Today, there was another press conference, and The Morning Call once again regurgitated malarky. Pawlowski and Reilly say that high-end apartments are coming to 7th and Linden. To help induce the disposal income crowd, they're going to extend the Art Walk, that should do it. Although Reilly had announced this project previously, there's a change. He's now partnering with Pennrose Properties, which specializes in harvesting tax credits for income restricted projects. I'm not one to mince words. Mixed income neighborhoods exist in large cities, where space is at a premium, not in Allentown, not at 7th and Linden Streets.
What does another barbershop photo have to do with this story? In center city Allentown, in 2013, if you look at someone for more than two seconds, they want to know what you're looking at. Imagine walking into a barbershop, in today's Allentown, and photographing strangers, good luck with that. Why would our young office worker want to spend $1000 and up a month, to live at 7th and Linden Streets? Is he hoping to get shot at the all night convenience store? Reilly knows better, even if The Morning Call doesn't, that's why he's bringing in Pennrose. photocredit:molovinsky
I wish them luck. But I don't have high hopes. I think this is terrible news for the school district. Will there be restrictions against children living at the building? Because, if not, you can bet that very large families with large amounts of children will be filling this place up in no time. $1000 a month is a lot, but not if you have 15 people living in one unit.
ReplyDeleteThe more the plans fail, the more the planners plan.
ReplyDeletePeople need to stop thinking that Allentown can be modeled after New York. Why would somebody want a high end apartment when you can easily buy something for the same price outside of the city? At worst, you might have a 10 minute commute,which is an easy trade off for a safer area.
You can build all you want, but until you start cleaning up the surrounding area, they ain't going to come.
Economic development really bothers you... does it not. You can't stand to see progress.
ReplyDelete@4:04, i'm fine with development and progress, it's malarky that bothers me. these projects only work because of our tax subsidies, furthermore, they will not attract the demographic hyped at the press conference.
ReplyDeleteI would happily pay big money to live in Center City Allentown, so I could be close to all the wonderful activities that happen there. All the cool people I know hope that someday,if they work really hard, they too can live in Center City Allentown.
ReplyDeleteMM, I LIVE in Center City Allentown and am less than a 10 minute walk from the "proposed "luxury apartments". My business is in Downtown Allentown, also. I went to the press conference and then followed the crowd over to the Arts Park. It was amazing how they had painters set up with easels, kids doing dance routines, and even gave away free lunches... What I didn't see were the residents, like myself, who actually live in the area... I asked one of the artists if they planned to come out and do this during the summer and she said she would rather be in an air conditioned studio. I spoke to one of the dancers who stated they never come to this park. In reality, it was a great photo opportunity but in order to make Allentown into a City where people ACTUALLY want to visit or move to, we will have to DO BETTER.... This scene has to become the norm and not just the possibility....
ReplyDeleteAlfonso Todd
www.prolifickprofiles.blogspot.com
MM, I attended Press Conference for ART PARK addition project and future plans. At that moment, downtown A-town ART PARK, which is next door to the BAUM SCHOOL of THE ARTS and across from the Allentown Art museum, was filled with student dance performers, artists painting on easels, free lunches being distributed... It was a beautiful sight... It's too bad that alot of people were in school or working... It started at 10:30am... I'll give the City an A for effort, but a D for timing. Most of the people in the neighborhoods will only hear about this event on Channel 69 or the Morning Call... SMH
ReplyDeleteAlfonso Todd
www.prolifickprofiles.blogspot.com
alfonso@12:50, it appears as if the activities in the art park were a prop for the press conference. worse, the morning call quoted one of those artist performers, and placed her quote in a highlighted box.
ReplyDeleteMike,
ReplyDeleteThe high end people who move into these apartments better not have any children and if they do they will want to investigate private schools.The ASD is being bled white by skyrocketing employee costs and as a result the quality of education and will be affected.
Scott Armstrong