Who Needs Shopping

It was my intention to do a couple of posts on the old line Allentown merchants, both of them. I called the first The Gems of Allentown, although it dealt with yarn. I chose that title because the second post was to be on Salomon Jewelers. Salomon and Tucker Yarn were all that was left of Allentown's merchants, from before the Pawlowski era. Yesterday, I received a comment from a reader called The Voice of Reason

I recall that about 35 years ago, bethlehem had a grandious plan to reinvent downtown Bethlehem. The area between Center, Church, Union and the Monocacy Creek was to be razed and rebuilt with a mall, a convention center, a performance center, parking decks, office towers and residential buildings. The model was beautiful and you could hardly recognize the "old" Bethlehem.... Fast forward to 2011 - It took twenty-five years to finally develop the section between Guetter and Main. It took longer to replace the void at the NE corner of Broad and New. An office tower and a failed attempt at a "mall" remain in the other section. Luckily, cool heads prevailed and the rest of the plan was scrapped. Can you imaging a Main Street without the Sun Inn? Imaging a Main Street without any of the Victorian buildings that exist from Broad to Church. These buildings arguably make bethlehem unique ....
I hope against hope that there may be a similar awakening in Allentown; just because you can do something, doesn't mean that you should. VOR

Yesterday, an article in The Morning Call reported that Salomon's are leaving Allentown.* He has sold his Hamilton Street building to developer J.B. Reilly and will relocate the business west of the city. Salomon hit no home run on the sale. Reilly recently paid as much for a building, across from the arena block, which has been boarded up near 7th and Linden for years. It's apparent to me that Salomon is less than enthusiastic about Allentown's transformational plans, at least as a merchant. Who needs shopping anyway?
Salomon will remain open during the holidays through June

Jersey Joe

It took five attempts and 20 years for Jersey Joe Walcott to finally win the Heavyweight Championship, at age 37. After only one title defense, the rematch against former champion Ezzard Charles, Jersey Joe stepped into the ring with the hard punching Rocky Marciano, who was ten years younger. Marciano was knocked down in round one, for the first time in his career. Although Walcott would gamely defend his hard won crown, the end came in 13th round, shown in the classic photo above. In the following rematch, Walcott's career would end, after being knocked out in the first round.
enlarge photo by clicking

The Union Terrace Train

The Conrail engine backs across Walnut Street, as it delivers a flatbed of large granite slaps and blocks to the Wentz Memorial Company, by 20th and Hamilton Streets. Years earlier, the spur route extended across Hamilton Street and terminated at the building across from school district stadium, now occupied by the park department. On it's run to Wentz's, it went through the auto junkyard, continued on past the now closed Allentown Metal Works, and crossed the trestle in Lehigh Parkway. At Union Terrace the track was next to the former ice skating pond, behind the WPA Amphitheater Stage Mound. This photograph was taken by Dave Latshaw in the 1979, and is part of the Mark Rabenold collection. Rabenold is a local train historian, specializing in Allentown's former branch lines.

A Rude Visit

When Irene stormed through Cedar Park, she knocked down and broke a number of the old willow trees. The sight of these magnificent trees along the creek banks, is the view-shed cherished by us proponents of the historical park system. As a boy in 1955, I remember the same damage in the aftermath of Hurricane Diane. Many of the remaining willows are now about 75 years old. Although they held the creek banks together for three generations, they have lost favor to riparian buffers.


It's nice to sit by the bank under a willow tree and watch the ducks swim by. Hopefully, somewhere along the banks of the Little Lehigh and Cedar Creek, there is still some open space for a few new weeping willows.
please click on photos to enlarge

The End of the End

Yesterday, The Morning Call had a story about the trolley era, including some excellent pictures. Although I take exception with some details in that article, it has motivated me to publish this picture from 1951, which I had intended on using after the bulldozer. Not only are the trolleys gone, but soon all buildings shown here will also be gone. The exception is the Farr Building on the far left, and the Dime Bank, not shown in this picture. Although people still walk and shop the historic busy block, soon it will house the Pawlowski Palace of Sport, laying dormant every day, and I suspect many evenings. It is the end of the end.

WPA Fountain Park Tour report added to post below.

