Street number wise, the new hotel and entertainment complex at 10th and Hamilton will be known as 949 Hamilton St... Number wise, it encompasses the the original 947 to 959 Hamilton Street. Over the decades it was mostly known as the Rialto Theater complex, housing an ornate theater and a long lobby, along with various storefronts. The front lobby portion of the theater was the scene of a catastrophic fire in 1946, and then rebuilt. Perhaps the most memorable storefront was the Up-Town Wetherhold & Metzger shoe store. The theater space itself was demolished forty some years ago, to accommodate an expanding PPL.
The former complex was actually several different buildings from different periods. Architecturally, the new construction will be an upgrade...That's something I never said before about a new NIZ building. Although I don't understand what the market will be for the hotel rooms, and the music venue will compete with Symphony Hall, it's not my investment. Wait, actually it is! Debt service on the NIZ projects is met with our diverted state taxes.
Wait it's the whole of PA's money as the diverted taxes are from a whole! No we have the supposid written that writ the now infamous document sitting next to the governor. With the state rep boy toy sneek that snuck that enormous document in the already huge laws on that late Friday night to be signed into law!
ReplyDeleteAs a watcher of travel vlogs on U-tube I observe that many cities in other parts of the world do resemble Allentown and other American cities of the 1950's. They are mostly clean, prosperous and safe. The slow decay of all American cities is a disgrace and now the norm.
ReplyDeleteIt’s not like you have to travel far to see that. A 10 minute drive from Allentown City Hall will land you in Bethlehem where an emphasis on preserving historic structures has kept that city going without the need for a massive municipal welfare program like the NIZ.
DeleteWhile the political leadership in Bethlehem isn’t much better than Allentown, the elected officials there realize that the people will vote them out if they screw that up.
Unfortunately, Allentown voters seem unwilling to hold their leaders accountable for ANYTHING.
The concerts and shows anticipated here would never play at Symphony Hall. A more realistic comp would be the Keswick or Sellersville Theaters.
ReplyDeleteDon't we have the PPL Center and Renaissances Hotel on Center Square for entertainment and a hotel? Lets also not forget the Americus.
ReplyDeleteOh, right, those weren't built by Reilly. Although the Americus was renovated partially by NIZ money.
The Pawlowski, sorry PPL center is closed most nights. Does the Renaissance have a high occupancy rate? Lets face it, the only real thing to do downtown now is eat or drink.
I remember the utopian claims by Pawlowski about how the arena would be having an event every other night, despite nearby evidence (Reading) and common sense telling us that wasn’t going to happen.
DeleteThat was another miscalculation on his part, but I suppose necessary to keep the gravy train of vendor contributors open.
Mike, no one seems to be mentioning the unwritten land lease clause Reilly is paying with the whole of PA's tax grab that should be able to be examined under the sunshine act as well as all monies in and out?
ReplyDeleteI believe the Renaissance Hotel is a little ''long in the tooth," I think, and seems a bit worn and outdated. Times and interests change quickly. Building a new hotel may be easier and cheaper than renovating the old one. Allentown under the NIZ - "All dressed up and nowhere to go."
ReplyDelete