Allentown Arena's Magic Show

Although demolition of the former shopping district is yet to be completed, or the first brick laid for the new arena, cracks are appearing in Mayor Pawlowski's taxpayer funded attempt to magically transform Allentown. Yesterday, the president of the Chamber of Commerce, Joseph ElChaar, felt compelled to write a rah rah letter to The Morning Call. Surrounding municipalities have been alienated by the pilfering of their EIT taxes. Pat Browne, long time State Representative and Senator, soiled his reputation as details have emerged about the taxing district, and his connection to the various principals involved. Even the merchant victims of the scheme made the national news, with misinformed allegations that they were overpaid with taxpayer money. The revelation that tobacco taxes will be used to fund Allentown's grab, surely will have repercussions in Harrisburg. Once the monstrosity is completed and running, the real pain will begin. With home hockey games only occupying 40 nights a year, success is dependent upon concerts and other entertainment venues. The existing market for entertainment is competitive, to say the least. Last year, one rain storm put the new SteelStacks financially behind the eight ball. If SteelStacks, The State Theater, Symphony Hall, Zoellner, Stabler and others were not enough, enter the Sands Casino Entertainment venue. Starting in May, the Sands will bring one star after another, to their money making machine. With the adjoining Casino, their theater need not concern itself with making a profit, but only attracting people and their wallets to the complex. Pawlowski's taxpayer funded hall of scandal will languish, as insufficient parking and traffic congestion make for an unpleasant evening. Although speeches and letters will attest to how wonderful and successful it is, eventually, the rabbit will fall out the bottom of the hat.

ReAssessment Anguish

Yesterday, the phones at Molovinsky Property Management, and it's subsidiary, Bubbameister Consultations, rang off the hook. Clients were distraught after opening their reassessment notices from Lehigh County. We were able to calm most of them down, by referring them to the line under the former and new valuations. Based on this Preliminary value, your projected real estate taxes (County, Municipality and School District) should decrease due to reassessment. Our staff analyzed the data, and for many with the decrease projection, disappointment may be soon visiting. On the surface it appears that a property can withstand an increase up to 50% in valuation, without an actual tax increase, but those projections might not hold clear. Although Allentown includes trash removal in it's tax, the surrounding municipalities do not. Furthermore, the 2013 projections do not include the proposed tax hikes in most school districts. We therefore conclude, that a property with a 45% increase in valuation, projected to receive a 10% tax reduction, will most likely have a 2013 tax bill the same, if not slightly more, than 2012.
UPDATE: The Allentown municipal tax figures provided by the county for comparison, have the trash fee separated out.

photocredit: Carl Rubrecht

Allentown Arena Zone Barons Push Cigarettes

J.B. Reilly and Joe Topper have purchased a cigarette distributorship and moved the business address to their 702 Hamilton Street address. This maneuver allows their company, City Center Own Allentown, to use the $1.60 per pack Pennsylvania cigarette tax toward the debt service on their growing empire. Perhaps this was the conflict of interest which propelled Reilly to resign his position on the hospital board. One would like to think that tobacco taxes are used for health care, not private enrichment. Pat Browne, in the well done report by Matt Assad and Scott Kraus of The Morning Call, once again assures everybody that nirvana is coming. Allentown is fast becoming a well deserved national joke.

The Demolition of Allentown

In addition to three major local department stores, Allentown also sported three national chain five and dimes. Two of these emporiums stood side by side on the 700 block of Hamilton Street; F.W. Woolworth and McCrory. Those discount stores of their day sold everything, including souvenirs of Allentown and even Hamilton Street. The large buildings remained intact all these decades, still hosting national chains. Although Family Dollar and Rite Aid have other locations in Allentown, their demolition closes the chapter on Allentown's retail history. The two photographs were taken from the same location, sixty years apart. Click on images to enlarge.

Frankenstein Still Fails Polygraph Test

The monster, aka Allentown Parking Authority would be hard pressed to pass a polygraph test. In 2005, the former and current director of the Authority, testified in front of City Council that the majority of the merchants wanted the meter rate increased. They lied*. The Authority has always functioned for the betterment of the BIG BOYS on the backs of the smallest among us. In 1991 the Authority purchased the 13 parking lots owned by the declining Park N Shop for well over market price. Profiting from the buyout was Morning Call owner Donald Miller, Department store heir John Leh the 35th, Harvey Farr, and a few other good old boys. Keep in mind Hess's and Leh's department stores had their own parking decks, and the meters penalized the small merchants. Today the monster feeds on Allentown's poorest residents. Meters still extend out to 10th and Chew, 5 blocks well beyond the closest store. Over 100,000 tickets a year are issued to Allentown's poorest, mostly the intercity tenants. Now, 15 years after serving the needs of the BIG BOYS, the Authority again schemes for the connected. Now they give away the lots so that developers can have free to cheap KOZ opportunities. The new housing at 8th and Walnut was at the expense of the existing homeowners who used those lots as off street parking. The protest which came from a neighborhood group out of St. Pauls Church was labeled as naysayers to moving Allentown forward. Years ago the Authority paid millions for the lots, paid for them by aggressively ticketing the poor, and now are giving them back to the rich. The current plan is to "sell" a lot at 7th and Linden, used by the Verizon employees, so a developer can make a few bucks on unneeded townhouses.
Easton is beginning to realize their Parking Authority needs scrutiny. If they thought about it more, they may wonder why a town that size even needs an Authority at all. Please join me this wednesday Feb. 27, 4:00 pm(written in 2008) at the Monsters house, 10th and Hamilton Sts., to support the Verizon workers attempt to retain their safe and convenient parking.

