Feb 28, 2014

Republican Party Chairman Blasts County Executive Muller

Yesterday, Democrat Tom Muller gave the state of the union address at Coca Cola Park. The Morning Call today provides good coverage of the speech, with measured rebuttals by Republican Commissioner Mike Schware. Bernie O'Hare, who has made Muller his current pol of choice, posts the speech in it's entirety, as if it were the Gettysburg Address. I only broach the subject to bring you Wayne Woodman's comment from his Facebook page.
The man most responsible for creating a hostile environment blames others. The man who is on the record saying he will resolve our deficit (which he helped create) without hiking taxes is upset that our Commissioners passed a resolution asking him to abide by his promise to voters. Mr Muller is a phony....an ally of the status quo cronies from union bosses to developers looking for a handout. He calls our Reform commissioners terrorists for daring to ask questions and propose solutions. I suppose it's easier to lash out than to actually engage in a deliberate and civil debate. Muller is the poster child for what's wrong and taxpayers will pay his tab.
As Samantha Marcus notes in the Morning Call, it's going to be a combative year at Government Center.

Feb 27, 2014

Allentown's Housing Future

Some people read tea-leafs, I read deed transfers. It would be more accurate to say that I study deed transfer. There has only been two weeks in the last 35 years that I failed to scrutinize the list, and those omissions were failed attempts at relaxation. Recently, I mentioned Kenneth Heffentrager and his Tenant Association of Allentown. Kenneth has become a fixture at City Council meetings, complaining about housing and landlords. Kenneth is going to become a very busy boy. For the last several years the deed transfers have been dominated by landlords buying owner occupied houses. Many of these landlords are new to the business, attracted by $25,000, and even cheaper houses in center city. Landlording is tough for experienced operators, and the learning curve is steep. It will take years for the city to identify all the new landlords, and many will walk away when confronted with the realities of their new venture. Although Allentown has a strategy for Hamilton Street, it needs one for the remainder of center city.

Feb 26, 2014

Arena Authority Potty Training Abdouche

According to today's Morning Call, Albert Abdouche must jump through numerous hoops to receive the benefit of NIZ financing for the Americus property. Abdouche proposes a hotel on the lower floors, with apartments on the upper. Although the apartments are feasible, the hotel is not. This blog has previously stated that the new arena hotel will render the Holiday Inn, at 9th Street, to second class status, at best. Who could possibly believe that center city can support three hotels? Apparently, not the NIZ Board, because they have imposed requirements on Abdouche not inflicted upon the other beneficiaries of their financing. While J.B. Reilly was fronted money on his projects, Albert must secure his own financing. It's an enormous building, for which I believe the GodFathers have a plan, but I'm not sure that Abdouche is part of it.

Feb 25, 2014

Depot At Overlook Park


Old timers have noticed that the contractor's building on Hanover Avenue transformed into a community center for Overlook Park. But only the oldest, or train buffs, realized that the building was the freight depot and office for the Lehigh & New England Railroad. Lehigh & New England was formed in 1895, primarily as a coal carrier. The line ran from Allentown to Maybrook, New York.

In 1904 it was acquired by the Lehigh Coal and Navigation Company. The line ceased operation in 1961. Among it's infrastructure were impressive bridges across both the Lehigh and Delaware Rivers, both of which were dismantled. Ironic that a remnant of our industrial era is being utilized by the successor of a public housing project.

reprinted from May26,2012

Feb 24, 2014

The Butchers of Allentown

Those coming here today looking for a story about sloppy civic leadership will be disappointed. This post is literally about butchers, more specifically, some butchers at Allentown Meat Packing Company. A few days ago, while at the Fairground's Farmers Market, I learned that Bobby had passed away. Bobby was the "kid" who worked at my father's meat market on Union Street. Bobby grew up in an orphanage, a hardship which my father respected. One meat cutter that I knew nothing about was Lamont, other than he lived at the WestEnd Hotel. He was a bear of a man, who could carry a beef quarter from the cooler with no effort. I never saw Lamont in the market portion of the shop, he always remained in the back, either in the large cooler or the adjoining cutting room. While my father insisted that people working on the counter change their meat coat and apron several times during the day, no such rule was imposed upon Lamont. Although he would look over the trays of meat before being taken out to the display cases, he never spoke. Last time I spoke to Bobby. he told me that he appreciated that my father had taught him a trade, which he used throughout his life.

