In it's enthusiasm to promote J.B. Reilly's downtown, the paper referred to the proposed tower as a private project;
It also would be perhaps the largest private development project the city has ever seen. They are correct in that the property will be privately owned by Reilly, but when it's being paid for by public tax dollars, it can hardly be called private development. When this stage of Reillytown is complete, nearly $100million of former Pennsylvania tax dollars will be going to his private debt service. In addition to the office tower, the proposal also calls for a parking deck and apartments. Community activist Ce-Ce Gerlach would like to see 10% of the units reserved for the indigenous natives at reduced rates. They will be given their own quarters, but not in the big house.
Will this be section 8 housing?
ReplyDeleteNeeds to get it built ASAP to flip it ASAP.
ReplyDeleteI bet he won't be downtown in five years. All of this development is going to get flipped to other companies.
the apartments are to be built along s.8th and walnut streets. both apartment projects, the another at 7th and linden, are described as "upscale"
ReplyDeletei would not think that the buildings would be "flipped", the financing arrangement is too good and unique to give up.
My personal opinion - this and the other one proposed at 8th and Walnut are not very attractive buildings. The other building looks like a tower with city hall on top of it. I propose we inaugurate the Molovinsky On Allentown 2015 Design Challenge for more appealing tax payer supported upscale housing.
ReplyDelete-Steven Ramos
MM,
ReplyDeleteanother edited out news worthy weekend for the democratic advetisment local tool? There is a question as to would the public expect anything less than propping of a circus stick?
redd
patent pending
It is unfortunate that the Gentrificationists riding the Free Money Train have been taking such advantage of Community Activists like Alan Jennings and Ce Ce Gerlach pretty much since Day One.
ReplyDeleteBut, hey, whatever.
We have minor league ice hockey now!
@5:22, the article, to which I didn't link, quoted both jennings and gerlach. they seem to be the standard MC balance for all these stories. never mind that jennings is on the niz board and that his organization is being funded to provide the community benefit from the massive niz. gerlach is less conflicted, although she may be benefiting from a jennings' program. never the less, when it comes to the niz in allentown, that is about as much balance as the mainstream cares to provide.
ReplyDeletehey did you know JB Reilly applied for tax reduction for his properties downtown, last I heard the school board denied his request, hey mike maybe you can dig further into this for the voting public..
ReplyDeleteOf course again no affordable housing. They knocked down most of the affordable housing and are now replacing it with upscale expensive housing. The center city initiative and the new plans they are working on both mention affordable housing but where is it? Is it ever going to exist?
ReplyDelete@ Anonymous 2:15 PM: I didn't hear of that but that is interesting. I'm going to try and look into it.
Just a note, *section 8 housing* is for anyone who qualifies for it. Last year, I would have qualified for it easily. I do not perceive people who require low cost housing as less than desirable residents, or perceive their many unmet needs-such as grocery stores within walking distance, safe schools, available parks and play spaces for their children, as a *come-down* nor a burden to be borne. IF those assets are made available, at least SOME of those children will step over their many obstacles to success and in fact become successful. Insofar as the term *indigenous natives* appearing here, I can only hope you are sarcastically referring to Lenni-Lanape. Unfortunately, THOSE indigenous people disappeared from our landscape quite a while back.
ReplyDeleteIt is unfortunate that so many just don't seem to realize what the Free Money Train known as the NIZ is really all about.
ReplyDeleteBut, hey, whatever.
The luxurious Palace of Sport is transformative.
Merry Pawlowski!
@6:21 - It has not come before the school board yet. A board member said it has been labeled political. The political-ness comes from the conflict of interest inherent in the Building 21 initiative being undertaken by the school district and the business community. A trade off between paying school takes or taking tax credits for community development contributions. This will underscore the reason Charter Schools stand apart from school districts. How do you deny a reassessment appeal when it is from a large corporate donor?
ReplyDeleteAnonymous @ 10:37
ReplyDeleteMoney is NEVER, EVER to be denied. Money trumps the public health. Money trumps historic district preservation efforts. Money trumps children. Money trumps drinking water. Money trumps quality of life. Money wins in spades, diamonds, clubs, and Har-harts.
Money and the worship of it is amoral. But the smart money is on more money.
@Dreaming of justice: "section 8 housing" is for anyone who qualifies for it.... I do not perceive people who require low cost housing as less than desirable residents"
ReplyDeleteI find it amazing how people can't support themselves, and expect us folks to support our selves + the others who can't figure 'it' out, or make bad choices and we have to pay.
They are undesireable cause they have no investment / skin in the game. And many times act in undesirable ways.
To contiune "perceive their many unmet needs-such as grocery stores within walking distance, safe schools, available parks and play spaces for their children"
Yeah, unmet needs - just a fancy way of demanding more 'free stuff'
I could go on and on..
Free stuff is the ONLY way to get elected to office now.
ReplyDeleteDoug:
ReplyDeleteYou know nothing about me or my personal situation or my family's situation, or how much in the way of taxes or volunteering I contribute. You know nothing about what is actually *undesirable* in a resident of a city, because you are ready to throw me, my family, my contributions, my specific situation into a file in your mind.
That's too bad for you. My contributions and my family's value and inherent worth do not depend on your very narrow and poorly thought out mind set.
You are a piece of the problem: you dont see educating children as an investment; or a city's neighborhoods are worthy of improvement because you erroneously believe *your tax dollars* somehow are poorly spent to do so.
I doubt you even live here.
Post Script: According to his profile, *Doug* indeed does NOT live here. He lives in Minnesota.
ReplyDeletedreaming and doug b, generally this blog does not host chats between readers. however, you both articulate the polarized view this country, not just allentown, has on this subject.
ReplyDelete