A Grand Tour

Everyday, a thousand men would climb the steps back home after a working in the Mack plants and other industry on S. 10th Street, by Fountain Park. They lived in the well tended row houses which comprised center city. Their wives would shop in Mohican and other center city markets. Six movie houses served the Hamilton Street area to provide entertainment. The steps were constructed by the WPA between 1934 and 1937 and connected the industrial area with it's workers. Today, if properly maintained, they could connect the children and the parents of Allentown with the recreation of Fountain Park. You are invited to join Nicholas Butterfield tomorrow morning as he leads a well informed tour of this Allentown icon.The structure consists of three main sections. The Grand Stairwell from Lawrence Street (Martin Luther King Drive). The magnificent Union Street retaining wall with it's tunnel leading to the second set of steps. The second steps climb up to Spring Garden Street.I will be leading a group along Martin Luther King Jr Drive, starting at MLKJ and Union St, going up the first steps to Spring Garden, then down the 2nd steps from Junction St to MLK Jr Drive, starting 10 am Saturday, September 10 10 am. Call me if interested 610-770-1751. Nicholas Butterfield
TOUR REPORT BY NICHOLAS BUTTERFIELDSeven of us and one very young person took a tour Saturday morning of the WPA walls and steps along Martin Luther King Jr Drive, from S 10th St to Junction & Union Streets.The different walls appear in good condition overall. The steps need help.
From the Junction/Union St tunnel, climbing up to Spring Garden St, there is a lot of graffiti inside the tunnel entrance, going up to the first landing. Most has been there for several years, but there is some newer stuff.
Going up the steps to about the 3rd landing, one stone block is missing, for at least the last two years if not longer. The grass at the top of the steps is a foot high, in need of mowing by the City.
Going east on Spring Garden to S 10th, we looked over the dead parking lot, the prospective park that would connect Jackson St to the Junction St steps down to Martin Luther King & S 10th St. One resident earlier had asked me if the park would be safe from sinkholes, because the area was used as a landfill when the 8th St bridge was built.
The Junction St steps are in much greater need of repair. They are also used to a much greater extent than the Spring Garden steps, by people exercising or gong down to the Fountain Terrace fields. We counted at least 12 persons during our time on these steps.
A stone block is missing from one of the top western steps. The south side of the Junction St wall has a lot of white graffiti in at least 3 different sections. There were several used condoms on the path and a large number of bottles and cans scattered about, although it was much cleaner than in previous years. (Jim Molchany reminded me that over several years we pulled out many bags of trash and at least 13 tires from this area during our LANA clean up).
The macadam walkway has broken up in a number of places and needs to be resurfaced. After the east and west steps come together, there are missing stone blocks in at least 3 different places, including one spot where almost the entire step is gone, very much a hazard.Natalie observed the woods are just overgrown with underbrush and scrub trees, making it a very dark area. We need the City forester to review and recommend removal. There were several street lights along the path, but I will have to check at night to see if they are functioning.
My thanks to Gene Scharle, Edna Himmler who took photographs, Steven Ramos, Rose Gallagher, her daughter Natalie and grandchild Nadia, and Gregg Heilman, who regaled us with the history of this small area.
Nick Butterfield

Allentown's Future

Mayor Daddona's plan to save Allentown was the canopy built in front of the stores on Hamilton Street. Mayor Heydt's plan was tearing down the canopy in front of the stores. Mayor Pawlowski's plan is to tear down the stores and build an entertainment complex. Pawlowski's plan will eventually take three square blocks off the tax rolls. Already the first $100 million block has grown into a second block and another $100 million. Because of a rainy week, Steel Stack's Jeff Parks is walking around with a tin cup asking for donations. The Sands Corporation will be able to finance it's new entertainment complex with a money machine called a casino. When it rains on Pawlowski's white elephant, which it must from all the local competition alone, the short fall will come from our pockets. I'm not sure where Pawlowski will be then, but we're going to be up the creek, without a paddle, paying for huge, underused tax free buildings. There should have been a law, or a vote, or a City Council.

Note To The Mayor

Mayor Pawlowski, you may not remember me. I'm the widower who lives in the highrise on Union Street, who wrote you before here on Mr. Molovinsky's computer page. Last night I saw him at the library, and he gave me a ride home after some meeting he had. I used to work in the Mack factory where you now have a go-kart track. I saw pictures of it in the paper and it said you were now going to have City Council give it a liquor bar, so that they could get tanked up before they drove those carts around with children. Are you sure that's a good idea? Anyway, Mr. Molovinsky and his group want to fix up the stairs leading down to Lawrence Street. When I worked at Mack my kids would meet me on those steps and walk home with me. I miss that old Allentown. Mr. Molovinsky says that your hockey game will now cost $200 million dollars. Is it possible that just a few of those bucks could be used to fix up those stairs? My uncle helped build those steps along with a lot of other Allentown men. Sorry to bother you again, thanks for your time.