Feb 23, 2014

The Painterly Eye

Photographer K Mary Hess combines masterful technique with a landscape painter's aesthetics,  to create hauntingly beautiful images of the Lehigh Valley and it's surrounds.

Feb 21, 2014

Transformational Politicians

When I first started writing about Donny Cunningham years ago, I referred to him as an Eddie Rendell in training pants. Although I don't know how he progressed with those pants, he has picked up the new pol word of the decade, transformational. Donny is now head of the Lehigh Valley Economic Development Corporation, where the first thing he did was fillet the experienced business recruiters when he got the position, to steer the organization into the 21st century. Now, Donny says that if the taxpayers up his budget by 15 times, from $2.5 million to $33 million, that he can do a better job. For that kind of money his agency could do transformational things, and he has the consultant's report to prove it. All this can happen by simply raising the valley's sale tax by one cent on the dollar. Those of little faith should know that this plan almost has Tony Iannelli's approval, It's good to see the region's leaders looking to create a grand vision for economic growth...

Feb 20, 2014

Street Sweeping Tickets Start March 1

Yesterday, was one of those days when the switchboard at molovinsky on allentown lit up all day. Seems as if the Parking Authority was putting flyers on cars notifying them that street sweeping tickets would resume March 1st in district 2, west of 10th Street. For hapless Allentown residents, some of whom are still parking in the hole they carved out, the Authority's enthusiasm was less than appreciated. Allentown has the knack of punishing the good deed of living there. Let up hope that next winter, with the hockey arena opening, that Allentown doesn't receive any snow.

Feb 19, 2014

Steven Ramos Announces His Candidacy For District 22

Steven Ramos announces his candidacy for the newly drawn 22nd State House District.
"I'm running because it's imperative to have a representative that fights for the best interest of our families and our community. My initial priority is focusing on reforming parts of our government that put unnecessary burdens on our families."
Steven attended Trexler Middle School and William Allen High,  before serving 4 years in the Army. He and his wife Josie have been married for eighteen years and have four children. Steven has worked as an Information Technology professional, managing server systems and networks for the past 16 years. He served as Executive Director of the Lehigh County Republican Committee, and has served on various campaigns reaching out to the Hispanic community.  He has continuously helped with the vision of restoring Allentown to a strong vibrant community.
"We have a very unique opportunity to have a new voice fighting for our best interests. I look forward to the campaign ahead and starting to visit our residents in the community to listen to their concerns."
Editor's note: I'm delighted that the new district will have a Republican candidate who happens to be Hispanic, and that Mr. Ramos permitted molovinsky on allentown to make the initial announcement.

UPDATE:   Steven Ramos Website

Feb 18, 2014

The Transfiguration of Allentown

Pawlowski calls it transformative. I then began referring to it as the transformation. However, that word does not do the expectations justice. After all, Pawlowski thought that he could ride this donkey into Harrisburg. Every city in Pennsylvania now wants a version of the magic tax loophole. Although the results still remain to be seen, careers are changing on the expectations. Both Mann and Browne are retiring to lucrative lobbying positions as a result. While this blog reported last year that we now live in Reillyville, and that his lordship purchased almost the entire square block of Walnut Street, the Morning Call reporters have now done a feature on that story. If they can write themselves a ticket out of here with charts and graphs, like some of their predecessors did helped somewhat from my scoops, remains to be seen. Needless to say, the expectations of the arena will exceed the reality, it always does. The nation is littered with urban failures. The only insurance against a white elephant is leaving before it makes it first big mess.

UPDATE: The graphic map prepared by The Morning Call omitted two major Hamilton Street properties obtained by Reilly's City Center, the former Colonial Theater site near 5th Street, and the Gallery On The Mall, in the 900 block. The Call's feature story also failed to mention that Reilly was fronted $20million dollars by the Arena Authority,  which he used to acquire all the properties.

