On Sunday, The Morning Call had an article that Ruckus Brewing was much less than previously presented, but they didn't mention their previous puffing.
Over two years ago, I reported that they were in reality a couple of young guys, with a rented office in NYC, who had purchased the former Reading Brewery Label, and contracted out the limited beer production. Recently, columnist Bill White defended the paper's reporting, and tried to marginalize this blog by not even referring to it by name. Although Ruckus had no actual brewing experience, and no real estate experience, they were given the option on the Neuweiler property, and a $34 million dollar plan in taxpayer NIZ funding, to renovate the parcel. Although they had no experience, they did have a local business agent named Mike Fleck. The paper previously gushed about the coming brewery and pub, regurgitating press releases like they were news.
Recently, I reprinted one of my Ruckus/Neuweiler posts, and low and behold, The Morning Call now had a Sunday feature. But even fellow blogger Bernie O'Hare said,
But they had more details. I reported two months ago that in fact they were mickey mouse, with only a single distributor in Pennsylvania. Bernie was impressed because the Morning Call printed the name of the distributor, which I had chose not to. In reality, there wasn't one more pertinent detail in the paper's story than mine, written two months earlier.
I'll leave the regurgitated press releases to the paper. I'll leave Bernie worshipping those details which pad out articles into longer features. I will continue to distill reality from promotion in Allentown, and give the news in small shots, to discriminating readers. Comments will remain moderated, restricted to additional insights.
molovinsky on allentown will remain a craft blog, in an ever more crass environment.
It wasn't that long before this that the Neuwlier site was going to be the home of a film company so large and sophisticated it would be the "Hollywood of the East Coast"-----or do I misremember?
ReplyDeleteI'll drink to that!
ReplyDeleteAny person with experience in real estate or commercial lending would agree with you that few start up craft brewers would have the necessary revenue stream from a brewery/brew pub business to rehabilitate and operate such a large and dilapidated property. This project would never happen with private financing and now we find out that it likely will also not happen even with a large infusion of public subsidy. The public announcements about this and several other properties in the NIZ district were more a part of the silly season of election cycles and political grand standing than any real economic development. It is imperative once Allentown sorts out the mess associated with the current Mayor that a loud and clear message be delivered to the ANIZDA board and staff that serious due diligence and evaluation of business plans become the norm for the funding of future NIZ projects. I do not like the concept of the NIZ but as it is here to stay for the next several decades, ANIZDA must begin to act as a responsible steward of publicly derived funds rather than a shill for ambitious and delusional politicians.
ReplyDelete"This project would never happen with private financing..."
ReplyDeleteI said the the same thing about the PPL Arena, many of the restaurants, etc..
The sad part is we really need to come up with a feasible plan to make this infrastructure work. Failure is NOT an option..
- Alfonso Todd
@11:05, although the brewery is a icon of allentown, and the domed section is a landmark, unfortunately, the building is beyond any practical remake, even for a real, legitimate user. the city development agencies, which i find questionable to begin with, should never have been part of this charade.
ReplyDeleteThe entire ANIZDA board must go. They have proven themselves incapable of responsible and effective performance.
ReplyDelete@12:51, what all these boards and authorities have in common is that they were appointed by pawlowski, to fulfill political agendas.
ReplyDeleteMM Said, "unfortunately, the building is beyond any practical remake"
ReplyDeleteI agree. I watched several videos on YouTube of those who explored the inside of this building by so called "urban explorers". The place has been gutted of nearly every piece of metal including the tanks, plumbing and electrical wiring. Every single piece of glass is smashed and there's been vandalism. While it may be possible that some of the rusted metal trusses could be recovered the same can't be said of the brickwork. I'm all for saving every building we can, but I am entirely convinced the only future that awaits this building is the wrecking ball sorry to say.
@1:57, i have been told by a reliable source that because of roof leaks, the iconic copper dome tower is structurally shot. although anything can be saved, this isn't the statue of liberty, and wouldn't justify the cost. however, when money is no object, i.e. using state income tax under the NIZ formula, public officials engage in such folly. they took the dime bank down to the structural steel frame.
ReplyDeleteFrom afar, between the corruption, siphoning of tax dollars, special interests, misappropriation of money, the public schools, and items like Neuwlier's - fixing A-Town is like rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic!
ReplyDeleteThe Neuweiler Brewery is a money pit. Aside from some architectural features of the office area, whatever use the building(s) had in 1968 when they were closed have long since deteriorated over the past 50 years.
ReplyDelete