* I conducted a survey at that time, 40 out of the 47 merchants were opposed to the meter increase.(figures corrected since posted earlier today- actual survey will be posted in near future)

UPDATE: A small metered lot on 9th St., right off of Hamilton was given to Butz, another small lot on 8th was given to Brew
Works. These assets, intended to benefit the entire shopping district, are being given out by the Administration,
through the Authority, almost as party favors.
UPDATE 2012: The above post is reprinted from February 24, 2008. Since then Zawarski's new townhouses crashed and burned near 8th and Walnut. The last several units were recently auctioned off for less than half their original asking price. Despite this failure to change the inter-city demographic, Pawlowski maintains that the new arena will now attract the middle class to live downtown. Zawarski's out and Reilly is in. More hopes, prayers and big plans on our dime.

East Side Memories

Man! How things have changed - Cigarette in ash tray - two chile dogs and black coffee - and he had a cigarette dangling from his lips as he made your doggies from the open grille - Man! what a sauce. Just doesn't exist today. Must have been those ashes!!

photograph and commentary by Carl Rubrecht

Mt. Sinai in Fairview Cemetery

Jews have been buried in a small section of Fairview Cemetery, called Mt. Sinai, for over 138 years. Although the markings on several stones have worn away, Hannah Dreifuss was buried there in 1868. The September 10th Chronicle in 1875 reported that two members of the Jewish faith, prominent Hamilton Street merchants, Joshua Schnurman and Simon Feldman, purchased a section from Fairview Cemetery and applied for a charter for Mt. Sinai Cemetery,* thus creating the first Jewish Institution in Allentown.
Fairview Cemetery itself was not formally laid-out until 1870, when the renowned architectural firm Lathan of Buffalo was hired to create the premiere resting place in the Lehigh Valley. The giants of Allentown would be buried there, among them Harry Trexler, the Leh's, and the Mack's of truck fame.
The History Lehigh County, published in 1914, notes Mt. Sinai contained 29 graves.** Among them was Julia Wolf, who died in 1907. Her husband Morris served with the local regiment in the Civil War, and lived to be 98 years old. Feldman and Schnurman were among the earliest Jews in Allentown, immigrants from Germany who practiced the modern "Reformed" Judaism. These gentlemen and their extended family members would go on to form the "Young Ladies and Men's Hebrew Society" in 1883***, a predecessor to the Keneseth Israel Congregation organized in 1903. Mt. Sinai remained the resting place for Reformed Jews till 1928, when Keneseth Israel established its own cemetery. Burials continued at Mt. Sinai through the 1940's as spouses and passing family members joined those previously departed in family plots. Today there are 78 graves. In July of 2006, thirty years after the previous burial in 1976, Joseph Levine was laid to rest at the age of 103.

* Chronicle source courtesy of Frank Whelan
** states "people of Hebrew faith" purchased section in 1881
*** Congregation Keneseth Israel 100th Anniversary History

Blogger's Note: Mt. Sinai Cemetery is unaffiliated with any synagogue, and with few exceptions, has been unused for 60 years.

reprinted from February 2009

My Grandfather's Horse

My grandfather lived on the corner of Chew and Jordan Streets. He butchered in a barn behind the house. For the sake of the vegans I'll spare the details, but suffice to say it wasn't for sissies. The house is still there, 301 Jordan, the barn is gone. He would deliver the meat with a horse and wagon. On the weekends, when the family wanted to visit friends, the horse insisted on doing the meat market route first. Only after he stopped in front of the last market on the route, would he permit my grandfather to direct him.
I managed rental properties between 4th and 12th Streets. Collecting rents or throwing people out is not for sissies. I developed a route between the buildings, utilizing many alleys because of the one way streets. While on my route, I got to know many people living in Allentown, and the circumstances of the different neighborhoods. I would often take pictures of people and things I considered photographic. Although I no longer have the managing job, like my grandfather's horse, I continue on the route. But things have changed, I now keep my car door locked. Not only don't I take photographs anymore, even making eye contact is uncomfortable. The streets are mean and the people are hard. Don't blame me, as an agent I always put the neighbor's comfort ahead of finding tenants. Don't blame me, as a citizen I ran for office and bluntly said what needed to be done.

reprinted from January 2010

Morning Call Distortion

Imagine having a shop on downtown's busiest block, and then ending up in a small strip mall on the other end of the city, miles from your customer base. Imagine knocking on doors looking for a new spot, then read that the city helped you relocate. Imagine investing everything you have, for the second time, in a city that just kicked you off the main street. Then imagine the newspaper writing Allentown hockey arena critics land on their feet. Many merchants who protested removal are now thriving in new locations. Worse yet, the reporters, Matt Assad and Scott Kraus, know that the article spins the reality. Matt Assad attended the meetings with Sara Hailstone, when the merchants complained of no help from the city. If they really had help, why would they have to knock on doors or end up on the east side? I'm friends with the merchants mentioned in the story. They are intelligent, hard working people, who know that they must put the best face on their current situation. Their shops are more than just speculation for a newspaper story, or a blog; Their shops are their home mortgage payments and their children's college tuition. A relative of mine, who survived a concentration camp, built a huge business in Cleveland. I suppose Assad and Kraus would say he landed on his feet. The merchants of Hamilton Street certainly were not submitted to a Holocaust. They were uprooted after building businesses for over 20 years, and forced to relocate. They were deceived by strawbuyers, and threatened by eminent domain. Most received near double the original offers, because they resisted the City's illegal bluffs. The City paid the higher amounts, because eminent domain is illegal when the intention was essentially a private business (arena), including new storefronts. Now there's a real story for Assad and Kraus!

