Economy of Allentown, Pennsylvania
Allentown, Pennsylvania is the home of several companies, such as Air Products & Chemicals, PPL, Norfolk Southern Railway and others. The largest employer in the Lehigh Valley is Lehigh Valley Hospital with almost 8,000 employees.
Mack Trucks relocated their headquarters from Allentown to Greensboro, North Carolina in 2009, eliminating over 600 jobs.
The city formerly relied on manufacturing for its economy. Steel plants have since closed, and manufacturing is no longer a main part of the economy.
Tourism and activities
The new PPL Center stadium with the Lehigh Valley Phantoms hockey team has reinvigorated the downtown area for tourists and locals. New restaurants and shops have opened creating a pleasant walking neighborhood. Previously established attractions include the Allentown Art Museum and the Baum School of Art.
Throughout the rest of the Lehigh Valley, other attractions include the Moravian Book Shop, Historic Hotel Bethlehem, and Steel Stacks from the old steel factory in Bethlehem. The Crayola Factory is located in Easton and Lost River Caverns is located in Hellertown. Many universities attract scholars and academics from all over the country.
Shopping
The flagship store of Hess's was a 5-story department store in Center City, until its closure in 1994. Since then, the Hamilton Street shopping area has not flourished. The MacArthur Road/7th Street corridor in Whitehall has become the main shopping area. This area includes many stores, along with two malls, Lehigh Valley Mall and Whitehall Mall. These two malls together have 5 major department stores.
Another mall in Allentown is the South Mall on Lehigh Street. It hosts Bon-Ton, Stein Mart, Petco, Staples, and Gold's Gym.
The Promenade Shops at Saucon Valley is an outdoor shopping mall with more upscale stores and restaurants. It is located south of the city.
Companies & Corporations
The following is a list of corporations based in Allentown and the surrounding area:
- Air Products & Chemicals
- Buckeye Partners (Breinigsville)
- Crayola (Easton)
- Just Born (Bethlehem)
- Lehigh Valley Hospital
- The Morning Call
- Olympus (US headquarters) (Center Valley)
- PPL
- Rodale (Emmaus)
- Norfolk Southern Railway
Former corporations
The following is a list of companies formerly headquartered in Allentown and the surrounding area:
Top employers
According to Allentown's 2009 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report,[1] the top employers in the city are:
| # | Employer | # of Employees |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Allentown School District | 2,946 |
| 2 | PPL | 1,888 |
| 3 | Lehigh County | 1,815 |
| 4 | Commonwealth of Pennsylvania | 1,507 |
| 5 | Allied Personnel Services | 1,415 |
| 6 | City of Allentown | 1,274 |
| 7 | Sacred Heart Hospital | 1,225 |
| 8 | Lehigh Valley Hospital | 1,085 |
| 9 | St. Luke's Hospital | 1,049 |
| 10 | The Performance Group | 1,019 |