Putting aside the endless NIZ promotion by The Morning Call, real life in Allentown hasn't gotten any better. Stabbing and shootings have become so commonplace, that they're relegated to the middle of the paper. The reputation of the school system is so dismal, that people choose charter schools, not because of their merit, but just hoping for something a little better. A school system that once had a national reputation for theater and art, is now known for fights and beating up policewomen. Add a scandal ridden mayor and city hall, and we owe Billy Joel an apology. We accused him of maligning Allentown, we can't blame him this time. While the paper can't contain its joy over the arena, the city can't contain its crime.
There was a recent drive-by shooting in the small residential area wedged between Target shopping center and route 22, within sight of Cedar Crest Boulevard. Early Sunday morning, close to the municipal golf course and again within sight of Cedar Crest Boulevard, a car was left sitting on the owner's driveway, missing all four wheels.
Office workers may now drive downtown to work, but come five o'clock, all but a few childless millennials will drive back to suburbia, where more often the woes of Allentown now follow them.
above reprinted from December 14, 2015
ADDENDUM OCTOBER 18, 2024:Although nine years have passed,I can't report that things are any better in Allentown.There's certainly more new buildings, and the police tell us that crime is down, but I don't sense any improvement in the quality of life. Probably by real metrics things are worse. Rents are through the roof and the schools remain distressed.
This situation has now been accepted as the norm for the country.
ReplyDeleteHere’s a problem nearly everywhere, especially Allentown. Few are ever held accountable for actions that interfere with the quality of life others deserve and are right to expect from their community.
ReplyDeleteFrustrated, disillusioned, and responsible residents (who are able) eventually move out. Allentown’s population does grow, but the newcomers values are often different from what we’ve come to know here.
I did my once a month bike ride around the NIZ last week (I don't think I'm better than anyone else and I didn't wear spandex) and I have to agree. In my opinion, downtown Allentown is just too far burdened with a concentration of urban underclass to have a revitalized downtown. I just don't think it can work. 10 years in, the perimeter of the NIZ (Turner, 10th, Walnut) has littered streets and declining properties, is lined with dozens if nuisance smoke shops and the smell of skunk weed is present 24 hours a day from rentals and cars. You have rampant double parking and adults recklessly riding motorized scooters and bikes on the sidewalks. You have loud car mufflers and Latin music blasting from car windows, I'm optimistic about the condos being built in the old Talon Energy building and the concert hall/hotel at 10th Street seems really great, but it just doesn't seem to be a viable place where prosperous, respectful and law abiding citizens would choose to live. Maybe I'm wrong and it just needs more time????
ReplyDeleteI agree with your assessment. The downtown simply won't work unless they can convince enough under-40ish types to believe living at 8th and Hamilton is the equivalent of living in SOHO, Brooklyn, or the sainted "Village." Then, soon after the baby bump is felt, it'll be off to the previously hated suburbs they'll go.
DeleteAllentown’s problem is a City Hall that can’t decide that it wants to succeed.
ReplyDeleteDespite numbers showing clearly that the city has TOO MANY people below the poverty line, their solution is to promote more “affordable housing”. That sounds great, and in a vacuum it would seem like they hope to raise the city’s poor out of poverty.
But in the real world, more affordable housing only attracts MORE people below the poverty line, and doesn’t make things better for those already living here.
The city is really on life support with the NIZ diverting state tax dollars to promote construction in the city. Without that incentive, private investment in the city would diminish greatly.
Right now the NIZ allows City Hall to think it can have it all. But unless City Hall stops promoting policies that attract more people below the poverty line, the city will be in for a rude awakening when the NIZ expires.
Allentown needs to adopt policies that will make it more attractive to middle-class residents, and it needs to adopt them NOW. The city is already in borrowed time..
In an earlier discussion it was predicted some of the apartment buildings within the NIZ will eventually become Section 8 eligible. When that happens, conditions tend to go downhill pretty quickly as even more residents decide to leave.
ReplyDeleteIn the seven years since this article was origionally written, most indicators of life in Allentown all point in the same direction.