photocredit:molovinsky

Feb 17, 2014

Rumble In The School District

Scott Armstrong, the school director everyone loves to hate, was fouled this morning in a Morning Call ViewPoint, by teacher's union president Debbie Tretter. The paper's editor bent his own rules in allowing Tretter to make personal attacks based on emotionalism, as opposed to facts. It is disappointing when any elected official, let alone a school board director, denigrates those who are less fortunate and votes against housing opportunities. Saying that Armstrong denigrates poor people is simply untrue, and throwing mud against the wall, hoping that some of it sticks. Armstrong voted against bestowing a tax free status upon the Phoenix Mill, in a proposal of turning that commercial space into apartments. There was no claim that the Phoenix Mill would be affordable, on the contrary, it was presented as loft apartments, which would attract very few, if any children. He was joined in that vote by four other school directors, two of whom (Joanne Bauer and CeCe Gerlach) are known as very pro teacher. I believe that it's inappropriate for Tretter to be attacking an elected member of the school board with innuendo, and inconsistent of the newspaper to facilitate it.

UPDATE: The editor defended Tretter's attack on Armstrong by saying that it's "Her opinion."  I have in the past been prevented, by the same editor, from even writing that someone used "propaganda techniques." I was told that such an accusation constitutes a personal attack, which is against their policy. I was to restrict myself to only refuting facts.  It appears that Ms. Tretter was given more more freedom with her opinion.  The editor told me that each piece is evaluated on a case by case basis. He apparently means a person by person basis.  At best, the paper applies it's standards selectively, in an inconsistent manner.

Feb 16, 2014

Life After Pawlowski

Siobhan (Sam) Bennett and Charles F. Thiel have a lot in common, although they will probably oppose each other for mayor of Allentown in 2017. Both believe that public safety and public education are the keys to Allentown's future. Although Allentown may be making significant gains in the bricks and mortar of development, the neighborhoods and school district languish. Both future candidates believe that unless these quality of life issues are addressed, the commercial development alone isn't enough to revitalize Allentown. Bennett is returning to town after being President/CEO of the Woman's Campaign Fund and She Should Run for five years. Both are national organizations housed in Washington, D.C. She was cofounder of the William Allen Construction Company and served on the School District Foundation. Charles F. Thiel was recently appointed to the school board and also serves on the District Foundation.
He is general manager of a local communication and technology company. Both Sam and Charlie will be disappointed with this write-up. I conducted the interviews over the phone, and unbeknown to them, I wasn't writing down their articulate views. They will have over three years to present those polished points to more conventional reporters. Although both are currently Democrats, I believe that they will oppose each other in the general election. While Bennett is married to the Democratic Party, Thiel is flexible enough to run as an independent. Either Sam or Charlie could well serve Allentown.

UPDATE: Bennett is literally married to the Democratic Party, her husband heads the Allentown Committee. Both Bennett and Thiel feel that Pawlowski will not be running for a 4th term, nor would they hesitate to challenge him, if he does. Likewise, neither expressed any concern about Julio Guridy, who also might be a candidate.

UPDATING THE UPDATE: Bennett feels that Allen High's alumni, 60,000 strong, is a tremendous untapped resource to revitalize the school district,  which would help the city with one of it's major negative perceptions.

Feb 14, 2014

Two Tales of One City

I have lived in the City of Allentown since 1978 and the recent snowfall has reminded me that city services are being more efficiently performed now than at any other time in my memory...not perfect, but better. On those very rare occasions when I bother to go downtown, I am starting to see a profoundly different city. Every other Mayor in my lifetime was just trying to re-capture some glorious past which, take it from me, wasn't all that glorious to start with. I think that when it is all said and done, that Mayor Pawlowski will have had as significant impact on Allentown that Caesar Augustus did on Rome or that Napoleon III had on Paris in that he is changing the face of the City I realize this sounds like sucking up on a grand level and perhaps it is but I am trying to offer a lifetime's perspective on a City which historically has underperformed all our expectations.
Todd Larmer

The roads here are a nightmare. Almost every street in the downtown has been posted posted "No Parking" for so long residents are ignoring the warning. Most streets are reduced to a single lane with cars parked in snow bunkers carved out by the locals. Others are buried and have not been moved in weeks. Yet none of our local media outlets are ready to report what an abysmal job the city administration has done. Can't wait for the arena traffic to add to the joy.
Scott Armstrong

Todd lives in the west end, where most cars are parked in garages. The streets are pre-treated before the snow, and plowed fairly quickly. Scott lives on the fringe of center city, by West Park.