Works Progress Administration Meeting

Tonight is the meeting on Allentown's iconic WPA structures. When I first began this project three years ago, the steps leading from Union Street to Spring Garden were overgrown with weeds and saplings. My persistent, annoying blogging on the subject caught the attention of then opinion page editor Glenn Kranzley and columnist Paul Carpenter. The publicity they generated resulted in the city cleaning up those steps. My next target was what I called the boat landing. As a boy I had often played at that site. Long buried, it was now the step to nowhere.
Readers of this blog, on two separate weekends, succeeded in digging out the steps and the portion of the landing at the bottom on the steps. Blogger Chris Casey provided the lion's share of manpower in this accomplishment. The remainder of the landing was lost to large trees which grew over a period of forty years. There has been some speculation that my independent demeanor and blunt writing has alienated people, both at City Hall and The Morning Call. Although probably true, the merits of the projects stand on their own.
I managed to get the miniature bridge and spring pond cleared by appealing directly to Mike Gilbert, who is in charge of the watershed for the Park Department. I have been in communication with Park Director Greg Weitzel about tonight's meeting. Yesterday, I received a phone call from a women in her late 80's, whose father worked on the Lawrence Street steps. I believe a worthwhile future project would be to chronicle about those who did the labor; However, it's first necessary to insure that the fruits of that labor are preserved. Please join me this evening, so that I may prevail upon City Hall that a large number of our citizens hold these structures invaluable.

The meeting is at 7:00PM this evening in the lower level of the Allentown Library

Priority Basis

The excellent article in today's Morning Call by Devon Lash quotes city spokesman Mike Moore as saying park items are addressed on a priority basis. The city hopes to get grants to refurbish the WPA structures. I have observed over the years that if the city determines something is a priority, then they do manage to get the grants. In today's article the boat landing is referred to as a set of steps. The Landing was a major feature of Lehigh Parkway. Unfortunately, forty years ago, one park director took it upon himself to decide that it was expendable. These structures are the heritage of the citizens of Allentown. Please join me tomorrow evening, and help make their preservation a priority for Allentown. I'm grateful to Devon Lash and The Morning Call for their support in this effort.

Jewish Das Boot

The Israeli submarine fleet consists of three small boats, German made diesel-electrics, named Dolphins. The boats are early 1990 design. Two are stationed in the Mediterranean, and one supposedly in the Red Sea. Three more Dolphins are on order, and expected to arrive by 2013. Military analysts consider these Israel's second strike weapon, and may be armed accordingly.

Tragedy Play At Theater

There is a tragedy playing at the Union Terrace Amphitheater. It cannot be seen on the magnificent grass stage, but
on the top wall of the double stairwell leading down from St. Elmo Street. The top surface mortar has not been properly maintained, and the stones are in danger of falling. Unfortunately

the stones from the far right corner have already fallen, and currently
lay at the base of the wall and staircase. It's imperative that this icon be repointed in very short order, or the entire top surface of the wall will be jeopardized. It's my understanding the the amphitheater was the last WPA project built in Allentown. It's necessary for it to be first in a new wave of upkeep. Please join me this coming Tuesday evening, September 6, and help make this a must do for Allentown.

WPA Project Support Meeting Allentown Public Library (lower level) Tuesday, 7:00 PM

The Mighty Atom

Years ago, at the Allentown Fair, as one would push through a sea of carney delusion, tucked back by the 4H animals, was an island of reality. There, in an old battered truck, an ancient Jewish strongman performed incredible feats of strength, to sell only homemade kosher soap. Standing on a platform on the rear of his truck, flanked by photographs from his performing youth, he would bent horse shoes and bite through nails. Many years earlier, my mother as a little girl in Bethlehem, saw him pull a truck uphill with his hair. Even as an old man, like a reincarnation of Samson, his grey hair was still long.
In the summers of 1964 and 1965, myself and a friend,(Fred Schoenk, retired Allentown art teacher) made and sold printed tee-shirts at the fair. We had the honor to know Joseph Greenstein(The Mighty Atom) and his wife. For those interested, there are various articles on the Mighty Atom and even at least one book. Enjoy the fair!

reprinted annually during the fairweek

Saving the Spring Pond

As a small boy growing up in the twin homes above Lehigh Parkway, I would go down the steep wooded ravine and cross the Robin Hood Bridge. The stone lined spring pond and miniature bridge was just the first in a series of wonderful WPA constructions to explore. Last year, when I organized the reclamation of the Boat Landing, my memory turned to the pond. Although overgrown with several inches of sod, I knew the treasure was still savable.

