tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-951782330457966647.post25510959653138084..comments2024-03-28T06:44:40.970-04:00Comments on MOLOVINSKY ON ALLENTOWN: A Previous Revitalization In Allentown michael molovinskyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12581039755319742687noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-951782330457966647.post-45905521509689884232017-01-26T18:41:29.779-05:002017-01-26T18:41:29.779-05:00It is very sad that Allentown officials have no se...It is very sad that Allentown officials have no sense of history and tradition. I did not grow up here, but adopted the LV as my home in the 70s. I quickly fell in love with the old timers (you know...those in their 40s to 70s) who built Allentown even through the troubles of the Depression and War. What a majestic place for a former big-city guy who already saw his hometown deteriorating. It was just a harbinger of what was to come to Allentown. I agree we are over hoteled here. The original Hilton on Hamilton St at 9th made some business sense in that the likes of Hess's, Mack, Air Products and so many more always had business guests in Allentown. But this hotel building binge is crazy. Why do people come here? Minor league hockey? Hardly. JoshLCowenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04629261668065446844noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-951782330457966647.post-61676705145057447552017-01-26T09:55:10.922-05:002017-01-26T09:55:10.922-05:00At 67, and haven't lived in A-Town for decades...At 67, and haven't lived in A-Town for decades (visiting now and then), I have memories of the first and second wave of assaults on Allentown.<br /><br />I remember them closing the train station and building the Motor Lodge (which my grandfather called a 'dump' even when it was first built), and the city hall (that leaked).<br /><br />Next was them 'dinking' with Hamilton St / Mall / Covered / Rip off cover. Knocking down Hess's and building a Hotel on the opposite corner - all the while the Americus (a really classy place) went to hell, and closed. The Hotel Traylor became a flop house.<br /><br />I've never known Allentown to be any kind of business hub - but it seems very popular to build redundant hotels - somewhat like the ghost cities of China.<br /><br />I'd say you are well into the third assault - this is a big one - the chainsaw of urban renewal. Nothin' left of Hamilton St - Except that silly monument.<br /><br />What all these projects have in common. is that they tear down not just historic buildings, but the very identity of Allentown. They are replaced with structures / buildings that have no connection to the people who live in Allentown. It's a hack job.doug_bhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17060547193889193657noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-951782330457966647.post-13968948846380334062017-01-26T05:55:43.539-05:002017-01-26T05:55:43.539-05:00I've seen three major urban removal projects i...I've seen three major urban removal projects in my life in Allentown. The one you have focused on here. I remember as a first grader we went downtown on a field trip and we looked through the holes in the fence at the big hole in the ground where the new court house is. I remember as a teen the Lawrence Street project. And now in my late middle-age, Hamilton Street being town down for the NIZ.<br /><br />What do all three of these projects have in common?<br /><br />Government driven<br />Poor people removal<br />Being mostly unsuccessful<br /><br />Remember, Albert Einstein said the definition of insanity is doing something over and over again and expecting different results. I'll suppose we'll find out with the Jaindl project at Front and Tilghman how we can make a silk purse out of a sow's ear there as well, or if it's more tax dollars down the drain.Davehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05753485153237507244noreply@blogger.com