In 2012, I appeared on a Business Matters show about the upcoming arena and NIZ. I and Steve Thode from Lehigh spoke against it, while several people were chosen to champion it, including Mike Fleck and Sy Traub.
I had been helping out the former merchants, and attended a couple meetings at City Hall with them. They were being threatened with eminent domain if they refused to sell. Although they were compensated fairly for the real estate, they got nothing for their businesses. While one of them relocated to 7th Street, all the others went out of business. In all cases it was more than their livelihood, it was also their past and future.
Bill White wrote a column about the debate, and referred to me as dour and misguided. Not one business from anywhere on Hamilton Street prior to the NIZ remains. No businesses, including restaurants, had any lasting success. Nobody still considers Hamilton Street a business district, it is now an urban office park. Mr. Fleck got indicted along with Pawlowski. Sy Traub remains on the NIZ board.
I hoping Bill White responds to this post. Was I as misguided as you thought? BTW, I'll accept the dour label, especially when it comes to the NIZ.
My deepest appreciation for everything MOLOVINSKY On Allentown has done for our city over the years.
ReplyDeleteThank you, good sir.
Allentown, along with many other medium-sized cities, economically died in the last quarter of the 20th Century. The economy that powered mid-century Allentown, its banking, light industry and manufacturing that provided the well-paying jobs all departed after 1975. The retail, that made Allentown a destination for many people dried up when the well-paying jobs went away. All that was left was what dominates Allentown today, in ever-increasing numbers, is the poor.
ReplyDeleteReilly built a lot of small storefronts in the NIZ, but unlike the mid-20th Century Allentown, there are no major stores to draw people for retail in today's Allentown. Just a bunch of overpriced restraunts and a few bars.
Yes, there is the burgeoning retail sector around 7th street between Allen and maybe Gordon, however that serves primarily the large latin community which is in Allentown. Most of Allentown's middle class of 50 years ago, and their children now live in the townships, away from the crime which has taken over much of the city, or at least the perception of it.
That's also another reason the NIZ is an economic failure. No one wants to be a crime victim.
T’was the Mall that killed downtown retail.
Delete…and no family with options chooses the Allentown School District.
DeleteI can’t think of a single restaurant or bar that could be called successful in the NIZ.
DeleteDo tell.
Downtown Allentown held on longer than most cities its size. The move to the burbs of medical offices, professional offices, and the businesses that supported them was predicted and it all came to pass. The interest in the great old houses came and went in the 70s as the poor piled in and apartments that were converted post-war were now occupied by the poor. The schools crashed and burned. And it’s a similar story in Reading, York, Harrisburg, Scranton, and Lancaster to a degree, and even Bethlehem and Easton. I’m not sure which city has suffered the least, but they have all lost what once identified them.
DeleteBethlehem and Easton both have terrific downtowns. Bethlehem has two. Comparison between Bethlehem and Easton v Allentown are two apples and an orange.
DeleteLancaster’s downtown puts them all to shame. But even Lancaster still has its challenges. They’ve been working to get their downtown in order for 40 years.
Deleteanon@2:20: That section of 7th isn't as burgeoning as it appears. Those buildings are kept dressed up at our expense. The one merchant mentioned in my post who did relocate, has long since closed. Ironically, the 700 block of Hamilton prior to the arena, although low end, was very busy. There's an older man, sometimes with a camera, who can still be seen walking around on both Hamilton and 7th, although I walk much slower.
ReplyDeleteUnless a future Bill White column for sale somehow manages to lay blame for the NIZ failure on President Trump, I'm not sure the Morning Call will have any interest in purchasing.
ReplyDeleteMaybe Bill White could be in charge of distributing a few million dollars in grant funds for Xmas lights in the Center City area, of course that could would compete with the world class Holiday Lights in the Parkway extravaganza.
DeleteI have had a few experiences of my own with Bill White over the years. In those cases Bill was friendly, approachable and completely dismissive. Mr. White has a party line to tow, he’s not particularly interested in reportage.
Deletemj adams
The narrative changes to fit the agenda at the time. All former narratives are forgotten or dismissed. As are those that contradict what has been ordained for the time.
ReplyDeleteMay your excellent work continue for many years. Stay dower, misguided and as sharp as you have always been for many more years.
ReplyDeleteThank you!
I will not be hosting anymore comments about the demise of downtowns to suburban malls, we all know that story. There are exceptions to the generality. Some extra quaint places, such as Bethlehem, held on. In Allentown the 700 block, although low end, was actually busy. The question of this post is if Allentown is better off with this urban office park? Certainly it did not fulfill its expectation of gentrification and renewed commerce.