On May 23, Andrew Kleiner conducted a tour of Lehigh Parkway, there I met Mike Gilbert of the Park Department and pitched the idea of a partial restoration. On May 26th, I posted A Modest Proposal, which outlined my hopes for the pond. On July 24, Kleiner posted Lehigh Parkway:Molovinsky gets his wish. I had no idea my modest proposal was implemented.

Park Director Greg Weitzel has indicated to me that the pond features uncovered will be maintained. Any further clearing will be at the discretion of Mike Gilbert. In our conversation he also stated that there are virtually no funds available for the preservation of the WPA icons.







I will attempt to organize a group and contributions for this most worthy cause. Between the Spring Pond and The Boat Landing there was once a bridge to the island. Wouldn't it be nice if a small boy could go exploring.

reprinted from August 9, 2010

Although it has taken over a year, the meeting will finally occur. Please join me and others next Tuesday, September 6, 2011 at 7PM, in the lower level of the Allentown Library.

The King Has Abdicated

In 1958 my father had a food stand at the fair. It took him about an hour to realize you can not sell hot dogs in the King's back yard; Yocco, the hot dog king. When Yocco's claimed last year they were not at the fair because their canvas ripped, I was skeptical. This year it's official, they have abdicated their spot. Tonight the fair was jammed. In Ag Hall the granges still compete in vegetable canning. A wiseguy still incites you to dunk him. The world's smallest horse hasn't grown. Maybe Yocco's is gone, but the fair is still much more like 1958 than any other aspect of Allentown.

reprinted from Aug. 28, 2007, Sept. 1, 2009 and Aug. 30, 2010

Allentown Memories

click on photo to enlarge
From low income sections of center city, to expensive suburbs, Allentown and the Lehigh Valley is becoming home to more and more outsiders. I'm afraid the time will soon come when local memorabilia will have little appeal. Fortunately, for those interested, some impressive collections still exist. This past year Robert Bungerz published Allentown Remembered, documenting his outstanding collection of historical postcards and other objects. David Bausch, former County Executor and authority on Automobile Art, is also a expert on things Allentown. Then there are the many small collections, home of the hidden treasures. Above is an early aerial photograph of the Allentown Fair. Those interested in the recent commotion concerning the 19TH Street Theater District may find the upper right of the photograph interesting. There is no theater, there are no houses on Saint George Street and most of the buildings seem to to garages and automobile in nature (don't tell Auto-Zone). This gem is probably from the late teens or early 20's, and comes from the Thomas Reed Collection. Thomas is aka Z1pyro, long time expert shooter for Zambelli Firework Company. He retired several years ago, and we who appreciate fireworks, notice his departure.

reprinted from July 8, 2008

Arena Gets Press Pass

The Mayor must be happy with the series of Morning Call feature articles about his palace of sport. Although written by two reporters, there is not one critical word. The articles gloss over the fact that the arena has grown from a $80 million project to now include an event center, and a price tag of $175 million. This has occurred before the first shovel of dirt has been lifted, or the first word of public input. Speaking of dirt, none has been disclosed. Last month, the displaced merchants were dismissed as selling "discount" clothes and "cheap" electronics. Visit Target in South Whitehall, and see the men's shirts for $4.99. While in the western suburb, stop in at the AT&T by Starbucks, and get a GO phone for $9.95, we're all discount consumers. The articles might have included the expense of Pawlowski's previous location at the river-front. There, we stole the Neuweiler Brewery from the lawful owner, but paid $800,000 for the garage behind it, owned by a roofer. We also purchased a furniture plant further south on Front Street, taking all three properties off the tax rolls. Talking of taxes, in the fine print, Pat Browne discloses that property taxes can be used for Pawlowski's Palace of Sport, if necessary. I suspect as this project seems to know no limits, it will be necessary. How will earned income tax from the poorest section of Allentown pay the debt service on a $200 million dollar bond? At some point in time, the arena will get very expensive for the taxpayers. Other municipalities have learned, just because you build it, it doesn't mean that they will come. Competition for entertainment dollars is stiff. Don't be fooled by the enthusiasm of a team owner or an arena operator, it's not their money. In early presentations we were sacrificing the merchants, we're now gambling our taxes, which currently go for needed public service. As it becomes necessary to use the property taxes for the arena, will the city, county and school districts cut back their budgets? Due diligence and public discussion may have anticipated that this plan may well result in tax increases, as the current taxes are siphoned off for debt service. But there was no public discussion, nor even scrutiny by the press.

