Armando V. Greco Maintenance Facility

October 22, 2013 was a major day in the forty-year history of Lehigh and Northampton Transportation Authority. The dedication of its new $14-million state-of-the-art maintenance facility was crowned by its naming for long-time Executive Director Armando V. Greco.

Named LANta's first executive director in 1977 the young Villanova University engineering graduate laid the groundwork for the formation of the Authority from his position at the Lehigh Valley Planning Commission. Under Greco's leadership LANta has grown significantly both in fleet size as well as ridership. Since 1997 ridership has risen by more than 70 percent.

In remarks at the dedication board chairman Timothy Brady noted Greco's leadership role in many capital improvement programs  "that not only improved the physical assets of the Authority, but replaced the fleet twice during his tenure, all of which ensured the very best travel experience for our riders." 

"Over the decades," Brady added, "Armand has also been leader in the development of major transportation Centers in Allentown and Bethlehem, with the new Easton Intermodal Center scheduled to open in 2014."

The newly minted Armando V. Greco Maintenance Facility replaces a structure built in 1953, with parts dating to 1909.  It is three times larger than the original facility and features in-ground self –contained lifts, more space to work between buses, pressure washing steam room for undercarriage cleaning of buses,  tire room and battery rooms, a nearly full-length skylight for better vision,  above ground storage tanks, and additional modern equipment and utilities.

More than one hundred guests attended the dedication including Greco's wife, Jacqueline, their twin daughters and grandchildren, LANta board members, staff,  bus operators and mechanics and other leading members of the Lehigh Valley community.            

Greco was also cited by Lehigh Valley Congressmen Charlie Dent "for his untiring dedication to the riding public in this great community" and State Senator Pat Browne provided a resolution honoring the LANTA Executive.

In his own remarks, Greco thanked the board for "an honor that is rightly shared by hundreds of LANta employees who over these many years helped make this the quality organization that it is."  Greco stated that he "accepted this honor on behalf of the hundreds of employees over the decades, who were responsible for LANTA's successes."

       

At the conclusion of the dedication a large bronze plaque was unveiled. It will be affixed to an exterior wall where the executive offices meet the new Armando V.  Greco Maintenance Facility.