photocredit: molovinsky

Cynthia Mota Reprogrammed

Scientists, in a secret laboratory in the basement of City Hall, successfully reprogrammed Cynthia Mota, after her heart felt, independent vote Wednesday evening. Declining to give his name, a former doctor said that the procedure went well, and it was very unlikely that Cynthia would ever again defy the mayor. She announced that she will reconsider her vote " because there's already a lot of money invested". Although the lawyer's firm, for the company rejected Wednesday evening, has contributed $6,500 to Pawlowski, what money Ms. Moto was referring to is unclear.

City Council Awoke

On Wednesday evening, City Council, for the first time in six years that Ed Pawlowski has been mayor, didn't approve one of his proposals. The proposal wasn't actually rejected, but the 3 to 3 tie vote doesn't allow his scheme to proceed. Who voted which way, is the topic of this post. Although the Pawlowski promoted Trash to Energy company was going to charge the city twice as much, for twice as long as a competitor, the RubberStamp Trio once again sang the Yes Song. Worse yet, all three singers, Schweyer, Schlossberg, and Guridy, would like to be State Representatives. Rejecting the non- competitive offer was Jeanette Eichenwald, Ray O'Connell and Cynthia Mota. Jeanette has emerged as an independent voice on Council, but until Wednesday, usually stood alone. Many people had expectations when Ray O'Connell was elected, but it took over two years for him to stand on his own. The great surprise of the evening was new councilwoman Cynthia Mota, who asserted herself at only her second council meeting. I did not attend the meeting. This analysis is from the benefit of phone calls, and two excellent articles by Devon Lash in The Morning Call.

The People's Candidate

In the late 1970's, neighbors would gather in the market on 9th Street to complain and receive consolation from the woman behind the cash register. Emma was a neighborhood institution. A native Allentonian, she had gone through school with mayor for life Joe Dadonna, and knew everybody at City Hall. More important, she wasn't shy about speaking out. What concerned the long time neighbors back then was a plan to create a Historical District, by a few newcomers. What concerned Emma wasn't so much the concept, but the proposed size of the district, sixteen square blocks. The planners unfortunately all wanted their homes included, and they lived in an area spread out from Hall Street to 12th, Linden to Liberty.* Shoving property restrictions down the throats of thousands of people who lived in the neighborhood for generations didn't seem right to Emma. As the battle to establish the district became more pitched, Emma began referring to it as the Hysterical District. Emma eventually lost the battle, but won the hearts of thousands of Allentonians. Emma Tropiano would be elected to City Council beginning in 1986, and would serve four terms. In 1993 she lost the Democratic Primary for Mayor by ONE (1) vote. Her common sense votes and positions became easy fodder for ridicule. Bashed for opposing fluoridation, our clean water advocates now question the wisdom of that additive. Although every founding member of the Historical District moved away over the years, Emma continued to live on 9th Street, one block up from the store. In the mid 1990's, disgusted by the deterioration of the streetscape, she proposed banning household furniture from front porches. Her proposal was labeled as racist against those who could not afford proper lawn furniture. Today, SWEEP officers issue tickets for sofas on the porch. Being blunt in the era of political correctness cost Emma. Although a tireless advocate for thousands of Allentown residents of all color, many people who never knew her, now read that she was a bigot. They don't know who called on her for help. They don't know who knocked on her door everyday for assistance. They don't know who approached her at diners and luncheonettes all over Allentown for decades. We who knew her remember, and we remember the truth about a caring woman. * Because the designated Historical District was too large, it has failed, to this day, to create the atmosphere envisioned by the long gone founders. Perhaps had they listened to, instead of ridiculing, the plain spoken shopkeeper, they would have created a smaller critical mass of like thinking homeowners, who then could have expanded the area. reprinted from March 2010 

Circle of Taxpayer Distrust

Fegley's Brew Works is adding to it's brewing capacity. The El Vee blog reports that later today the pub will have a news conference, announcing the expansion. molovinsky on allentown will go out on the limb and say that the real announcement is that they have probably joined the NIZ circle of taxpayer distrust. Although they may not announce that today, or at all, I have every faith in Pawlowski the GrantMeister, to plug in his favorite receiver. When they built the brewpub they claimed to have reinforced the floor to support the equipment. I believe that the extra beams were necessary to support all the grants and incentives that would eventually be attached to the enterprise.

8th Street Bridge

When opened for traffic on November 17, 1913, with seventeen spans, the Albertus L. Meyers Bridge, then known as the Eighth Street Bridge, was the longest and highest reinforced concrete arch bridge in the world.
The Lehigh Valley Transit Company organized the Allentown Bridge Company in 1911 for the sole purpose of building the bridge. The bridge was designed by the engineering firm of B.H. Davis and built by McArthur Brothers of New York City. Costing in excess of $500,000, construction of the bridge required 29,500 cubic yards of concrete and 1.1 million pounds of metal reinforcing rods.
The structure operated as a toll bridge from its November 17, 1913 opening until the 1950s, at which time the toll was five cents for an automobile. The concrete standards that once supported the trolley wire are still standing on the bridge to this day.*

This iconic bridge is a monument to our industrial history; epicenter of both the cement and steel industries. Unfortunately, bridge is suffering. Weeds and undergrowth are being allowed to penetrate the roadbed. Spalling concrete is not being replaced, submitting the reinforcing rods to rust.