Bernie O'Hare received an advance copy of this post, and is preparing a sequel for next week

UPDATE: molovinsky on allentown exclusive; The Neighborhood Improvement Zone Map

Hurricane Diane

Hurricane Diane hit the Lehigh Valley in August of 1955. Living in Little Lehigh Manor, I remember huddling in the house, while the metal garbage cans of the era flew around the neighborhood. My father, whose meat market was on Union Street by the Lehigh River, worked throughout the night. Fortunately for him, his market had an second floor backup cooler, and a small freight elevator. While the retail business district on Hamilton Street is elevated enough to be unaffected from flooding, center city Easton was devastated by the Delaware. The next morning was rather surreal for a nine year old boy. A large willow tree on the corner of Lehigh Parkway South and Catalina Ave. was lying on it's side. Although the Little Lehigh receded quickly, the park road and basin had been flooded. Diane remains a record in flooding and damage. Let us hope it remains that way.

photo from the RoseGallery

New Twist To Arena Dance

It's not easy being a student of the arena project, there's no text book, and the lectures are not announced. Although State Senator Pat Brown did recently reveal that property taxes could be utilized in a pinch, even the local taxing bodies were kept out of the loop. Thanks to Morning Call reporter Adam Clark, we now learn that this secretive scheme, known as the Neighborhood Improvement Zone (NIZ), can be used by private investors. Real estate investor J.B. Reilly can use taxes generated on his newly acquired properties to make payments on a $20 million dollar loan. Although Reilly has owned a building across from the arena for over a decade, he has been acquiring additional property in the area. City Hall has claimed that secrecy was necessary to acquire real estate in the target block for the public good. Apparently, this policy has profited some select individuals as well.

Cubby Checker introduced a new song and dance in the early 60's called the Twist.

The General Gently Weeps

General Trexler died in an automobile accident in 1933; had he lived a few more years and seen the completed WPA Projects throughout Allentown's Parks, it would have made him very happy.

Currently the walls and structures in Lehigh Parkway are probably the most seen and used WPA structures.

However, without a doubt, the constructions in Fountain Park are both the most monumental and historically important.

The massive stairway rises off of Martin Luther King Drive and climbs up to Union Street.

Construction continues on the other side of Union Street with a colossal retaining wall which is several blocks long.

Contained in this wall is a tunnel leading to another mammoth stairwell which climbs up to Spring Garden Street.

These steps were used over the years by thousands of Mack Truck workers going to the factory on S. 10th Street, and thousands of kids going into the park to play. Although many resources has been spent on the Park system in the last few years, none has been used to maintain these most important treasures. Please join me on Tuesday, September 6 to organize a group dedicated to the preservation of the WPA Structures. The meeting will he held in the lower level of the Allentown Public Library. Invitations have been extended to the Park Department and Trexler Trust.

Allentown 1951

1951 was a good year for Allentown. Industry found the combination of location and work ethic conducive to production. Western Electric had built their new plant on Union Boulevard in 1948. General Electric joined Mack Trucks on the south side. General MacArthur himself visited the fair that year. Hamilton Street benefited from a retail genius, Max Hess. When the Allentown High basketball team won the state championship that year, the celebration took place late that night, at 7th and Hamilton. Although Lehigh Valley Diary was built in the late 1940's, there was very little way out on 7th Street. The Allentown Cardinals played at the stadium, Breadon Field, now occupied by the Lehigh Valley Mall.

