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ATAS International, Alvin H. Butz, and City Center Investment Corporation Invest in New Science Center and Building Community 

July 9, 2022
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Contact: Caroline Scutt, caroline.scutt@davincisciencecenter.org 
 ALLENTOWN, PA. — Three corporations, ATAS International, Inc., Alvin H. Butz, and City Center Investment Corporation, are making a community-minded investment as Presenting Exhibit Sponsors in the new Da Vinci Science Center at PPL Pavilion.   

“We are thrilled that ATAS International, Inc., Alvin H. Butz, and City Center Investment Corporation will be Presenting Exhibit Sponsors in our new downtown Allentown science center. Like us, these corporations believe in the value of investing in their communities. We cannot thank them enough for their generous support,” said Lin Erickson, Executive Director and CEO for Da Vinci Science Center.   

Located in the heart of downtown Allentown, the Da Vinci Science Center at PPL Pavilion is being designed with input from the surrounding community to create an inclusive space where everyone feels welcome. The commitment to community is reinforced by these three corporations as well as by title sponsor PPL Corp., and Lehigh Valley Health Network (LVHN), presenting sponsor of the LVHN My Body Gallery.  “When we open our doors in the spring of 2024, we envision a new science center that reflects the rich diversity of residents and businesses in the surrounding city and greater Lehigh Valley. We want local residents to walk into the new science center and feel a tremendous sense of pride as they immerse themselves in exhibit and program experiences that celebrate their community. The support of these corporate sponsors will help us ensure that happens.” explained Erickson.  

ATAS International, Inc. is the Presenting Exhibit Sponsor of the Science in the Making Gallery, where visitors explore scientific principles and their application in manufacturing processes with a focus on Lehigh Valley companies and career opportunities in manufacturing.  A distinct feature of the gallery will be the ATAS Garage, a maker space which will encourage exploration, creativity and invention, to inspire the next generation of Lehigh Valley innovators. Visitors will be able to tinker, build, or engage in challenges that will hone their problem-solving skills.  ATAS products will also be featured on the exterior and interior of the building.

“We are proud to support a space that will showcase local companies and employees and inspire the workforce of the future,” said Dick Bus, President. “New science center exhibits and educational programs will play a critical role in helping us build the pipeline of workers needed for our region to thrive.”   

Alvin H. Butz, Inc. is the Presenting Sponsor of the Pocono Ravine, a featured exhibit within the Lehigh River Watershed Gallery. Here visitors will be awed by a stunning waterfall and models of stately native trees as they encounter playful North American river otters, charismatic animals that call these areas home. The Pocono Ravine and Lehigh River Watershed Gallery will immerse visitors in the dynamic ecosystem that supplies many benefits to the local community and requires focused protection and stewardship to ensure it continues to thrive.   

“Our family has a history in the Lehigh Valley that dates back to the mid-1800s when we built covered bridges. Today, we manage our construction projects using technology and sustainable building practices. We thrive when the community thrives, and the community thrives when surrounding natural resources are cared for. We are excited to support an exhibit that will connect visitors to the watershed that sustains all of us.” said Greg Butz, President of Alvin H. Butz.  

City Center Investment Corporation is the Presenting Sponsor of the traveling exhibits gallery. Over 9000 square feet (about twice the area of a basketball court) in size, the City Center Gallery will host major blockbuster exhibitions like The Science Behind Pixar or Terracotta Warriors. These exhibits will attract large audiences from within the region and beyond to downtown Allentown and keep visitors coming back repeatedly.   

“City Center is committed to the revitalization of downtown Allentown and to highlighting the rich cultural assets throughout Allentown and the Lehigh Valley. We are proud to partner with the new Da Vinci Science Center and help promote our region as a premiere location to live, work, and play,” explained Jill Meyers, City Center’s Director of Marketing and Community Development. “The City Center Gallery will host high-profile traveling exhibits that will attract new visitors to downtown Allentown and help us show off the incredible assets in the region we call home.”   

In all the Da Vinci Science Center at PPL Pavilion will be three stories with over 30,000 SF of exhibit space, triple the space of its current Cedar Crest facility. The new Science Center will build on its existing reputation as a regional leader in STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, the Arts and Math) education serving, youth, families and schools throughout the greater Lehigh Valley and beyond, as well as a key contributor to the local and regional economy both directly and indirectly by helping to inspire and educate the next generation of engineers, scientists, innovators, and programmers.  The reimagined space will engage visitors through distinct yet interrelated experiences that take inspiration from Leonardo da Vinci’s way of seeing the connections between and the possibilities within everything around him. Visitors of all ages will be immersed in experiences ranging from exploring the inner workings of the human body presented by Lehigh Valley Health Network to the interconnectivity of humans with the natural world and the innovation that exists at the intersection of both. Current plans call for the Da Vinci Science Center at PPL Pavilion to open in spring 2024. To learn more visit www.davincisciencecenter.org.   

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