UPDATE: Comments on Facebook

   Jean Lambert-  east side of allentown bad
   Michael Hysick-The St. Francis of Assisi neighborhood is real bad
   Benito Cruz Jr.-I could use a run of napalm on my block
   Kenneth Heffentrager- How do you close Green St. 3 days ago to say now to be removed still     
   nothing has been done... Tilghman has been closed to parking for days...
   Bill Stauffer-Several streets are closed in my neighborhood as well...City does not seem to have the
   same level of manpower it had to remove snow that it did prior to the "lease" of our water system
   Michael E. Golden-Where The Hell Are The Snow Plows?? Isn't West Brook Park Part Of Allentown!
                        
photocredit:Emily Robson/The Morning Call/December 8, 2013

Pep Rally at Reillyville

Sometimes the news is more absurd than this distractor could ever fabricate, such was the case Wednesday afternoon. Two hundred invited guests packed into Symphony Hall to the Reilly Institute, to hear a lecture on the future of center city, or I should say City Center. An urbanist author explained how there is a national trend back to living in cities. Although I haven't written a book, nor have I stayed at a Holiday Inn, I know Allentown. Reilly can make them work downtown, but he won't be able to make them live there. There is no reason to live there. You can reach center city from anywhere in the suburbs in ten minutes. Allentown is 20 years away from creating any culture that could compensate for the crime and grime. That will take much more than five new buildings.

Feb 13, 2014

When Allentown Came To A Standstill

Thirty one years ago, almost to the day, Allentown received a record snow storm of over 25 inches, not counting the drifts. It snowed 5 inches an hour on February 11, 1983. At the time I was living by West Park, and joined in the neighborhood effort to dig out West Street. Despite those efforts, occurring all over the city, there was no place to go, and no place to park. If Allentown still has the neighborhood fabric for such efforts is questionable.

photocredit:The Morning Call

Feb 12, 2014

Morning In The Parks

Although I have been profoundly disappointed by the Pawlowski administration and City Council in my efforts to defend our unique park features, I have not allowed that defeat to deprive me of one of the benefits of Allentown, enjoying the beauty of the parks. The winter provides a certain magic in the parks, for those who can cope with the cold. This particular winter requires some discipline, but the rewards are there. Recently, I came within six feet of a Blue Heron, standing still while fishing in a creek.

photocredit:molovinsky

Feb 11, 2014

The Winter of My Discontent

With the forecast of another snowstorm coming Wednesday evening, my memory turns to the winter of 1993-94. I was living on a long corner on Union Street, in Hamilton Park. By this time in 1994, the path from my front door to the sidewalk was like a snow tunnel, with walls over three feet high. The busy intersection had a crossing guard, and it was important that I kept the corner clear, constantly digging through the plow curl from two directions.  The reason I remember that winter wasn't because of my house, but at the time I maintained buildings in center city. My days consisted mostly of salting, chopping and shoveling, one property after another, from one snowstorm after another. Driving my station wagon, filled with 50lb. salt bags, up the alleys was like a kiddie ride at Dorney Park, the ruts would steer the car, no hands were necessary. This post and the previous one are somewhat unusual for me. I have for the most part maintained a privacy wall between my business and my blogging. Tomorrow evening, The Tenant Association of Allentown will complain to City Council about slumlords; I thought that in the interest of balance I would give a glimpse into conscientious landlording. Although the meeting might be cancelled once again because of the snow, Allentown's many good landlords will still be out shoveling the sidewalks.

photocredit:The Morning Call/Dumping snow off the former Tilghman Street Bridge into the Jordan Creek

Feb 9, 2014

They Shoot Landlords, Don't They?

