With affordable housing being such a fashionable buzz word, Bethlehem is now promoting alley houses. Small structures, in narrow, behind house streets, have been frowned on by zoning for most of the century. In addition to increasing density, they prove a challenge to public safety vehicles, such as fire engines. Allentown just last year went through a commotion about parking in alleys. Beyond the unnecessary congestion this new woke plan causes, money, aka our tax dollars, are no object. Already a $million in grants is being spent planning one or two such houses in Bethlehem.
Allentown is also reversing track on industrial sites along the Lehigh River. The Allentown Economic Development Corporation several years ago sought a grant to replace the tracks to S. 10th Street that they didn't object to being removed several years prior. Governor Shapiro arrived with a grant last week to build a new industrial/commercial building along the river, where previous such buildings were removed with grants. Several years ago the rail tracks along the river were removed.
If the above paragraphs sound confusing and contradictory, it's the causes of the day tweaking yesterday's realities. Although real industry and commerce can't get enough real workers, there appears to be higher unemployment in certain groups. Rather than admit the reality of the unmotivated, we'll build a factory for a non existing industry to hopefully occupy, and then hire these underemployed. Likewise, we'll provide affordable housing no matter what it costs.
shown above an engine coming back from a former industry on the former Barber Quarry rail-line.
MM - Excellent points about government creating problems, and then trying to solve the problems it creates. I’ll give you one more:
ReplyDeleteLast week it was announced that PennDOT would be building a new bridge across Route 22 in Whitehall. In its press release, PennDOT correctly noted how important the bridge was, both from a traffic standpoint and to keep the community connected.
It would have been nice, however, if that information had been presented seven years ago. Back then, PennDOT was telling us the exact OPPOSITE right before they tore the same bridge down!
A new Route 22 bridge over the Lehigh will cost millions. I do hope the designers of it increase the width to accommodate at least 3, and realistically 4 lanes of traffic in each direction if it is built.
DeleteHowever, without also adding additional lanes in each direction between the 378 cutoff west of Allentown to at least the PA 512 exit in Bethlehem, the congestion of the thruway will be the same. Keeping it on the list of the most hazardous roads of Pennsylvania.
Funds to widen Rt. 22 were diverted by Pat Browne to create a new ramp farther west for a industrial park, developed and sold (because of the exit) to another developer. Meanwhile Donny Cunningham and Becky Bradley plan to spend $millions on flowers to beautify 22 for us sitting in line. Allentown is building and naming a plaza after Browne.
DeleteSeems to be an epidemic of such thinking, spending money does not solve problems, only creating the environment for prosperity will be successful.
ReplyDeleteAllentown cannot expand its city boundaries. There are also precious few building lots in the city to build traditional housing. Faced with these facts, the growth of Allentown's population is dependent on multi-unit housing.
ReplyDeleteI know, as I grew up in an Allentown row home, I never aspired to move out and live in an alley house or in a converted factory that has been turned into apartments. Moving out into the townships was the answer where single-family homes were being built at moderate prices was the answer.
However, that is no longer the case any longer as housing prices, for both single and multifamily homes have skyrocketed in price since 2000.
Mike, Wokeness destroys all it touches and that includes the brains of those who become "woke". We must recognize that our mayor is woke, a significant number of our elected politicians, and many of our once venerable foundations that dole out money to completely bad ideas such as allowing tiny houses to be built in the backyards of already overcrowded downtown neighborhoods. Neighborhoods that were never designed to house the numbers already living there. Only the poorest of the poor would want to occupy these substandard favelas. And guess what? They will! So more low, or no income people will be crowded into a downtown that is already overwhelmingly low income. The ASD will also face an onslaught of many additional disadvantaged students who will likely not speak English, and lacking any prior learning. Only those made brain dead by wokeness could ignore the massive downside of this idea and believe such a disastrous policy should be pursued and funded. I suggest if we do move ahead with this plan we do a starter project in the deep west end. They have bigger back yards, more parking, and that's where all the supporters of this plan live. Let them demonstrate their commitment to this first by permitting back yard favelas in the west end. Every foundation member who wants to fund this should also step forward and have their own backyard favela as well. If they refuse to do this...they are just more of the same elite woke who want to inflict their destructive wokeness on others while they continue to live in their safely economically segregated leafy, highly policed, upscale neighborhoods.
ReplyDeleteI had to laugh when I saw the item about the proposed new middle school on the Facebook page. The OP and a few commenters were all excited. It wad all I could do to keep from writing a sparky comment. What ASD needs is parents who will crock the whip
DeleteHomes must be found for the 10,000,000 new "Asylum seekers".
ReplyDeleteWhenever we approach a significant Federal election, politicians come out of their safe spaces to splash our money all over their region. Doesn’t really matter if the spending makes good sense. All that counts is the photo-ops, the positive impressions for the politician and his/her political party.
ReplyDeleteThis November’s Presidential Election will be extremely critical to the future of our nation. We should expect many gimmicks, exaggerations, and especially continued lying from the ‘chosen’ ones already sitting in power. Above all else, staying there is all that matters to most of these pretenders. Sometimes, I think, you and I are just seen as in their way.
Alley houses is a backward idea. Washington DC spent years getting rid of alley houses because of the trouble they caused. Allentown is saddled with alley houses, most of which should have been razed years ago. To suggest a return to alley houses is just silly. Bethlehem isn’t as gentrified as it thinks.
ReplyDeleteI once asked a resident of Charleston how it stayed so nice. He explained to me that it was an accident....They were so very poor from losing the war (Civil), that nobody had money to replace real estate. Likewise, that's why Easton and Bethlehem stayed nicer, and Allentown is an architectural nightmare. As for city planners, no offense, but....
DeleteI would argue that Bethlehem & Easton have stayed nicer due to regional public school systems. Both cities share a school district with nearby suburban townships (i.e. Forks, Palmer, Bethlehem & Hanover). The property values in town remain stable since kids go to the same school system as the local suburban communities. There is no incentive to rush beyond city limits to get into a better school system. ASD as a stand alone district is the absolute worst problem faced by Allentown.
DeleteAbout 94% of Easton is not nice - at all. Bethlehem has plenty of grimy sections as well.
DeleteEven the worst parts of Bethlehem have been improved in recent years, the south side which was a big problem two decades ago has improved dramatically. It has fun restaurants, a distillery or two...and most of all young patrons who enjoy the ambiance of this once run down area. Can anyone name a part of Allentown that has scene a similar city run rebirth?
DeleteI was referring to the Broad & Main area in Bethlehem, and Center Square in Easton. Both cities have a organic successful dining district, which Allentown doesn't, despite $billion of taxpayer infusion.
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