Over The Dam In 2014

For this early morning edition blog, 2014 is under the ice and over the dam. Between fighting to preserve Wehr's Dam, running for office and providing reality checks about downtown Allentown, its been a busy year.

I believe that the unvarnished truth is a commodity in short supply in the Lehigh Valley. From the main stream media, out of town readers would think that Allentown has turned completely around. We who actually plug the meters on Hamilton Street know that although the new buildings are in place, the promised commerce has yet to begin. So far even the arena events can be counted on one hand. Mayor Pawlowski had read so many proclamations about the New Allentown in the local paper, he thought that he could ride that bus to Harrisburg. Although the articles about success were premature, I do believe that real change is coming Allentown's way.  

molovinsky on allentown will be glad to celebrate that success when it arrives, but in the meantime, will tell it like it is.

above reprinted from December 31, 2014

UPDATE FEBRUARY 4, 2022: Although over seven years has passed since the above was written, things are pretty much the same in Allentown... Not many events at the arena, or people on Hamilton Street. While Covid-19 is a valid excuse for the last two years, we know now that the expectations of 2014 were not to be anyway. Allentown may become a successful urban office park. The up and coming politicans may mature into leaders. We may be able to establish civility in the urban core. Hopefully, we can avoid becoming one more large crime ridden city.