When I ran as a long-shot independent for mayor in 2005, against Ed Pawlowski and Bill Heydt,  the first thing I did was take The  Morning Call reporter on a tour of the properties that I managed.  As an intercity landlord, operating apartments between 4th and 12th, Walnut and Tilghman Streets,  I knew that the rentals would become  Allentown's biggest problem.  After the WW2,  it became fashionable to live in a twin or small ranch, and Allentown's row houses began being divided into apartments.  Those apartments were mostly occupied by singles or childless couples, and helped keep downtown and Hamilton Street vital, long past many of it's sister cities.  In the 1960's, despite the thousands of converted apartments,  center city was clean, and Allentown was the All American City.  Both the tenants and landlords were hard working and conscientious.  As the urban poor from New York and New Jersey discovered the clean streets of Allentown, and it's moderately priced apartments,  a steady influx of new residents arrived daily.  These changes were not encouraged by the landlords.  Nobody ever purchased a building hoping to replace their conscientious middle class occupants, with a poorer, more problematic tenant base.  Various social agencies staked many of these newcomers to the first month rent and security deposits.  Although politically incorrect, I said at the time that Allentown was creating a poverty magnet.  My phrase and analysis back then is now recognized as an unintended consequence of such programs.  During Heydt's administration, Allentown passed a Rental Inspection Law.  Some viewed  this as the solution to the rental problem, I didn't fully agree;  You cannot legislate pride of ownership. Bad operators could, and easily did, cross the T's and dot the i's.  Pawlowski's solution has been to tag buildings as unfit for habitation, so many,  that the process itself has created blight.  Halls of Shame, either by the city or private groups, only stigmatize both the property and owner, but don't produce a solution.  The programs in place, if applied with more flexibility, can work.  The school district is starting to show concern about the consequences of more apartments and students.  Recent zoning changes allowing the conversion of commercial space by right, rather than by variance, could well add to the problem.  At the end of the day,  all landlords want to see their investment appreciate.  The city must learn to work with that basic incentive as a vehicle for change.

UPDATE: There will be a special public meeting with City Council Wednesday evening at 6:00 p.m., concerning the housing problems in Allentown. The flyer below was created by the Tenant Association of Allentown. Although I do not agree with all their methods, this blog supports the concept of advocacy in Allentown, and is glad to publicize their agenda.

Feb 7, 2014

The Beatles Concert at Convention Hall

In the summer of 1964, when I was 17, I took a bus from the old terminal on S. 6th Street, to California. I had a letter from the manager of Trexler Orchards, asking his associate in Oxnard, California, to give me a job in the lemon orchard. That manager also owned a carwash, and gave me a job there instead.  I rented a small cabin at the end of a backyard, they were built during the war to provide extra housing for the G.I's. After two months at the carwash, I was rescued by a former Allentonian. His father had moved the family years earlier, to work at the Western Electric plant in Hawthorne. Kenneth was about five years older than me, and he and his friends prided themselves on gate-crashing. In my few weeks there we crashed several concerts and Disneyland. I returned at the end of summer, in time for the Beatles concert in Atlantic City. Putting my new delinquent skill to work, I vaulted over the turnstile and ran into the seating section. If the Beatles sang or not, I couldn't tell you, the screaming made it impossible to know.  Kenneth became an accomplished celebrity photographer, among other things. He passed away several years ago, and his family returned to Allentown to spread his ashes in Lehigh Parkway.

The Little Bridge That Could

When I was a boy growing up on the south side, going to the doctor near the current YMCA, meant going over Schreiber's Bridge. Being built in 1828, the bridge even back then was over a hundred years old. When the 15th Street (Ward Street) Bridge opened in 1954, who would imagine that it would come and go, while the stone arch bridge continued providing passage over the creek. The Little Bridge That Could took quite a beating during the last couple of years, while constructing the new 15th Street Bridge. Trucks smashed the northern entrance walls no less than three times, turning on to Martin Luther King Drive. Although it is understandable that the City will wait until this Spring to repair the walls, there exists a more urgent matter. From the extensive use caused by the detour, and this harsh winter, the roadbed is badly cracked over the bridge's arch. These openings allow water to enter and seep down into the stone arch. Perhaps the city administration could give the historic bridge some special attention yet this winter, it certainly has earned some consideration.

Feb 5, 2014

Rich Fegley and the DTE Contract

To say that Rich Fegley is upset about the Delta Thermo Energy Contract is an understatement. This arrangement, already approved by city council about two years ago, allows DTE to mix our trash and sewage into some concoction that they will burn to make energy. This precise process has not been done before anywhere in the country. Rich doesn't think that we're innovators, he thinks that we're chumps. He believes that Mayor Pawlowski and DTE outright mislead city council on the projections to continue conventional trash collection.

On Tue, Feb 4, 2014 Rich Fegley  wrote:
Members of City Council,

At the last three Allentown City Council meetings I brought something to your attention that I feel
 is very important.
As I have stated three times before, the contract that the City signed with Delta Thermo Energy
 was based on false and misleading information.