Armstrong Questions Acting Superintendent

Guest Post by Scott Armstrong
New Superintendent OK With Duplicity?
The following quote from Russ Mayo who has been promoted to acting superintendent appears in today’s Morning Call article, “The human cost of school reform”
“Russ Mayo, who was elevated from deputy superintendent to acting superintendent Thursday, defended his former boss.
Mayo said Friday he never witnessed or heard of Zahorchak threatening an employee. Mayo said Zahorchak's Pathways plan presented a clear vision that will be continued.
‘I always felt personally comfortable with asking him questions about it and even at times challenging him on it,’ Mayo said. "The thing I admire most about him was his focus was constantly on the students, which was clearly his concern in the district."
The following information is also from today’s Steve Esack’s reporting:
“On July 6, 2010 — five days into his new job — Zahorchak called a meeting of more than 20 administrators in which he outlined plans to seek $40 million in grants for six schools, sources at the meeting said. During the meeting Burdette "Buddy" Chapel, then principal of Harrison-Morton Middle School, asked Zahorchak if principals would be let go. Zahorchak, tapping his finger on the table for emphasis, said no.
The meeting ended and Chapel, along with the principals of Central Elementary, Trexler and Raub middle schools, and Allen and Dieruff high schools wrote the grant proposals and submitted them on Friday, July 16.
Their proposals said the schools would install a new governance structure and did not include language about removing principals, according to a copy of an original grant proposal obtained by The Morning Call.
The grant applications, however, were changed over that weekend to say: "The current principal will be removed from the current school-based governance structure," according to the final application filed with the state Department of Education. As a result, Allentown won $7.8 million for six schools and four of six principals — at Harrison-Morton, Central, Allen and Dieruff — were reassigned to other administrative duties.
"We wrote ourselves out of a job," one of the four said.
On Sept. 7, 2010, Zahorchak issued a news release announcing the district had secured school improvement grants. It did not say principals would be removed.”
Clearly then deputy superintendent Russ Mayo had to be aware of his immediate superior’s duplicity in this matter; telling the principals that they would not be let go, then immediately rewriting the grant applications to do exactly the opposite. Yet, Russ Mayo took no action to set the record straight or protest the deception. This would seem to demonstrate a clear lack of integrity and moral fiber. This begs the question; is this the best we can do to fill the void left by Zahorchack's departure?

Scott Armstrong

Editor's Note by Molovinsky: Mr. Armstrong is a candidate for the school board, and the parent of two boys who went through the Allentown School District. I personally approve Mr. Mayo's appointment as acting superintendent, and presume he was attempting to quell the storm down on Penn Street. I look forward to the much needed scrutiny Mr. Armstrong will bring to the board and administration.

Zahorchak Departs

Although the school board president said Zahorchak's departure was necessary to save money, and the newspaper dutifully reported that, we can't afford too many savings like that. Lets add up the savings. Effective principals removed from our schools and hidden in closets down on Penn Street. Remember Falko? Successful principal who kept Allen under control, removed and reassigned to the never implemented Over Achiever Academy at 4th and Allen. Remember the hundreds of honor students pleading with the school board to stay at Allen and Dieruff, where they participated in the extra curricular activities and mentored their fellow students. Remember all the additional administrators hired, including Joyce Marin, revealed on this blog. This blog recognized last fall that Zahorchak had more ideas than we either needed or could afford. Let's hope that the school board learned something from this expensive lesson. Take your time with the next hire, your instincts aren't that good.

Fire Him Now, October 13, 2010
The Nickel and Diming of Allentown, November 9, 2010
White Charter School, February 21, 2011
Defending A Bad Decision, March 2, 2011
Allentown School District, April 1, 2011
Caution, unconfirmed rumor, April 14, 2011
School District on Front Burner, April 30, 2011
Pathways To Success, June 2, 2011
The Idea Man, June 8, 2011

Hardball on Penn Street, June 24, 2011
Zahorchak's Politics Compromise School District, June 29, 2011

The above is a partial list of the posts this blog brought to bear on the appropriateness of the board hiring Zahorchak, and his performance in that position. I have omitted my posts about The Morning Call not crediting this blog in their coverage, despite scoops, and direct comments from school board members and the superintendent alike. The posts above speak for themselves.

Figment Of My Imagination

Dear Mayor Pawlowski,
Forgive me for saying this, but I'm very disappointed in the changes made to my town. After my wife passed away, I moved to the senior high-rise at 8th and Union St. I can see the old Mack Transmission Plant from my window, I worked there for 40 years. I understand now it's a indoor go-cart track, I find that a bitter pill. Actually pills are why I'm writing. I used to walk to the Rite-Aid on Hamilton Street. With that closing, I don't think I can walk out 7th St. to the old Sears. Forgive me Mayor, that's before your time in Allentown. The other Rite-Aid used to be Levines Fabrics, they bought it from Sears. The Army Navy store was across the parking lot. Anyway, back to my problem. Now I can't even catch the bus on Hamilton anymore to go visit my daughter in Catty. What have you done to me? My neighbor, a nice widow, tells me you gave that Mexican Restaurant lots of our money and they don't even pay their bills? Never ate there, what were you thinking? Anyway, sorry to bother you, I know you're a busy man, but I don't know where I will get my medicine from, and I'm upset. Sorry.

UPDATE: Mayor Pawlowski, forgive me again, but I'm no younger since I wrote this letter in 2008. Since then, that Mexican restaurant, I think it was Johnny Tomorrow, has closed. The drug store did move back to Hamilton Street, but they say that you're going to tear it down? They say you're going to tear down the whole block and build a hockey game. I get my prescriptions at the drug store, but my other things at Family Dollar, where will I shop? They haven't raised my Social Security in two years. Oh well, I guess you know what's best. When did we vote on that? I was sick last November. Thanks for listening. Mayor?

