When I comment on a story in The Morning Call, I like to do it in a timely way, so that my readers can find it before their parakeet messes it too much. Sometimes things must be put off. A candidate gets disenfranchised, so this little blog must produce an afternoon story. That story gets a bigger treatment on a bigger blog, and before long, our trusted press assigns space on the parakeet mat. Do people still have parakeets? I'm also restricted by having the hours of a three year old. While I'm blog blabbering here, someone recently asked if I don't want comments? My moderation system and baby naps certainly don't allow for immediate gratification. I also would rather reject a comment, then print it, and have to insult its sender. So, let's just say that I do appreciate your readership, and that your insightful comments are always welcome, even if printed in a delayed fashion. With all that out of the way, let's move on to today's topic, those taxpayer funded development agencies. An article in The Morning Call last week quoted some official from the Lehigh Valley Economic Development Corporation, we also have one here in Allentown. They get federal grants to study each other. The quotes from the golfer who works there; He pointed to housing developments like The Townes at Trexler Square on Walnut Street in downtown Allentown as being attractive to incoming families. (According to its website, the $200,000-plus town houses by Nic Zawarski & Sons are sold out.) In all due respect to the golfer and the Parakeet Mat, here's the reality. Most of the units were purchased by investors, not yuppies wanting the urban dream. The last batch of units were sold by auction, at fifty cents on the dollar. The last section of townhouses were never completed, the foundations filled in with stone. Never the less, the Lehigh Valley Economic Development Corporation gets millions of dollars in grants, to gather and dispense nonsense. above reprinted from March of 2013
ADDENDUM JANUARY 17, 2024: A recent post of mine titled a Citizen's Reply to Mayor Tuerk was first submitted to and rejected by the Morning Call as a letter to the editor. While the paper's previous editor had distain for me and this blog, I was speculating that the new guard might appreciate a change from their usual stable of contributors. I note that a sister paper, the Baltimore Sun, was just spun off to a private owner tired of the Sun's recent apathy concerning local politics.
As the saying goes, it’s not just what you read in the newspaper, but also what you DON’T read.
ReplyDeleteAs a long-time reader of your blog, the articles on your blog that generate the most comments (passion) are those that state the obvious about current issues in Allentown.
One wonders how much better the Morning Call would be doing financially if they tapped into that passion and provided only a hint of balance in their daily paper.
For whatever reason, the Morning Call, like City Hall, seems unable to see the obvious, or at least refuses to print it. Their continued omission of reality undermines their own credibility, which has contributed greatly to their demise.
I concur with 7:29AM. What you DON’T get to read in the Morning Call is information that gets you closer to the truth. This is true of most legacy media today.
ReplyDeleteRealizing it’s difficult for most to accept, we have NOT been told a complete and more accurate account of local, state, and national political decision-making outcomes. Whether it’s Allentown’s strange Neighborhood Improvement Zone, or the present American Presidential administration options going forward, we get specially crafted information to protect management preferences. In effect, propaganda.
It is now foolish to assume “if I read it in the Morning Call it’s true.”
Many times, key information is purposely omitted. Censorship in America is a growing problem. Even the once reliable Google Search is now playing games to obscure relevant information.
Trust your own instincts and experience, not just what someone else is claiming.
Yes, the Morning Call is destroying itself under current ownership. Unfortunately, I don’t think they have much control over that.
"He pointed to housing developments like The Townes at Trexler Square on Walnut Street in downtown Allentown as being attractive to incoming families. (According to its website, the $200,000-plus town houses by Nic Zawarski & Sons are sold out.) In all due respect to the golfer and the Parakeet Mat, here's the reality. Most of the units were purchased by investors, not yuppies wanting the urban dream."
ReplyDeleteYour initial reaction was spot on, while Trexler Square is an attractive, well designed urban development, all 14 townhouses are renter-occupied, owned by non-local real estate investors. I'm sure the tenants are good and support the downtown economy to some degree, but the claims of new families buying these as starter homes was pretty ridiculous.
Other news sources have appeared to fill the void. Lehigh Valley News actually covers local school boards including the ASD. WFMZ is free and usually provides at least bare boned coverage with a minimum of the usual political slant. Scott Armstrong
ReplyDeleteIf I can go back to quality of life issues that were behind “A Citizen’s Reply to Mayor Tuerk”, what the heck is going on with the snow plowing in the city?
ReplyDeleteWe only had 4 inches of snow and the roads are a mess! Everyone knew we were getting very cold weather, and the cities “salt it and forget it” method doesn’t cut it.
Everything that melted from the salt re-froze into hard ice. There are some spots that are now melting in the sun, but unless the city gets out and plows the slush away quickly it’s just going to freeze again.
These are minor snowstorms that are creating problems that are larger than they should be. It’s like I’m still watching the Eagles do the same thing week-after-week. But at least the Eagles can fire their coach immediately if they want (that’s accountability).
I hope someone in City Hall is noticing there’s a problem, because we’re getting a repeat storm on Friday.
I loved the idea of the Trexler Square idea back then. I thought it was a bold and brave idea, but the reality was that whoever could afford a 3 br luxury townhouse wasn’t going to pay a premium price to be an middle-class urban pioneer. Families who could afford options were never going to put their kids in that neighborhood or Allentown public schools. There still is no viable supermarket downtown and one passable drug-store. At best, it might have been a viable drive-in, drive-out, gated community if it was about twice the planned size, with a viable home-owners association. Is any developer ever going to get smart and offer well designed condos? This would enable developers to attract a buyer who wants to live downtown and has the financial ability to afford it, but doesn’t want the responsibility of a house.
ReplyDeleteAnonymous 12:29: Great comments, we are like minded on this issue. I don't understand housing dynamics enough to know why developers refuse to build condos in this region. I think the many viable neighborhoods in Bethlehem would be outstanding locations as well as the remaining viable neighborhoods in Allentown for condos for younger families without children or empty nesters looking to downsize to neighborhoods near hospitals, transit, parks and shopping etc. I would love to sell my house and buy a mid-rise, modestly priced condo in Bethlehem with 1,200 sq ft and 2 bedrooms. Would be ideal. I really hoped the upper floors of Martin Towers could have been converted to condos, would have been an ideal location.
DeleteCondos are wonderful... the associations it springs forth not so much. Some of the associations (HOA) won't even permit one to fly the US flag, let you park in your own driveway or have guests without their express permission. No thank you!!! Then, let us not forget the ever increasing fees with no way for the condo owner to counter or economize on.
Delete12:29 & 4:15 - I view condos as a slightly less attractive option to regular home ownership but certainly much better than the overabundance of rental units the city has been approving.
ReplyDeleteWhat I see from that is an excess of residents who will either move quickly or never have a chance at owning anything. That creates instability which breeds many of the problems that plague the city.
Why City Hall doesn’t seem to see this as a problem escapes me. It’s either a matter of giving campaign donors whatever they want or simply failing to think through the negative effects that more and more rental units bring.
We all recognize that the school district is a negative for Allentown, but even a 5-minute conversation with someone from the ASD Administration will bring forth a comment about how debilitating the city’s transient population is to the District.
ASD has many faults, but this is a problem directly caused by the policies of Allentown City Hall. Instead of helping the district, City Hall seems determined to make the ASD’s job tougher. That needs to change.
5:20, you are right on. 6:06, you are just wrong. Yes condo boards might keep you from flying your special interest flag be it rainbow or maga. Yes, they might require that you use your garage for parking your car, not your beer fridge and big-screen. And yes, you do have a voice in deciding condo fees. I suggest that condos require cooperation. I suggest you not buy one.
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