Here are excerpts from the PWIA 12-12-2013 letter (attached) to PA Department of
 Environmental Protection:

Delta Thermo made a number of materially false statements to the public regarding
 their proposed project and the waste disposal industry as a whole.
Delta Thermo's continued use of false environmental marketing claims
Delta Thermo's representatives claimed that landfill tipping fees have increased
 7% a year over each of the last ten years. This is false...........
The PWIA in this letter continues to point out further FALSE and MISLEADING information
 that Delta Thermo Energy and ultimately Mayor Ed Pawlowski and PMF (Scott Shearer)
 provided to City Council and the Public.
I am stating that we were told information that was fabricated and false.

At the last Council meeting I asked Council to look into what research was done by PFM and Mayor Pawlowski on LANDFILL COSTS in the Lehigh Valley. How did PFM and Pawlowski come up with this $90.48/ton cost?
This new analysis show that the City will lose $113,000,000. This is a real number based on the "real" numbers that PFM and Mayor Pawlowski presented to City Council and the public.

I hope that we can discuss this at City Council this Wednesday.

Thank you for your attention,
Rich Fegley


I wish Fegley well on his endeavor. Approval of the Delta Thermo Contract was a circus, complete with trade union members from out of town packing the council chamber. New council member Cynthia Mota voted no, and then changed her vote, after being taken on a field trip by Delta Thermo. I would think that negating the contract at this point would be more complicated, requiring more motivation, than this council has ever displayed.

Feb 4, 2014

Pawlowski's Back, First Snow Emergency

Residents on Tilghman Street learned the expensive way that Pawlowski is back to mayoring in Allentown. Whether you're towed during a snow emergency, or ticketed at a meter, center city residents are the ones who are fined and inconvenienced by the traffic regulations. Community activist Ce Ce Gerlach wonders on Facebook, This is like the 5th snow of the season and now, all of a sudden we are in a "snow emergency". Hundreds of residents were towed, including mine. A city of poor and working class people now have to pay at least $250 to get our cars back. Perhaps Mike Fleck could have hired some canvassers to knock on doors and give the residents some heads up on the towing, like Pawlowski did to get votes back in November.

UPDATE: Mayor Ed Pawlowski claims that 89 cars were towed during the snow emergency  Monday morning, which was instituted with a three hour warning. Police used sirens and loudspeakers to notify residents on both Chew and Tilghman Streets, but the notice given to Walnut Street residents has not been verified.

Feb 3, 2014

Time, Money and Cheap Locals Keep Pawlowski Here

Unless Rob McCord becomes Governor, Allentown is probably stuck with Pawlowski for at least the next four years. Seems as if his pesky city responsibilities helped keep Ed from devoting enough time to fund raising.."Every time I sat down to make fundraising calls, another issue would come up that would require my attention," he said...Stepping down will allow me to focus all of my energy on the job that I really love: being the mayor of Allentown,"I didn't know that anybody twisted his arm to run for governor. Also the locals contributors here seem to lack the vision necessary to properly fund one of their own. McCord traveled here in the snow to receive Ed's endorsement. I'm not sure which part of Pawlowski's announcement today should offend Allentonians more, but one thing is clear, his heart clearly isn't here. I did not attend the news conference, this analysis is based on local news sources.

Feb 2, 2014

The Morning Call Slow Pitches To Mike Fleck

In today's profile on Mike Fleck, The Morning Call says that the political consultant  plays hardball, indeed he does. Although Fleck may play hard, the paper treated him with kid gloves. In the recent City Council race, Fleck had hired a local attorney to intimidate a candidate into withdrawing. The court ruled the action violated the election code, and the candidate, Kim Velez, was reinstated on the ballot. Not a word of that shenanigan appears in the article, although at the time, the incident was covered by the same reporters. The slowest t-ball pitch in the article concerns the notion that there is a firewall between Fleck's business consulting and his political consulting, here in Pawlowskiville? Although they mention the teenage marketing company Ruckus, they omit the fact that they secured yet another extension from the ACIDA on their Neuweiler option, even though they have resorted to now trying to solicit investors from the internet.

UPDATE: In the comment section a reader suggests,  "Let the city R's pay their volunteers if necessary to get the job done and get out the vote."  Is this the direction Allentown should go in?