Harry C. Trexler, founding member of the Transit Company and Lehigh Portland Cement Co., was a principle player in the construction of this bridge. General Trexler's gravesite, in Fairview Cemetery on Lehigh Street, affords unique views of the bridge and center city Allentown.
*Wikipedia

reprinted from February 2010

White Harvests O'Hare's Brain

I was shocked when I saw Bill White's Column on reassessment. It simply was a combination of O'Hare's post about Cunningham outsmarting the Commissioners, and the comments that followed. Even White's title appeared borrowed. O'Hare labeled his post of Thursday, February 9th as Cunningham Strikes Out on Reassessment. Or did He? Bill White's copy, which appeared on Saturday the 11th, was called In Lehigh County reassessment battle, did Don Cunningham really lose? In the past, when I took the newspaper to task for not giving me proper attribution on a story I broke, Bill White defended the paper's practice. He said that if the paper independently verifies all the facts, it can use the news without attribution. Apparently, his threshold for using someone else's opinion is even lower.

A Tale of Two Bridges

In the mid 50's, it was a big deal to us southsiders when they opened the new 15th Street Bridge. Prior to that, we had to either go over the 8th Street Bridge, or use the old stone arch bridge by the fertilizer plant. The fertilizer plant is long gone, but the old stone bridge is still there. Schreibers Bridge was built in 1828, and rehabilitated in 1920. The new 15th Street bridge was built in 1957, and is now restricted to south bound only, until which time it can be completely replaced. So the new bridge lasted 54 years, while the old stone bridge is still in use, 182 years later.

Recently, I urged Donny Cunningham not to replace the stone arch bridge on Reading Road. His project manager, Glenn Solt, insists that the historic bridge must be replaced. He stated that stone arch bridges look nice on the outside, but inside, they're filled with "crap." Thankfully, Don and Glenn didn't target Schreibers Bridge, because we're really going to need it with the new 15th Street Bridge out of commission. Hopefully, they will reconsider about stealing our history on Reading Road.

reprinted from November 2010

Bridging Our History

Part of Don Cunningham's political patter as a candidate and elected official is repairing or replacing bridges in the county. When you replace a bridge which doesn't need replacing, you're wasting taxpayer money. When you replace a historic bridge which doesn't need replacing, you're stealing our culture






The Reading Road Bridge, scheduled by Cunningham for replacement, is in excellent condition. Although my observation and top photograph clearly shows that, I did confirm it's structural integrity with someone formally with the City engineering department.

The bridge was built in 1824 and totally rehabilitated in 1980. At that time a separate walking bridge was built next to it for pedestrian safety.*





Although the beautiful two arch stone bridge needs no work, and Cunningham has been in office since 2006, the steel beams of the walking bridge are in dire need of paint. How sad that inexpensive maintenance is ignored, while $million dollar projects are planned.
click on bridge photographs to enlarge image
An engineer familiar with the bridge told me that he if was asked by supervisors to justify replacing the bridge, he will cite flooding; He added that in reality it's a moot point, because the stream flow in high water situations is also impeded by the nearby Hamilton and Union street bridges.

UPDATE: The above post appeared in June of 2010. This past Wednesday, the bridge project was presented to the County Commissioners for approval. The newest member, Mike Schware, prevailed upon the Commissioners to postpone the deliberation. I would like to remind the Commissioners that Schreiber's Bridge is now handling the former north bound traffic from the 15th Street Bridge. Once replacement begins, Schreiber will be handling virtually all the traffic from the south side. Schreiber's is also a stone arch bridge, of the same design, built at the same time as the Reading Road Bridge. Although the 15Th Street bridge was built 130 years later, that's the one that now has to be replaced. I urge the Commissioners to make a good investment in our culture, history and budget, and allow the Reading Road Bridge to remain.

Ed Hozza's Epiphany

Ed Hozza stood dutifully with the other Lehigh Valley Mayor's, across the street from a pile of rubble, and allowed Pawlowski to describe the 40 temporary demolition jobs as work recovery. If that wasn't enough, he defended Allentown's EIT grab; "We're getting the numbers first and opening our mouths second." His rendition of kumbaya would end before he got home. Apparently, driving back up MacArthur Road, he ended up behind an oversized dump truck of former Allentown. He followed the rubble and discovered it was being dumped in none other than his beloved Whitehall. Concerned about contaminants, he called the contractor, who told him not to worry his kumbaya head. Although the molovinsky on allentown legal team will not allow me to comment on his suspicions, our photography staff reported that the demolition equipment does have a vivacious appetite.

photo of mayors/The Morning Call/Donna Fisher

The Bike Path Meeting

This evening the Park Department will conduct a public meeting* on it's Trail Network Plan, including the controversial bike lanes on Linden and Turner Streets, through downtown Allentown. My previous post, Allentown's WPA Bounty, received the following comment: I don't think we have to choose between restoring the key WPA projects OR having a user-friendly bike system throughout the city. Unfortunately, we are not even being given any choices. While grants are pursued and consultants hired for the cycling paths, not a thought or dollar has gone toward the irreplaceable, iconic stone structures throughout the park system. Opposition to the center city bike lanes is widespread. In addition to center city residents, the plan is also opposed by the police department and even the cycling enthusiasts themselves: I feel taking a lane of traffic from Linden and Turner Streets is not only unnecessary but a disaster to the residents of those streets and to anyone who uses them for transportation. Because of the park department's preoccupation with cycling, at the expense and neglect of the traditional park features, I oppose the Trail Network Plan.

