The partners behind a new creative space in the Lehigh Valley envision the venue as a “5-star resort for musicians, producers, and engineers.” 
“That’s something we know we can do really well,” said Justen Blackstone, Founder and Vocal Producer at The Foundry Recording Studio in Bethlehem. “We want to go the extra mile and really provide that experience.”
The Foundry opened recently at 1885 W. Market St. It includes three recording studios, two rehearsal rooms, and three production/writing suites, all with state-of-the art studio equipment including microphones, audio mixers, hardware, and speakers. Along with a lounge and other amenities, the facility has about 6,000 square feet of space.
Blackstone and Studio Director and Engineer Jason Wegfahrt both bring deep music backgrounds to the project. They wanted to create a community-focused space that encourages connections, education, and imagination. They are hopeful the studio and the music created there will elevate the Lehigh Valley’s reputation for music production.
“We're determined to transform this region into a nationally acknowledged destination for musical innovation and creative expression,” The Foundry says on its website.
“You can only do so much by yourself,” Blackstone said. “We’re trying to bring back that spirit of community and collaboration.”
“The Lehigh Valley has so much talent,” Wegfahrt said. “The energy that will come from connection and collaboration in this place is going to be pretty cool.”
The region already has a powerful reputation in the music world. It is the home of Musikfest, the largest ungated music festival in the U.S. Held every August, the festival typically draws more than 1 million people to see more than 500 performances over 10 days. Musikfest 2025 just wrapped up with a record turnout of 1.4 million.
The Foundry tapped that energy at an open house on July 28, just prior to the festival. They expected to host about 150 visitors – nearly 400 showed up.
“We've reached out to all the bands at Musikfest, and some have already toured our facility, others are going to come back to the area and check us out,” Wegfahrt said.
The Foundry hopes to build relationships with the music programs at Lehigh Valley’s colleges and universities.
Music and video production are among the types of creative services that Lehigh Valley Economic Development Corporation (LVEDC) is targeting for growth in the organization’s recently adopted strategic plan for 2025-2027.
The performing arts are essential to the Lehigh Valley’s quality of life, which is attracting people here and providing the talent to fuel the growing economy and expand the workforce.
“The Lehigh Valley’s creative energy is one of our greatest strengths, and ventures like The Foundry showcase exactly what our region can offer. As part of our new Strategic Plan, which targets professional and creative services like The Foundry, we’re capitalizing on our skilled workforce, exceptional infrastructure, and thriving arts community to make the Valley a hub for innovation and artistic expression,” said Kristin Cahayla-Hoffman, Vice President of Business Development and Attraction at LVEDC.
Blackstone has a bachelor’s degree in piano performance and a master’s degree in voice performance and pedagogy from Westminster Choir College. He has worked as an Artist Lecturer at Moravian University and as an Adjunct Voice Instructor at DeSales University. He also has played and sang for many recitals, concerts, and churches in the area.
Wegfahrt was raised in the Lehigh Valley, graduating from the Lehigh Valley Charter High School for the Arts and earning an associate’s degree in music and sound production from Lehigh Carbon Community College. He most recently worked as the Production Director at GRACE Church Bethlehem and has an extensive background recording and producing music.
They named the studio The Foundry in a nod to Lehigh Valley’s legacy of manufacturing, and to illustrate it as a place for creation. A foundry is a workshop where raw metal is heated, poured into molds, and carefully shaped into forms. It’s a process of transformation, taking something formless and refining it into purpose, beauty, and value. The Foundry carries that same spirit into music. Instead of molten metal, they work with raw ideas. Artists bring in inspiration, sparks of melodies, or fragments of lyrics, then together, they cast those ideas into shape—arranging, refining, and polishing until they become finished songs. Just like metalwork, it’s a craft of patience, vision, and artistry. The studio’s logo and design elements in some of the studios are modeled after smokestacks, vents, windows, and other components at the Bethlehem Steel property. 
The Foundry aims to operate in a non-traditional format for recording studios, keeping rates affordable for all types of musicians, producers, and sound engineers, while offering the same quality found in recording hubs such as New York, Los Angeles, and Miami. The studio intends to keep the staff small, supplemented by freelance professionals, while encouraging musicians, engineers, and producers to bring their own teams to create.
“We believe in the musicians, engineers, and producers in Bethlehem. They deserve a world-class facility, that gives them access, community, and education,” Wegfahrt said.
(Photos courtesy of The Foundry Recording Studio)