PhotoCredit: molovinsky

Allentown's Grant Programs

News media reported that the roof collapsed on 7th Street because of the heavy rain. Actually, the roof collapsed from neglect during a heavy rain. I don't know anything about the building, but I do know about roofs. Well, actually, I do know a little about the building. The operators of the hardware store received a substantial facade grant. Allentown has been very generous with grants to startup businesses, on both 7th Street and Hamilton Street. A number of these businesses closed within a year, but the building and facade remained improved for the landlord's benefit. This blog documented such grants on Hamilton Street, and The Morning Call later did the story. According to The Morning Call, the owners of the 7th Street building could not be contacted after the collapse this weekend, their phone numbers had been disconnected. I assume that they were more available during their tenant's grant process. I understand the temptation by elected officials and bureaucrats to want to dress up the downtown street fronts, especially with the taxpayer's money. Maybe the Facade Program should be renamed the Charade Program.

UPDATE: In theory the idea of subsidizing manufacturing facilities, potentially large employers, through tax incentives can be justified, although the devil often lies in the details. The idea of subsidizing small retail through grants is increasingly proving to be little more than short term delusion.

The Bicycles of Allentown

produced by Gary Ledebur, Netherfield Studios, Philadelphia
contains adult content

reproduced from March 15, 2010

City Mocks Neighborhood

I wanted to make you aware that the neighbor's garbage is piling up again out back and there is a notice on their door dated mid-June that it is illegal for anyone to be occupying the residence until the house passes inspection. Beyond the fact that they are still living in the house....Aug.5,11

When city inspector Ed Wilson first placed the vacate within 30 day notice on the house in early May, he stated that the occupant would be out by June. When I contacted him in mid June, he told me that the Lonnie Glase, another inspector, said that he would handle the case. Glase is an old family friend of the occupant, and thus began the abuse of the neighborhood.
This blog, and my calls and emails to Glase's superiors, resulted in Glase tagging the house again in June, but it was meant only as a stalling tactic to protect his friend, not enforce the law evenly. Ironically, most of the hundreds of orange tags throughout Allentown were placed and enforced by Glase.
Taxpayers will be glad to know that much of the initial garbage was removed at their expense by the city contractor. The lawn is being cut by the city contractor. The occupant was never the owner, and there is no chance of reimbursement to the city, generous of Glase. Although the occupant is a veteran, so are many of the neighbors whose property is being devalued by this blatant violation of equal enforcement of the law. This is the second installment of this post. Two months have passed. In this post I revealed the inspectors' names; the one whose authority was disregarded, and the second, who is ignoring the law. In the third installment, I will include the email correspondence with the chain of command.

first installment June 17, 2011

A Sign of the Times

Apparently, while myself and another one hundred citizens were pleading with City Council during the summer of 09, the Mayor was ordering a bronze thank you card. This plaque graces the rebuilt Ott Street bridge, which bisects Allentown's Amusement Park, formally known as Cedar Beach Park. From the paddle boats on the eastern end, to the new exercise apparatus at the western end, step right up, there's something for everyone. Extra parking permitted on the grass, between the trees.

As a local history buff, I'm familiar with a few other plaques which cite the then mayor, but believe that this one, immortalizing a city council, may be the first. Of course this may be the first city council to never vote no. The amusement park is water under the bridge. Although we ordered every conceivable item available in park recreation catalogs, it's now time to save the icons of our park system, the WPA structures. Hopefully this council will want to add it's name to those monuments.

WPA Meeting September 6, 7:00pm Allentown Library, lower level. Public and City Council invited.

Growth Industry In Allentown

Yesterday I went to the Social Security Office, across from the prison, to discuss my retirement options. I was given number 199. In addition to retirement, Social Security also dispenses money for disability. I would say from the gray hair, there were
about three of us contemplating retirement, all the others were for disability. A few middle age men were carrying their fake canes. The canes aren't fake, it's the disabilities. I saw one such gentleman walk in from the parking lot, clearly the cane bore no weight, and was merely a prop. Most of the people waiting were quite young, in their twenties. Disability has been expanded to include mental conditions such as depression, anxiety, additive personality and anger management. I will say many of them did look angry to me. It was hard finding a parking space. Business also looked good at the prison. If Johnny Manana's had gotten these crowds....

this post first appeared November 18, 2008

Comment Spawns Post

Occasionally, a comment results in another post. Yesterday, my post on the Poverty Magnet received a comment from someone identifying himself as a former council member.

former councilman said...
Anon 2:13 - You are right. With the current debt and baby boomers costs to medicare and social security only the middle class has enough money to pay the bill. Molovinsky writes a blog entitled "Poverty as a Growth Industry" and wants to avoid posts on taxes. He is living somewhere else. Ledebur thinks the tax cuts for the rich are to blame. He is wrong. It is Defense, Medicare and Social Security costs, current and those looming in the out years, that will bring this country to its knees.