produced by Gary Ledebur, Netherfield Studios, Philadelphia

*meeting at 7:00pm, Allentown Library, lower level

Allentown's WPA Bounty

When the WPA started in 1935, Allentown was in a unique position to benefit. In 1929 the city decided to expand it's park system, and acquired hundreds of acres for that purpose. We had both the space and the unemployed needing the work. A project was built in almost every park in Allentown; Cedar, Irving, Union Terrace, Lehigh Parkway, Jordan, and of course, Fountain Park. The stairwells leading from Lawrence Street (now Martin Luther King Drive) up to Union Street (Junction Street) and next up to Spring Garden Street became essential several years later. Hundreds of men would use them every day as Mack Truck turned their production to the War effort. As well built as the stone structures were, they are now over 75 years old. Steps are missing on the Grand Stairway, columns are being undermined at Union Terrace, and these monuments of our past need attention. Although they are beautiful, irreplaceable, and the icons of our parks, they are not a priority for the current Administration and Park Department. Please join me this evening at the Allentown Library, (February 7, at 7:00pm, lower level) and endeavor to change their priorities.

Barbarians Sack Allentown

As Mayor Pawlowski stood last week across Hamilton Street from the former buildings, now reduced to rubble, I thought of the barbarians sacking Rome. The Knerr Building, constructed in 1892 at 707 Hamilton Street, had withstood many changes in the last 120 years. Built for John Knerr to sell groceries and confections, it's four floors served various businesses over the century. Although this past New Year's eve, the Mayor spoke of Allentown's 250th anniversary, it's a history for which he has limited knowledge and less appreciation. As a student of Allentown's architecture and past, I was offended to hear him and the other mayors boast about the 40 temporary demolition jobs. The wrecking contractor was astute enough to remove the monumental and historic Knerr facade ornamentation, before knocking the building down. He will sell it in some other city, where history is respected and valued.
For those of you who also appreciate our history, please consider joining me this Tuesday evening, February 7th, at 7:00pm in the Library's lower level. We are attempting to preserve the irreplaceable, WPA iconic stone structures throughout the park system.

photo of mayors/The Morning Call/Donna Fisher

photo of facade from former Knerr Building: molovinsky

Association of Realtors & Used Car Salesmen

Yesterday, the local newspaper featured a point/counterpoint on property reassessment. County Executive Don Cunningham wants to postpone it's implementation because of the erratic real estate market. Although it's hard to argue with that harsh reality, the Association of Realtors and Used Car Salesmen wants the county to institute the new figures immediately. Although I suspect that their position on the issue is somewhat motivated by the thousands of appeals and appraisals sure to follow, one of their statements particularly irritated me; " It is the mission of Realtors to protect private property rights..." I happen to know 34 former property owners in the hockey arena block who would find that statement ironic. Not only didn't the realtors speak out against eminent domain, several acted as strawmen for the city. Several years ago the Association officials came to Allentown City Council and spoke on behalf of Pawlowski's point of sale home inspection, although many of their rank and file membership disagreed. With a page of professional home inspectors in the yellow pages, who needs the city getting between a homeowner and his buyer. How is supporting such a program compatible with supporting private property rights? This past election they supported several candidates by producing and sending glossy mailers, with the Association minimally identified. Such mailings cost $10,000 a pop. The mailers supported the same candidates who want the reassessment now. The ability of that Association to now be "An Honest Broker" in the reassessment discussion is tainted.

Parkway Tears

Director Harms Lehigh Parkway
February 04, 1993|The Morning Call
To the Editor:

How much longer must park devotees put up with Allentown Park Director Donald Marushak's misuse of evergreen trees, no trespass signs, and wrecking tools to destroy cherished elements of the people's parks?

First Marushak closed off a much-used slope by planting a dense cluster of 60 evergreen trees across its width.

Next, four "No trespass" signs were posted to prohibit access to 30 acres of deciduous woodland with its magnificent understory of many species of plant life. Trespass, a legal term, is defined in a children's encyclopedia as intrusion on private land. The term has no application for restricting passage on public land.

The WPA in the 1930s created a three-acre island by diverting water from the Little Lehigh Creek. The island had remained a source of joy for birders, naturalists, and nondescript strollers. No one foresaw Marushak arriving on the scene with wrecking tools to rip up the bridge, terminating public access to the island. Three masonry piers remain in place. Also remaining are 12 discarded auto tires gathering silt in the small stream.

BERT LUCKENBACH, (Park Activist from the Early 1990's)
ALLENTOWN

19 years later......
Most people have long ago forgotten that there was a bridge to the island, although the stone piers still remain, obscured by overgrowth. The curved wall and landing of the Boat Landing, shown in the lower right of the photograph, are buried. A Couple of years ago, with help from others who appreciate our treasured parks, I had the privilege to rescue the steps and uncover a portion of the landing. You are welcome to join myself and others concerned about preserving the WPA structures this coming Tuesday evening,February 7th. The meeting will be in the lower level of The Allentown Library at 7:00PM.

