Shown above are former customers with a former merchant, in a former store, in a former building on Hamilton Street. They are all gone now, replaced by a hole and lawsuits. When I first starting blogging about the arena, over a year ago, there wasn't too much interest. I wrote about fairness, level playing fields and the years those merchants had invested in Hamilton Street. They pleaded to no avail with the Administration and City Council; They even had a meeting with Pat Browne. They are an industrious people, and landed on their feet. I cannot say the same for Allentown. If it was greed or arrogance, apparently the Reilly/Pawlowski/Browne cartel reached for a little too much. Townships have joined townships defending their tax-base against the EIT grab. Developers outside of the NIZ will now also legally assert themselves to remain competitive. As Pennsylvania cuts back on services, local representatives will have to explain their vote for HOCKEY-GATE. As the bonds are delayed, if not cancelled, a local banker and bank will have to hope for repayment. J.B. Reilly is now sitting on a square block of inter-city apartments, not the clientele he envisioned. One thing is for certain, if the project gets back on track, the pot will not be as sweet as the big boys hoped, nor should it.
April 16, 2011 Involuntary Conversion
April 19, 2011 Late, and Maybe Wrong
April 19, 2011 Hailstorm at City Hall
May13, 2011 Hardball for Hockey
May 17,2011 A Quick Learner
May 18.2011 Another Day, Another Battle
May 19,2011 The Night Hamilton Street Died
May 21,2011 Pawlowski's Sham
May 24,2011 A Better Arena Site
May 27,2011 Exaggerating the Arena
May 30,2011 Stealing Allentown's Treasures
June 2,2011 Ripping Out Downtown's Heart
June 3,2011 Open Letter to Lee Butz
June 8,2011 Moving the Gooks
June 8,2011 Molovinsky Takes Aim
June 15,2011 Asians Offered Rickshaw Concession
June 17,2011 Step Right Up, Prize Every Time
June 28,2011 Arena Shell Game
July 7,2011 Raw Cookie Dough
July 14,2011 Allentown's Double Standard
Aug. 25,2011New Twist to Arena Dance
Aug. 26,2011Arena Gets Press Pass
Sept. 8,2011 Allentown's Future
Sept.11,2011 The End of the End
Sept.15,2011 Who Needs Shopping
Sept.20,2011 Allentown's Malaise
Sept.21,2011 Your Esteemed Opinion
Oct. 3, 2011 Korean on Mayor's Menu
Oct. 6,2011 Allentown's Tea Leaves
Oct.11,2011 Unhappy Campers
Oct.14,2011 The Morning Call Forgets The Meat
Oct.20,2011 Who Thinks You're Dumber
Oct.23,2011 Future Downtown Arena Attendee
Oct.27,2011 Allentown Picks Winner, Then Announces Contest Rules
Oct.31,2011 Gentrification Day in Allentown
Nov.3,2011 Pawlowski's Palace of Sport
Nov.5,2011 Secrets From The Shadow
Nov.14,2011Public Arena Meetings
Nov.20,2011Selling The Arena
Nov.30,2011Arena Dooms Old Allentown
More Hockey Arena Posts from the molovinsky on allentown archives will be added later in the week
Buying a hockey arena when economic condtions are so tough makes no sense.
ReplyDeleteHow much money has KNBT sunk into this project so far - just the $20 million Reilly got as walking around money?
there is also $35 million acquisition and demolition and I believe $10 million more is pending to keep the site preparation going. there may also be another bank involved.
ReplyDeleteThis whole fiasco is insulting and totally disrespectful of long term residents (40 or more years), and native born Allentownians alike. Destroying historical architecture in the name of so called progress.
ReplyDeleteThis Joker in City Hall has only been using Allentown to "feather his political nest" and move on to higher office to rape and plunder the rest of Pa......
(40 or more years)
ReplyDelete-
25 years doesn't count?
You can't be too much more disgusted than I am.
ArtsQuest lost $700,000 last year......
ReplyDelete2 + 2 = 4. Always has and always will. Greed may lead to one large institution loosing it's tax free status. Can not serve the poor through sports medicine. Think the IRS won' t notice? This is what happens when a politician thinks he / she is a God and others are too weak to stand up to him / her and execute basic due dilligence. The citizens of Allentown voted this character in. They should not complain!
ReplyDelete@8:23, I'm disappointed in LVHN. the sports medicine location, at the arena, certainly seems to have a political component, beyond being an incredibility inconvenient location for patients. the community would be better off if the hospital made more of a commitment to their 17th and Chew St. location.
ReplyDeleteHospitals like to posture as something they are not and claim not to be what they are. Both hospitals and insurance companies are two of the primary reasons health care costs are so high. They, the hospitals, seem to fail to appreciate the impact the floundering economy will have on their profitability. The division of classes economically will cut into their bottom line. Failure to recognize this reality will be their undoing. They cannot see themselves as anything but big business when they claim they are not. The circumstances underlying this whole arena issue is proof their sports medicine decision is an act of business not compassion and concern for a community lacking access to care. All hospitals are extremely political animals. They very quietly but purposefully ally themselves with the majority party always keeping the minority party on a tight leash.
ReplyDeleteAnonymous 25 years,
ReplyDeleteOne year or a life time, If you love Allentown as much as Michael and I do. The whole mess is disgusting.
Those in power, both in private and public sectors have lost their ethics, and we in turn are losing our Heritage....
"The citizens of Allentown voted this character in. They should not complain!"
ReplyDeleteThat is absolute crap!
Although I would never vote for Pud and his ilk, even if I had,
that fact does NOT prohibit protest, anger and disgust at behavior unbecoming elected officers.
You get what you deserve is BS.
These elected officers are representatives.
When they cease to behave in the manner expected by voters, protest is mandatory.
Mike, two things: 1, you hit the nail on the head, with this post and the issue, thanks for staying on it. 2, it may be the hospital got $5/foot and it has nothing to do with the poor?
ReplyDelete$5.00 a square foot could go a long way in providing much needed clinic space closer to the population with access to care issues.
ReplyDeleteWould that be an appropriate use of the space, or does it not fit in to the grand plan?
Perhaps then there is a strategic initiative in place that excludes certain classes of Allentown's population.
Please tell us more!