ReplyDeleteI did my alternate Saturday morning walk from 12th & Hamilton to 5th & Hamilton and back to 12th & Linden this weekend at 9:00 am. Some interesting observations:
ReplyDelete1. On Hamilton from 12th to 5th: I saw 13 local people many smoking skunk weed. I unhoused person. 1 poor soul sitting outside Moxy Hotel possibly a guest wondering where to go for a decent cup of coffee. 6 people who looked like possible Strata Flats residents and 3 loud muffler low riders for a total of 21 people. Nowhere Coffee closed until Monday morning, 2 people at DD and no customers at Johnny's Bagels [just try to even get a table at Johnny's in Bethlehem on a Saturday morning!] Grand total of 22 people in 14 blocks
5th & Linden to 12th & Linden: 11 locals possibly a few smoking skunk weed. 5 potential Strata Flats residents [saw 1 actually walk a dog back into the building]. no obvious unhoused persons and no low riders with loud mufflers. Grand total of 16 people in 14 blocks. I mention skunk weed since the smell is a constant presence in downtown on a Saturday morning.
Also saw numerous signs taped on light poles for an interesting show sure to bring in lots of tourists to downtown: Por Primera Vez En Allentown PA TUTU. Americus Night Club 555 Hamilton Street on September 6, 21 and older only.
There used to be more people in Speedy's Record shop on a saturday morning than all the number of people you counted both on Hamilton and Linden.
DeleteHonestly, the only reason I come to Allentown any longer is to visit the grave of my wife at Grandview. I see and talk with her for an hour, catch her up on what I'm doing and then make a loop though Allentown. Shrug my shoulders, go back to Dorneyville, pack my bags and head back to where I live now.
The Allentown of 2025 is a Potempkin Village that doesn't really fool anyone. It needs a good strip club, maybe that will bring people back to Hamilton Street.
Pennsylvania Rye is a quiet restaurant sucess story. Been there several years now.
ReplyDeleteI wish them well, but several years doesn't yet qualify as a success story, that's more like a commercial lease.
Delete@12:23
DeleteHow is the Allentown Brew Works doing?
I had to google Pennsylvania Rye.
DeleteI see that the proprietors own the Dime. That was quite the nonstarter.
Pennsylvania Rye is a vanity boutique little watering hole for its real estate business owners.
DeleteThe food is good and it is consistently busy - not crowded but they are certainly holding their own.
DeletePennsylvania Rye is certainly “holding it’s own”.
DeleteYeah, the proprietors own the building and manage to break even on their small establishment.
Stop the presses.
Dining in Center City is alive and well.
One wonders if Pennsylvania Rye has subsidized rent. You will pardon me for being skeptical about the chances of success for any dining establishment in Center City. I no longer live in Allentown proper but I don’t know anyone in the Lehigh Valley who goes to downtown Allentown for dinner, ever.
ReplyDeleteThe Federal was an excellent restaurant. The owner always there and dedicated to fine dining. Cannons was a singular gem of a neighborhood dive bar, absolutely irreplaceable.
DeleteDespite the PR, Pennsylvania Rye does not have any resemblance to either aforementioned establishments.
None.
I think any sane objective person would walk down Hamilton Street at night or on the weekend and agree that the NIZ is not successful and may have been a taxpayer funded rip off and public policy failure.
ReplyDeleteThe two Bethlehem downtowns enjoy being situated between two colleges that are proud to identify with the city. Sadly, Muhlenberg might as well be in Ohio as far as its identification with Allentown. When colleges offer any of their hundreds of events each year (ballgames, shows, lectures, etc.) they bring thousands of attendees, including alums, parents, and locals to their campuses. Allentown is a ghost town on such evenings, while Bethlehem and Easton are bustling.
ReplyDeleteYes, well, Mr White may think you're "dour and misguided" but your readers/followers think you're spot on and akin to a guided missile, as do I! Unfortunately, this city does it's very finest to stick up it's own ass. Sorry for the crassness, I would use stronger wording, but the gist is there...
ReplyDeleteIn Allentown the next few decades' planning quandary will be "now what the heck do we do with all these NIZ buildings?"
ReplyDeleteAllentown's history has long been written by a wrecking ball. Don't expect that to change in the future.
DeleteSome of the empty space we taxpayers paid to build will be converted into low income housing. AFTER we purchase our own buildings from Reilly!
DeleteI can well remember, as a kid, our downtown was literally a sea of people, and they all carried packages!!! Remember the slogan, "Thursday Night is Shopping Night"... and was it ever!
DeleteThe Morning Call survived well with all the advertising from the stores, too! Not so much these past few decades. Oh well, Hess's is gone and so is everything else! NEXT!