Bernie's City Hall Lesson

Although Bernie O'Hare has observed from the audience on many occasions, last night he ventured to the podium. It was his intention to give Allentown City Council a well thought out lesson on why they should table the vote approving the NIZ board members. O'Hare cited no less than three irrefutable conflicts of interest, and one direct violation of the codified ordinance. After all nine members were approved, through 52 yes votes, Bernie instead had learned a lesson; Allentown City Council never lets lack of due diligence, or technical aspects of the law, get in the way of moving the Mayor's agenda forward. There was some concern that new member Frank Concannon has missed all the meetings. They might just as well get a puppet and raise it's hand yes every vote; What's the difference with this Council.

Ain't That Rich

It's politically incorrect to take shots at Alan Jennings. He runs a multi-million dollar organization which supposedly helps low income people. People and companies feel good about themselves when they answer his call for contributions. He has developed into a self righteous ego maniac, who even boasts of having people incarcerated. Although I just took him to task a couple weeks ago, his new hypocrisy needs a mention. Alan's running an entrepreneurial training program for people of low to moderate income who are thinking about starting a business or expanding their current business in the neighborhoods of center city Allentown. The course will be conducted at 702 Hamilton Street. Alan, Alan, Alan, where do I begin! There were such merchants across the street in that now vacant rubble who were displaced while you sat silently by. The merchants which you will train, and bankroll with contributions and taxpayer grants*, will never be allowed to operate on Prime NIZ Hamilton Street. You have been appointed to serve on the new NIZ Authority, and you're conducting your class in J. B. Reilly's building; The biggest private beneficiary of the NIZ, who intends to apply for even more loans. Ain't that rich!

*give them a fish market

Behind the Browne Story

As I shifted through Bernie O'Hare's revelations about Browne's wife being a lobbyist, and the new Morning Call story, a couple layers of this onion need dicing, from the molovinsky on allentown perspective. Once again, I'm struck how the Morning Call lifted a story from a blogger, without proper attribution. I believe, from my own experience, that this policy is dictated by their metro editor, not the reporters. If the reporters are not embarrassed, they should be. Although the blogger readership is a fraction of the papers, it is a who's who of the Lehigh Valley. The second layer pertains to my previous post about Browne's repeated statement; "I'm not sure why anyone is confused. The law is very clear." The newspaper story states that Vaughn Communication hired Pugliese Associates because of the complexities of the law. Vaughn works for the Arena Authority, Pugliese works for the private developers, and Browne's wife works for both companies. The NIZ appears to be a law, that on one hand is so clear that the public didn't deserve clarification, but on which select developers received guidance, so as to take full advantage.

A Question of Priorities

I was surveying and photographing demolished Hamilton Street yesterday. My thinking is that there is less asbestos floating around on the weekend. While I worried about the hypothetical, some Allentonians were devastated by the all too real; But first, The Family Dollar story. In the Allentown of my youth, the building held the McCrory Five and Dime. Considering that history, it wasn't inappropriate to end up a dollar store. The building's landlord just had a lucrative 14 months. Purchased for $325,154.00 in November of 2010, the City ponied up $1,100,000.00 in the beginning of this month. There has been a number of such home runs involving the arena, but not within such a short time frame. Meanwhile, Easton Express Times reporter Colin McEvory was checking out the homeowners displaced by last month's water main break and sinkhole on 10th Street. While the City was prepared to exhume graves in the adjoining cemetery, the homeowners have learned that Allentown will not assist them. We were going to treat the dead better than the living.
Through no fault of their own, they have been made homeless, and in some cases, penniless. While this City can spend $35million to acquire and demolish properties for the arena, we leave the sinkhole victims clinging to the edge of the precipice. Allentown is serviced by water pipes over 100 years old. It is City policy to never admit that a water leak caused a sinkhole. While I won't debate their legal strategy, it's apparent we could do much more for these victims; It's a matter of priorities.

photo: The Express Times

Township Managers Wake Up Shocked!

Township managers are waking up from their nap, shocked! Whose Earned Income Tax did they think was going to be used to pay for this white elephant, the six people who work on Hamilton Street and live in Allentown? The managers have scheduled a meeting with Pat Browne in mid February. At that meeting, Browne will tell them that any left over revenue will come their way. The purpose of this post is to try and restore their dignity, and persuade them to cancel the meeting. Gentleman, there will be nothing left over for the next 30 years. Please understand that the arena will cost at least $160 million dollars. In addition to that, approved private developers, also have $100 million already approved. Pawlowski said recently, while you were napping, that his vision is for $600 million in development. The Earned Income Tax is to be first applied toward the debt service. You're financial managers, how much do you foresee being left over? Also written in the law that nobody read, is the ability to use property taxes, if necessary. This blog maintains that when would be more honest than if. Everyone, everywhere, will be paying for this, but none more than Allentown taxpayers.

Where's the Rent?

Recently, this blog explained the heavy handed way that City Center Investment Corporation had acquired virtually all the buildings across from the arena site. Yesterday, The Morning Call reported the compelling story about how a luncheonette tenant on 7th Street was told to vacate, for being a couple days late with her rent. I was glad the newspaper picked up on the story, but like the rent check, they're a little late. In the article they refer to the displaced merchants of the arena site has having served low-income shoppers. Perhaps the reporters didn't notice, but the luncheonette clientele are not from the west end. It's not the fine dining favored by the Administration. The same reporter, before the eminent domain hearing, referred to the merchants as selling discount clothes and cheap electronics. While it's nice that they're injecting a little humanity into the plight now, the damage has been done. The same reality applies to recent revelations about the Earned Income Tax in the NIZ. As the picture below shows, we no longer have a center city; We have a square block of rubble with the surrounding properties all owned by virtually one person. Welcome to the Transformation.

the rent collector is boxer Abe Simon, training for his heavyweight fight with Joe Louis in 1942; the photographer asked him to look mean. the bottom photograph is by The Morning Call.

