Residents Question Proposed Family Center at Former Moravian Church Site

Mountainview Moravian Church at 331 Constitution Avenue in Hellertown closed in November 2024 after its congregation approved dissolving. The congregation had met in the building for nearly three quarters of a century, and according to one report, the church served as a spiritual center for over 70 years. Dwindling membership played a significant role in the decision to dissolve.

The 1950 church property, which spans more than 7,000 square feet, was listed for sale at $510,000. The listing is managed by Katrina DeVito of BHHS Fox & Roach Bethlehem. The site lies in the borough’s R1 (residential) zoning district and is classified as a non-conforming institutional property because of its historic use. Annual property taxes are approximately $11,500.

One report states that an earlier development proposal for an ice cream shop and event center was rejected by a majority of the borough council, which denied the variances sought by the developers. The report does not give the date of that decision.

A later report describes a new application submitted to the borough Zoning Hearing Board to convert the church into the Mountainview Family Center. According to that report, the plan includes an ice cream shop named Scoops of Joy, an event space, and an addition for community gatherings. The owner, Mountainview Moravian Church Inc., is requesting a parking requirements variance and an interpretation of continued non-conforming use.

Jayne Shinko, a nearby resident, said the business appears to be a for-profit enterprise and that she has seen no state documents indicating non-profit or church affiliation. The report presents this as her observation and does not state whether the owner has responded to it. Questions about how the property and its uses are documented are a matter of honest dealing (Proverbs 11:1).

The borough council is set to consider the appeal on July 16. The outcome will determine whether the former church building can be repurposed for commercial use.