and a lot of the attention is on the Neighborhood Improvement Zone projects. It’s important to recognize, however, that remarkable instances of architecture exist outside the zone. By preserving such architecture and finding alternative uses to accommodate today’s demand we can promote smart urban growth in areas outside the NIZ.”

Mark W. Jaindl President | CEO

The Carriage House will be fully renovated and restored, introducing 4,000 square feet of new office space along the Hamilton Street corridor, in Allentown, to compliment the adjacent 11,000 square feet of Class A office.

Alexander Shimer, a founding member of Lehigh Portland Cement, built his estate circa 1907 with every extravagance of the Victorian era. In 1925, the estate was sold to Fred B. Gernerd, a local attorney turned politician. After his death in 1947, Gernerd’s wife, May, occupied the first floor of the home, while the rest was renovated into apartments. In 1979 May Gernerd moved solely into the Carriage House and the property became divided. Prior to being purchased by Jaindl Properties in 2011 the main home remained empty and fell into distress while the Carriage House was converted into two apartments.

Jaindl Properties was formed in 2011 by Mark W. Jaindl and his son, Zachary J. Jaindl. Since it’s inception, it has focused on the preservation of historic properties and sites while promoting smart urban growth and development. Jaindl Properties is a lead developer on The Waterfront project along the western banks of the Lehigh River and has restored properties such as the Lehigh Valley Trust Building at 7th and Hamilton Streets and it’s headquarters at 1519 W. Hamilton Street.