Disgrace On Front Street

Students of this blog know that I'm not a big fan of the Allentown Economic Development Corporation.  Under the Pawlowski regime, they adopted his practice of fluff and puff, devoid of much substance.  Up until now my biggest complaint was their ridiculous plan on restoring the Barber Quarry branch rail line to S. 10 Street.  Although I always oppose removing existing tracks,  there is absolutely no reason to restore now missing tracks on speculation.  The probability of them attracting an industry heavy enough to need rail service is no better than zero.  So far, in about 15 years,  all they managed to do is put a go-kart track in a former Mack factory.  Although they have a $multi-$million $dollar budget, I know landlords who better manage more properties with a pickup truck and cellphone.

But today's post is about the former Neuweiler Brewery.  Mike Fleck, Pawlowski's former indicted campaign/business manager,  hooked up Ruckus Brewing with the AEDC,  which gave them the Neuweiler property.  Although Ruckus is primarily a couple young marketing guys with no actual brewing or property development experience,  they were given several extensions on their Neuweiler option.  They are now allowed to harvest income from renting storage space in the former distribution portion of the brewery, but have made no repairs to the brewery portion itself.  Understand that Pawlowski had the former owner actually jailed for conditions at the property, which is in much worse shape now.

The current condition brings us to a new chapter. Despite its imposing industrial architecture, the building may be beyond feasible saving at this point.  Now anything can be saved, but at what cost?  The building is under the public expense program called NIZ.  The NIZ is a unique program, which uses public tax dollars for private ownership.  I would prefer that my state tax dollars not be diverted to save this wreck,  only to enrich some NYC owners.

Now for a reality check.  Only this blog (later joined by LV Ramblings) sounded the whistle on Pawlowski's Allentown.  Only this blog chronicled the situation down at the former brewery.  Bureaucrats and profiting  law firms are always reluctant to cut bait on their previous poor decisions.