August 6, 2011 5:42 PM

It is not apparent to me that the federal tax rates are related to the local poverty magnet, but former and current council members certainly contribute to that dilemma.. Actually, all council members, with few exceptions, are part of the problem, starting with Heydt's first term. I know that the former councilman commenting yesterday is in the problem group. The few exceptions have either passed away, or have enough accountability to comment by name. Since the Heydt era, the Community Block Grants have been used to subsidize various social agencies, which attract more poverty to the city. (Previously they were used for infrastructure) Each year the agencies and city officials meet in the council chamber. Have you ever watched the fish feed at the trout hatchery? I assume that the commenter feels that former councilman connotes expertise. I have attended too many council meetings to share that assumption.

second in the Bastard Series

Poverty As A Growth Industry

When I ran as an independent candidate for mayor in 2005, I was shunned for my politically incorrect statements. The Morning Call declined to run my photograph, allow me to participate in their sponsored debate, or profile my candidacy. Because I said that Allentown had become a poverty magnet, the NAACP president asked me to prove that I was not a racist. Since that time the community has learned that I never was a racist, the term Poverty Magnet is used by no less than Alan Jennings, but poverty continues as a growth industry. While the NAACP president was questioning me, he never disclosed that he was employed by Jennings. If organizations such as Jennings' Community Action Committee of The Lehigh Valley just serve existing poverty, or help attract more to the valley, remains a taboo question. As a center city property manager for many years, who asked thousands of people why they moved here, I knew the answer. Putting aside the Poverty Magnet, one thing is for certain; poverty is a growth industry. Jennings and other poverty entrepreneurs would have you believe that they alone provide for the poor among us. Actually the city, county and state have thousands of employees and millions of dollars for that purpose. Jennings' organization became so large, that when he complains of one cutback, another branch is receiving grants. Three years into the great recession, a state sponsored job training program is finally cutting back. Considering the want ads have been non-existent, who have they been training for what? Jennings will go on. Years ago Habitat for Humanity built a few houses on N. 5th Street. Although the newspaper article stated the new owners put in sweat equity, in fact, they could hardly get near the place. Different congregations were literally lined up and waiting to work, they needed a coordinator to keep it from being too crowded and dangerous. There is always a corporation or a church looking to feel good about itself. Occasionally, there will be a bastard like me, to question what's really going on.

this post was written with a grant from the Council of Bastards

N. 6th Street

Allentown has just designated the neighborhood west of the Jordan to 7th Street, and between Linden and Tilghman Streets, as Jordan Heights. The area encompasses the Old Fairgrounds Historic District. Allentown's old fairground, in the years between 1852-1888, was in the vicinity of 6th and Liberty. It was an open space, as is the current fairground at 17th and Chew Streets. When my grandparents moved to 301 Jordan Street, it was a modern house, just built in 1895. The suburbs then were between Jordan and 7th. The Jewish Community Center was built on the corner of 6th and Chew, today known as Alliance Hall.
I wish the Jordan Heights initiative well. There's a lot of history in those 24 square blocks, and hopefully much future.

excerpted from a July, 2010 post
photo N 6th St., 1949

A Memory Loss

I believe Milton Carrero is the new health reporter for The Morning Call. I suppose new is a relevant term. He's been there for six months now, by current Morning Call standards that might make him an old timer. He's been doing some good health stories about people, he might also consider one about the lack of institutional memory at the paper. Yesterday, his story about a caring Emmaus hairstylist, Shirley Klotz, was touching. She made a special effort for a client who lost her hair from chemotherapy. What might not be known, is that this hairstylist was also news years ago, while operating a salon on 15th Street in Allentown. At that time, she intentionally put herself between a client and an armed robber who entered her shop, getting shot for her good deed. The shop was directly across the street from Roy Afflerbach's house, then mayor of Allentown. The trauma chased her and her customers out of Allentown, to Emmaus. It also changed the perception of the neighborhood, from being away from the problem zone, to being part of it. Mr. Carrero not only interviewed a caring person recently, but a genuine hero.