It wasn't so long ago that the bus crowd lingered on Hamilton Street, at the transfer point in front of the community college's Allentown branch. While waiting for their bus, they would frequent numerous stores in the 700 block of Hamilton, catering to an urban market. About five years ago our City Father took it upon himself to have those unwashed masses moved around the corner, and down a block. The stores in which they shopped were next to go. Lo and behold, the limited liability corporation City Center has replaced the former center city, and he said
That It Was Good. We are less than six months away from cutting the ribbon on this massive gentrification project, made possible by the generous taxpayers of Pennsylvania. As pictured in the architectural renderings, the new streetscape will be peopled by a different demographic, who are generally paler and wealthier than the bus people. It is hoped that these wealthy pale faces will stay on after 5:00pm, and talk stocks and theater with each other, in numerous new bistros.
Meanwhile, the bus people have a new shopping district a few blocks out on 7th Street. City Center LLC is forming a private police force to make sure none of the bus people get confused, and accidently walk the wrong way. Life will be better for them. All their stores have new facades, and a new supermarket will cater to multi-ethnicities. Allentown sure knows how to put the shine on segregation.
Well, we bus people have to dwell somewhere because apparently we aren't going anywhere. ;)
ReplyDeleteAlfonso Todd
www.epicenterus.com
Than there is the matter of what they will do to us as we were cut lose many years ago? These preditors have taken all our fimilies have givin to us and than some? We were always in a protected invironment of one kind or another mainly the family institution? We will be hustled around to a unfilmiliar place and fall through the cracks they make in the system and any family that we my have had will be disrupted by domestic confusion a entity of the court system that negates facts because we have mental illness? Mental health reciepiants that do the nessasary things to maintain somewhat of a life however meger it may be?
ReplyDeleteStigma and ignorance is still a fact for us people that suffer and systems that were set in place to protect us are just some sort of medicaid fraud sceems with the all important rule of payback to play in allentown pa?
redd
patent pending
The old bus stop in front of LCCC was not a 'transfer point.' It was one of a multitude of bus stops on Hamilton St between 5th 9th St.
ReplyDeleteBy building the Transfer Station at 7th and Linden sts. they made life a lot easier for bus riders, which after all, is the bus company's job. It was not to sell egg rolls and candy bars at small shops.Passengers used to have to 'run' from 9th near PP&L to stops many blocks away to make their transfer. What a treat now to have a convenient center and Dunkin Donuts right where all the buses come in. And bathrooms, too. I admire MMs desire to preverve much of Allentown's history and heritage, but this new construction downtown is best for all.
A response to Mr. Molovinsky
ReplyDeleteMolovinsky on Minorities: Living Here in Allentown
http://livinghereinallentown2012.blogspot.co.uk/2014/05/molovinsky-on-minorities.html
@9:46, this new construction IS the new reality, and i too wish it well. But, i don't indulge in revisionism. if the stop in front of the college wasn't a transfer point, the stop around the corner on 8th, by the Farr building, was. bus transfer points have always supported multiple businesses, not just one chosen dunkin donut franchise. for many decades the trolley and bus company maintained their station on 8th street, just off of hamilton. this weekend the morning call will again hawk the arena development with a story how the project is now at $1billion. considering the arena costs $177 million, that means j. b. reilly is the new owner of over $800 million dollars worth of taxpayer subsidized real estate. is this what you mean by best for all?
ReplyDeleteBus people are what make this city beautiful. A *Dunkin Donuts* nation we are not, thank you very much and pass that egg roll with some sweet and sour sauce.
ReplyDeleteMichael,
ReplyDeleteEven though I probably would have taken advantage of the situation just like Mr. Reilly, and don't hold him in as much contempt as others, there is something really wrong about the 'gift' he has received.
It DOES look a lot like what goes on in Washington lately, doesn't it?
Fred Windish
I like progress but progress on the backs of the poor is a crime. You cannot have a city without limits when you have a failed school district,a systematic school to prison pipeline, dilapidated housing and children in poverty less than 2 blocks from the glitz, worst there is no serious plan in place to address these ills.
ReplyDeleteThe transfer station was not put there for the 'benefit' of Dunkinn Donuts. DD was put there as an amenity for the riders and others who live and work down there, including Morning Call workers, people working in the courthouse and city hall, jurors, etc.
ReplyDelete@9:29, of course it was put there after the fact. the fact is that there was a proven tradition of having the bus transfer stops in the shopping district, not a transfer station two blocks away. easton is now making the same mistake. i have posted on this particular topic, bus transfer stations vs. bus transfer stops numerous times.
ReplyDelete