A Messy Transition For Allentown

There is no going back to 50's and 60's for downtown Allentown. There's no going back to the strawberry pie in the Patio Resturant at Hess Brothers. There was somewhat of a classist element to the removal of the recent former businesses on Hamilton Street. While there was nothing there to appeal to a more well heeled west end crowd, there was nevertheless quite a bit of business.  So now we're out with old, but as of now, not much new shopping has replaced it. The transition was rather messy, and not reported upon by the Morning Call and other more main stream local media.

I became very much involved in the transition. I met and championed for the former merchants. I attended meetings with them at city hall. On this blog I documented their plight. I noted the irony that while they were considered a blight on Hamilton Street, they were then lauded as a success story for 7th Street. 

Several years ago while the Morning Call was pumping out one press release after another for the new NIZ, this blog remained with reporting the other side of the story. The newspaper itself is now reduced, with their building sold to the NIZ Czar, and their reporters working from home. 

I too remain working from home, with my old Kodak camera and Smith Corona typewriter. I hope to continue documenting that other side of the story.