Hawking a Newspaper

The full page promotion of The Morning Call by Tony Iannelli, on the back of Tuesday's front section of that newspaper, seemed inappropriate to me. The copy said it was important for Tony to get news from a credible source that he could trust. It identified Tony as President and CEO of the Greater Lehigh Valley Chamber of Commerce. Doesn't Tony realize that there are two cities in the Valley with a newspaper? If Iannelli is a spokesman for The Morning Call, can we count on honest reporting about his organization? This blog has previously wondered why the Chamber sponsored Vision Meetings for the merchants of Hamilton Street, while the Administration was starting to think about a bulldozer. The citizens of this city have been under-served by both the Chamber and the paper; where can we find a credible source we can trust?

Flash From Past

Occasionally, some of the older boys in Lehigh Parkway would get saddled with taking me along to a Saturday matinee in downtown Allentown. We would get the trolley, in later years a bus, from in front of the basement church on Jefferson Street. It would take that congregation many years to afford completing the church building there today. The trolley or bus would go across the 8th Street Bridge, which was built to accommodate the trolleys operated by Lehigh Valley Transit Company. Downtown then sported no less than five movie theaters at any one time. Particularly matinee friendly was the Midway, in the 600 Block of Hamilton. Three cartoons and episode or two of Flash Gordon entertained our entourage, which ranged in age from five to eleven years old. We younger kids, although delighted by the likes of Bugs Bunny, were confused how the Clay People would emerge from the walls in the caves on Mars to capture Captain Gordon, but our chaperones couldn't wait till the next week to learn Flash's fate. Next on the itinerary was usually a banana split at Woolworth's. Hamilton Street had three 5 and 10's, with a million things for boys to marvel at. The price of the sundae was a game of chance, with the customer picking a balloon. Inside the balloon was your price, anywhere from a penny to the full price of fifty cents. The store had a full selection of Allentown souvenirs. Pictures of West Park on a plate, the Center Square Monument on a glass, pennants to hang on your wall, and picture postcards of all the attractions. Hamilton Street was mobbed, and even the side streets were crowded with busy stores. Taking younger kids along was a responsibility for the older brothers, the streets and stores were crowded, but predators were limited to the Clay People on the silver screen.

reprinted from April 11, 2011

Allentown's Vanishing History

A reader sent me the above image last night. It looks down the hill from 7th and Hamilton, north, toward Linden Street. He has been attempting to locate the old Lafayette Radio store on 7th street, because of a pleasant memory from his childhood. By my day, the store had moved onto the southern side of the 700 block of Hamilton Street. History is quickly succumbing to the wreaking ball in Allentown. All the buildings shown above, on the left or west side of 7th Street, have been knocked down for the arena. Most of the buildings on the photo's right side are also gone. I suspect the few remaining ones will be gone soon, as they have been recently purchased in speculation of the Transformation Phrase 2, the Event Center. With the departure of Salomon Jewelry, Tucker Yarn remains Hamilton Street's last remaining business from the glory days. It's first store, on 7th Street, can be seen on the left side of the above photo.

The above image can be found in Doug Peters' Lehigh Valley Transit

Pat Browne's NIZ Shell Game

Back in the fall, when it was discovered that J.B. Reilly was loaned $20 million under the same terms as the arena, and that taxes would be used for his debt service, and before the rules to apply were formulated and publicly announced, Pat Browne said "I'm not sure why anyone is confused. The law is very clear." Yes, this is the same Pat Browne whose campaign brochure touts reducing the size of government, and sponsored the Taxpayer Transparency Act. Scott Kraus and Matt Assad, of The Morning Call, have reported* that various professional fiscal managers in the surrounding townships, have been caught off-guard by the NIZ wrinkles. Bethlehem's business administrator said, "What? That's crazy....we're not getting money we already included in this year's budget." Upper Milford's manager said "Our bread and butter is that Earned Income Tax. Any amount we lose is significant to us." Pat Browne's reply to the beleaguered administrators: "I'm not sure why anyone is confused. The law is very clear." This blogger has maintained, contrary to the patter coming out of the mouths of Pawlowski and Browne, that every dollar going toward these NIZ projects will have to be made up by the taxpayers, somewhere, somehow. Pat Browne says, "There is naturally going to be some adjustment, But we're talking about rebuilding the urban core of Lehigh County. The benefits to everyone, including the suburban municipalities, are going to be well worth the adjustments we have to go through to get there."

Senator Browne, those benefits remain to be seen. For someone who sponsored The Taxpayer Transparency Act, you sure can move those shells around fast.

