Once, before the malls, there were three thriving cities in the Lehigh Valley, and some merchants would have a store in each of the downtowns. Some of the buildings still exist, and have been reused; the Allentown Farr (shoe) Building is now loft apartments. Two of three Mohican Market buildings, famous for baked goods, no longer exist. The Easton location, on S. 4th St., was victim to fire. The Allentown store now is the parking lot behind the new Butz office building. The Mohican Markets were last owned and operated by Bernard Molovinsky.recipe for Mohican Chocolate Chip Brownies
above reprinted from November of 2011
ADDENDUM JUNE 17, 2024:That parking lot mentioned above on the former Mohican parcel, is now Butz's third building. The NIZ is too much of an opportunity for any developer to waste on something like convenient parking. For taxpayers to pay your mortgage was a once in a lifetime gift from Pat Browne. The closest food markets of size are now on N. 7th St., Supreme and Apple Markets.
Today in NIZ Allentown, there are many office buildings, likely filled with cubicle farms for the workers. Also, there are a lot of small storefronts. Mostly eating establishments with a mixture of bars thrown in for good measure. There are also some specialty stores, selling expensive food items usually of one ethnicity or another. and there are now hundreds of one and two bedroom apartments. Along with parking garages for the residents cars.
ReplyDeleteHowever, in the Potemkin village, there are few, if any, personal service establishments for the residents. There are no places to get one's hair cut or styled; no places for gasoline for your vehicle (EVs are another matter, best not discussed), and most importantly, no place for groceries to fill one's refrigerator and pantry. One needn't mention the void of retail stores, or cinemas, but again, that's Old Allentown.. the one which was replaced by NIZ Allentown
Well, there is if you don't mind travelling great distances. The closest gas station is at 12th and Hamilton, although the prices there are pretty expensive; groceries at 7th and Allen, as well as hair salons, but none of them are in the NIZ conveniently where the workers for the glass buildings live. Michelle Obama called situations like this "food deserts", and Allentown has a lot of food deserts compared to other cities of similar size. In Old Allentown, you could find barber shops and hair salons on Hamilton Street. Gasoline stations were also available, and markets such as the Mohican Market were selling both groceries as well as baked goods.
But that was the old Allentown. Before Hamilton Mall and now the NIZ... s
I liked Old Allentown better
anon@7:23:The original NIZ legislation was for commercial. When Reilly started building the Strata's, he put some storefronts on the first floor. I wondered aloud at the time who was scrutinizing the prorations for the diverted state taxes servicing the mortgages. The legislation was written in pencil, with changes made for Reilly as opportunities arose.I notice that the media hasn't questioned Jaindl's new NIZed apartment building by the riverfront. Ironically, the only state legislator who has shown any interest in this compliance, or lack of, to the legislation is Jarret Coleman, a local state senator. One would think that state reps. elsewhere would be wondering about the drain on the state's revenue flow.
ReplyDeleteLike so much else going on in government at this level and higher, a great deal of news is not even covered. This is especially true of political actions that might put shade on one side of the street.
DeleteCritical, in depth, analysis in many newsrooms of significant actions are completely out of the question in some sources.
Just because we’re not aware of something doesn’t mean it hasn’t been going on to all of our disadvantage.
Pretty obvious our state officials, you know, the ones who work for us, the ones we elected, the ones who represent us, who do what is right for us, the citizens of PA, are hiding facts from us. Makes one wonder what they're hiding and just how big a fiasco this one-of-a- kind legislation has become.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the update on The Mohican!!! That and the "Giant" (not today's Giant!!!) were my Grandmother's favorite places to shop, The Mohican being number one on her list. I can remember walking there as a kid... or should I say dragged along... We walked everywhere and carried our purchases home... my Mother gave up driving and her Packard in 1952 when us kids hit the scene, only to start driving again in 1964.
ReplyDelete