ReplyDeleteMore of Hamilton Street has had the wrecking ball treatment, just moving up the street, with new NIZ buildings in the 900 and 1000 blocks. More apartments abound although the pre-NIZ 2000 PPL Plaza and the 1928 PPL Tower being turned into condominiums. The former Allentown Hilton, the pride of Phillip Berman, then owner of Hess's and the hope for "revitalization" in 1982 is now low-rent Reilly apartments (or should I say "Affordable Housing", which is the current buzzword ?).
The new hotel at 10th and Hamilton and the new Archer music hall down the street will be opening in a few months. Perhaps the Archer will be as successful as the former Crocodile Rock was. Time will tell. The PPL Arena remains dark most nights, and one wonders how well the Renaissance hotel will cope with the new hotel up on 10th street? It's not that the downtown is teeming with life after 5pm on non-event nights at the Arena.
There is a major difference in one element since 2015, Mayor Pawlowski has met his fate for the felonies he was convicted of in Federal court and now we have Mayor Turerk. Mayor Matt made Allentown recognize how diverse we are and I suppose in 2024, we are now filled with the "Joy" that the Democrats have proclaimed in their political ads. One group of Allentonians after another have their moment in the sun at the flagpoles by City Hall thanks to Mayor Matt. However, from all indications the city isn't any safer and the economy of the city is not any stronger, along with the streets choked with cars parked and double-parked on both sides of streets originally built for horses and carriages, Pehaps a contract should be issued to some contractors to tow on sight the double parked cars and give the tow truck drivers some incentive payments. That should at least clear the streets of double-parkers.
Allentown is now known overseas with him planting the city flag in the Dominican Republic and Germany (although I think Billy Joel did more for the city in that regard during 1982. I've traveled a bit in my life and every time I say I'm from Allentown, I'm reminded of Billy Joel's song).
I do wish Mayor Matt would cut the grass in the west side of the parkway though, as it looks like a green wheatfield there, you can look on the other side of the Little Lehigh and see the police academy side trimmed and looking well-kept. Bogarts Bridge looks like its ready to collapse into the Little Lehigh and both that and Cedar Creek are now choked with weeds, probably looking a lot like they did in 1762 when the city was founded, before Harry Trexler helped to create the City's parks. The phrase "only the rocks live forever" is definitely true, however the WPA stoneworks of the 1930s need attention paid to them as their construction will not without some attention. Jordan Park, however, has a new skateboard park, and Cedar Beach does have new basketball hoops.
But I'm sure Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, along with "Joy" will be the achievements that Mayor Matt will run on for re-election in 2025.
News flash... these so called "affordable" new apartments in the NIZ are hardly so!!! As a Social Security recipient, I could barely afford the rent. Thankfully I own my home free and clear for many years... it's the taxes and the other constantly rising costs that may do me in, as with other retired persons. Heck, just to have the services of water/electric/gas connected, and use ZERO, costs more than the entire bills did just 25 years ago... then add in the consumption charges... YIKES!!!
ReplyDeleteAnd folks, sorry to report, crime is up... WAAAY UP... it's just not being reported as it once was. I'm not certain why, could be the unconcerned responses we get or maybe a cultural thing or just plain apathy and/or being fed up with the response(s) we do not receive. You call it!!!
11:39 - Sorry to report that (as you surely know) City Hall just approved a massive hike in trash collection fees. Couple that with the increasing water/sewer costs from the misguided Allentown/LCA water lease and you’re right, there is little left for another tax hike. But don’t worry, they’ll still get around to raising taxes after the 2025 municipal election year or maybe if their deceptive ballot referendum gets approved this year.
DeleteSpeaking of the water lease deal that’s more than quadrupled water rates over the past few years, please remember to thank PA Reps. Mike Schlossburg and Pete Schweyer. They both were reliable rubber stamps for disgraced Mayor Ed Pawlowski, and their votes (as Allentown City Councimen) made the bad water deal possible. They were quickly promoted by their party for their lack of proper oversight, and have again been rewarded by being gerrymandered into safe districts to continue making similarly bad decisions at the state level.
Wait! I thought crime was at a “historic low” according to Chief Roca and Mayor Tuerk.I thought thats what they were quoted as saying during the budget presentation. Did I hear them wrong? I need to get a hearing aid.
ReplyDelete