Mayor Pawlowski can't stand private investors, if he didn't give you a grant, your not worth crap. In the early 70's the City and Redevelopment Authority gave control of the Neuweiler Brewery to a friend. Under the City's watch, windows were removed and exterior walls broken through to remove the brewing tanks and piping for scrap. All metal, wires and any object of value were crudely ripped out in an orgy of demolition. With a large opening in the back wall smashed out, the basement was used as a free landfill by a roofer. Still the building remained iconic, because of its rich industrial architecture. In 2003 a New Jersey investor bought the building for over $200,000 in the condition shown in the photograph. The building has been in that condition since the late 70's. HIs hope was at some point the City would appreciate the landmark and cooperate in its revival. He must have found the building citations from the Pawlowski administration mind-numbing; can you image being held responsible for carnage committed by a previous owner under the City's watch. Also this week the City punished the owners of the Livingston Apartments for their stubbornness about keeping magnificent heavy metal doors not listed in their Home Depot code book. Mayor Pawlowski, afraid someone might want to invest private money in Allentown and pay real estate taxes, had the Neuweiler owner jailed when he came to Allentown this week to discuss the property. Our new Mayor, along with our new Director of Codes, and our new Redevelopment Director plan to steal, excuse me, i mean seize the brewery.
above reprinted from May of 2008
ADDENDUM MARCH 15, 2023: The Morning Call currently has a photo spread of the demolition work occurring on the brewery. What the paper doesn't reveal, or even know, are the secrets buried in the rubble. I have been following and reporting on the real story for over fifteen years, even meeting with the previous private owner.
While most residents only care about seeing the finished project, tomorrow I will review what this project really cost, in both money and integrity. When it finally opens, it will be a very expensive brewski.
While I applaud someone for finally doing something with that eyesore, other than the bricks, the Neuweiler Brewery has deteriorated to the point of whatever is planned, it will cost more to do it than just leveling the entire complex and rebuilding it in the developer's idea.
ReplyDeleteWhat is also forgotten is that pouring a lot of money into this project, which I believe are for high-cost apartments in a stylish brewery, I do hope the money for all this also goes into gentrifying the area it is located in.
However, never let reality intrude into dreams, especially if the taxpayer is footing the bill as this is part of the NIZ.
I'm also curious about that office building by the Lehigh River on the old Lehigh Steel land. This was in development for many years as part of the "Riverfront Project". Has anyone actually moved into it or is it still looking for tenants?
The destruction of yet another highly contaminated PA superfund site for family freindly living. The last illegal waste dumped was a roofing company that abandon the waste for a different site on Martin Luther king drive escape. There were many more hazardous waste dumpers before the local published only that one. When the children residing in this high class redevelopment fall sick in there older age will the NIZ be paying for there healthcare?
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