At 3:53 this morning, the following comment was sent to
Arena Shenanigan Continues, the previous post.
I know you will never allow this to post. But I know you will read it. You are a grumpy old man that doesn't even live in the city of Allentown. And hates everything that is new a growing I am sure you did not attend the party tonight. There were over 500 people who showed up. Write a post about that. Allentown is progressing while you attempt to drag it down. I hope that everything in South Whitehall was comfortable for you. Asshole!
For a hockey arena which wants to attract people from out of town, and wanted to also tax them for it's construction, don't squander your remaining brain cells worrying about where I live. I do not attempt to drag allentown down, but rather have it spend it's resources in the most productive way. The arena will certainly not
Transform Allentown; Neither will it produce the spinoff benefit subscribed to it. Pawlowski is simply making the same mistake as his predecessors, but on a much more expensive scale. Daddona built the canopies at a huge expense. Heydt torn them down, and continuously reconfigured the parking, at a huge expense. While this concentration of resources was centered on Hamilton Street, the rest of Allentown suffered from neglect. The notion that Hamilton Street is the center of Allentown, and that Allentown is the center of Lehigh Valley, is a slogan, not a fact. While we obsess on building a new American Parkway bridge to bring people to center city, we allowed our other bridges to decay. While you danced on top of a parking deck, this Administration wants to close two neighborhood pools. In addition to an Arena Authority, and at least one administrative position, this project will kept Allentown myopically focused on center city for decades to come. That current hole will soon become a money pit of epic proportion. In a city of over 100,000 people, vocal opposition to any $220 million dollar project should center on more than a couple of bloggers, who are insulted in the middle of the night for their efforts.
At 3:53 this morning, the following comment was sent to Arena Shenanigan Continues, the previous post.
i received another comment from my fan, here's an excerpt;
ReplyDelete.But let us go by the wayside. You repeatedly speak down of anything that is done by this administration. The 15th st bridge has nothing to with this administration. The hold up is because the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection is still conducting studies. Why do you not report that? Maybe because it will look like that Allentown has not control over the issue. Another failure of your "I hate Allentown Blog". Lets move on.
Allentown could have kept the bridge painted and avoided the decay, instead they banked on a state replacement. it's a city bridge, not state. they even allowed the light posts to rust, until mentioned on this blog; then they painted them, and hung nonsense banners. think of the steel brooklyn bridge built in 1885 or so, or the golden gate in about 1929, maintained for a century. allentown is guilty of neglect, plain and simple. it's all a matter of priorities. we can get a NIZ district created for allentown, and tear down a square block in center city within less than 3 years, but aren't motivated to care for our infrastructure.
dear fan, here's a post script. the Pa. EPA concern has to do with the creosote trace from the former railroad track under the bridge. that track and it's usage has been well documented on this blog. perhaps the city could have anticipated their concern, and brought it to their attention earlier. i personally wish that the state was more concerned with Fracking, and less with some old railroad bed.
ReplyDeleteThank you for posting this post party comment. Your response is on target especially to one who has lived in Allentown a long time. Historically Allentown politicians have seemed obsessed with the urban development homeruns. They have failed to focus on simply playing the game and getting the bases full with what works and is more stable. But no glory in that, is there?
ReplyDeleteThis mayor is no different and I could not agree more that there has been an obvious failure of his administration to attend to the infrastructure of Allentown. If there is no sustainable municipal foundation any thing built upon it will be on a precarious footing.
Urban development in Allentown seems based more on a philosophy of hedonism as opposed to thoughtful economic planning. Restaurants, bars, hotels & now an arena. Who do these venues serve? An ever dwindling middle class demographic?
JB Reilly promises us office buildings that will be filled at well below current economic values. The initial impact may be a boost to Allentown's economy but what is the secondary impact to the regional community which Allentown is a part of but not the center of?
There seems to be a form of economic imperialism occurring in Allentown with all of the partners and sponsors to this megalomaniacal plan riding the wave of near term economic gain hoping to cash in and run prior to the inevitable failure of this whole debacle in terms of long term sustainability.
Why would anyone outside of Allentown want to come to center city? I have no idea. At this point I see few redeeming characteristics to attract those not familiar with Allentown to this city. To many it is a formidable challenge to navigate and is downright scary given the current urban environment.
My experience has been outsiders avoid center city. They will only see the negative in Allentown. Given this I cannot see employees being happy, who had once gone to work in a more peaceful suburb, now having to deal with the many challenges of having their work place move to center city.
I hope I am proven wrong. I hope it does succeed. I would have more faith if the developers and sponsors were not so down right sneaky and avoidant of any issue involving this project. So given the circumstances a party is appropriate for this crew. They seem to deal with everything by meeting for drinks. God save us all.
PA Dutch Shaman
Who cares?
ReplyDeleteSeriously.
The Morning Call ran a story yesterday admitting that the Palace of Sport is almost DOUBLE the average cost of minor league rinks built in the last ten years.
The $ 158.0 million dollar figure will SMASH the existing record for most expensive minor league hockey arena ever as no one has ever topped $ 100.0 million before.
Does anyone care? Do you see anyone discussing this? Do you see anyone outraged by these facts?
No.
I fear you are wasting your time, Mr. Molovinsky.
It's all about the party. It's all about feeling good.
I'm gonna start voting Progressive Liberal Democrat exclusively from now on so I can party and feel good, too.
Personally, I have had enough of running against the wind in this City With No Spending Limits --- good luck to you, Sir, with all your future endeavors.
Sincerely,
ROLF OELER
I would say there's plenty to be grumpy about in Allentown. Attending parties is grand - didn't some of the folks on the titanic enjoy a nice strings concert as the ship sank?
ReplyDeleteThe post speaks for itself in terms of your anonymous detractor's civility. The lack of civility is matched by the lack of common sense when it comes to what is and what isn't good for a town. Allentown is progressing?! HAHAH!! These kids need to get out more.
Keep doing what you're doing, Molovinsky. The more people you piss off, the more people seem to pay attention. And we need to be paying attention to the gigantic price tag associated with this incredibly ridiculous arena. Rolf's last post is completely 100% on target.
The mayor of the 3rd largest city in Pa, with all kinds of state and federal connections, has the ability to get on the phone and make the bridge repair happen.
ReplyDeleteThis mayor has not effectly done that.
It should be a no brainer
Dear MM, I went to the party. If 500 people attended the event, then I had 5000 at mine 4 years ago. I am a professional event coordinator / planner and as I walked around (after arriving at 6:30pm,(trying to be fashionably late) an acquaintance must have seen my facial expression, because she pulled me to the side and whispered to me there were actually more here than last year. (And that was before she and her 3 friends left 15 minutes later) I spoke to some City officials and saw some of them ease out of "the party" early,also. All in all, it was not a packed place. If there were 500 then it was a very transient crowd. SMH
ReplyDeleteBut I did speak to a city hall friend and asked why they didn't promote this more ? I mean I saw posters and something in the MCALL, but nothing big in any of the local professional social media groups and there was definitely nothing disseminated in the local neighborhoods. I KNOW they were only desiring a certain demographic and that's what they catered and promoted too. Unfortunately, only roughly 2 - 300 may have shown up.
I, then, asked why they didn't call and hire me to do some consulting work and make these events GREAT ! I mean, THEY know they are trying to create events to bring people back to A-town ( the same thing I told them to do 4 years ago ) so why not pay me to do something that I have a proven track record with. I even have video !
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x5d4Qnc3O40
NOT!!! But it was worth a try!
Be well and don't forget about next SATURDAY!
www.fuzion2012.com
Alfonso Todd
ALFONSO TODD AND ASSOCIATES