*Taxing question:Arena tab extends beyond Allentown/by Scott Kraus and Matt Assad/The Morning Call/January 22, 2012

Misguided Park Priorities

The plan to turn one lane of both Linden and Turner Streets into bike paths, through center city, casts a spot light on current Park Department thinking. If ever there was an idea that was devoid of reality, and which ignores the welfare of the vast majority of citizens, that may well be it. In addition to affecting the two sides of Allen High School, Central Elementary School would also be adversely impacted. Those familiar with center city know that double parkers already have largely reduced traffic to one lane, never mind the pending Arena traffic. This bike plan is a component of the Trail Network Plan, which has dominated the park agenda for the last several years. It caters exclusively to the cycling enthusiasts, paving the existing paths and connecting the parks with more bike paths. This past fall a group of concerned citizens surveyed the iconic WPA stone Structures within our park system. The cyclists may be peddling too fast to notice the state of disrepair that has overcome these monuments. Last summer, a City Councilman agreed to vote for the Trail Network Plan, with the understanding that a set of stone steps on Jerome Street, at Irving Park, would be fixed. The Park Department then removed the steps; I suppose that's a fix of sorts. One of the stone pillars on the Union Terrace Amphitheater stage is being undermined by the stream. The grand stairwell at Fountain Park has numerous missing steps. While millions of dollars have been sought for the cycling plan, the stone structures are approaching the point of no return. While I wish the cyclists enjoyable use of the parks, the Park Director and Mayor must realize that the young and the old, and other passive users, are also entitled to enjoy the parks. They are entitled to sit a bench and enjoy the view . They are entitled to explore the stone structures with their grandchildren, safely, on maintained steps and walls. These structures defined our park system long before the current Administration. We have too many plans for new venues in this city, while our history is literally crumbling. We don't just need more new ribbons to cut, we also need to maintain those things which made us unique.

The above piece, under a different title, appeared January 21, 2012, on The Morning Call opinion page.

A Park Protester From The Past

`Green' Curtain Blocks Sledding And The View
January 09, 1992|The Morning Call
To the Editor:
Hold your sleds girls and boys! Others, too, on the alert! With the planting of a dense cluster of 60 evergreen trees and the erection of a "No Sledding" sign, creating a veritable iron curtain, the park and watershed people have once again undertaken their repetitive effort of the past 45 years to eliminate a most popular sledding slope in Lehigh Parkway. The motive -- crass self-interest in defiance of public good. The effect -- an impassable barrier and concealment of a magnificent vista of "one of the finest valleys in Eastern Pennsylvania."
Children and adults from the 400 homes with longtime and easy access to the slope and others arriving in cars have enjoyed sledding here after school and into the night and throughout the day and night on weekends. Yet sledding is but one of the attractions of this enduring slope. In summer children and teachers from Lehigh Parkway Elementary School have enjoyed a walk down the slope and into the park for a break from book and blackboard. Birders, joggers, hikers and others on a leisurely stroll engrossed in their particular interest have found the slope irresistible.
For a host of others, this opening into the park after a long stretch of woods presents a charming vista and urge to descend. Interest is immediately evoked by the sight of a mid-19th century log house (now tenanted by a city employee whose privacy is further enhanced by the closure of the slope) and a historic wagon trail leading past the site of a lime kiln to tillable lands of earlier times.
The view takes in an expanse of meadowlands, now groomed, to the Little Lehigh River and up the western slope to Lehigh Parkway North. Indeed, a pleasant view to be esteemed and preserved for generations to come. It was distressing on New Year's Day to see a family and their guests intent upon a walk down the slope suddenly stop in amazement and shock as the closure became evident.
The cost in dollars through the years of the park peoples' fixation on destroying the Parkway slope must be staggering indeed without dwelling on other deliberate depletions. Typically, the placement of the 1991 "No Sledding" sign employed a team of four men with three vehicles -- a backhoe, a panel truck, and a super cab pickup truck, the latter furnishing radio music.
BERT A. LUCKENBACH
ALLENTOWN The Morning Call, January 9, 1992
reprinted from May 25, 2010

I grew up in the same neighborhood and spent my childhood winters sledding on the same hill. Mr. Luckenbach would also be saddened that the historic Wagon Trail is now also blocked off, near it's exit halfway on the hill. I suppose children, mittens and sledding is too passive a recreation for this Administration's taste.

Scrapping Allentown's History

The following communication is from a center city homeowner, irate over a recent theft from his property.
The fleecing of our city.
Copper and brass hardware has been disappearing from homes all over the region for a few years now.Gutters, flashing, pipes and wiring are all subject to a new form of recycling.There is a cadre of crack heads and thieves daily casing our streets and alleyways looking for anything of value not tied down and watched. They drive around in old junk trucks and beat up vans searching back yards for booty.This behavior has ratcheted up over the last several months to stealing iron and steel goods.
I have had three cellar window sidewalk grates stolen in the past two months. These grates have been in place for at least the twenty five years I have lived here in Allentown.The grates weigh maybe fifteen pounds each - worth five dollars? BUT more like five hundred dollars to replace.The local salvage yards talk the talk about recovering materials stolen from many properties.
The truth is that these scrap yards are fences.They happily pay for stolen goods.I went to three scrap yards here in town looking for my property.All three yards were totally acquainted with the fact that a new bunch of criminals are stealing metal items and disposing of them for cash at their businesses.One asked for my name, but the other two just feigned concern while rolling their eyes. They all asked if I had reported the theft to the police. I did.The yard that asked for my name allowed me to look at the scrap steel they purchased that day, but the other yards refused to let me look for my property.
This should be a criminal offense called "receiving stolen property".The truth is that the thieves working our streets are not mining a legal claim.The yards buying the scrap crush and dispose of it daily - rendering any stolen property untraceable.
Materials located on any property, private or public, belong to some one.It is illegal to enter onto any property and take anything without asking, or without purchasing said materials.Anyone doing business, especially daily business, with these establishments should be showing proof of ownership for all the goods and materials they intend to sell.
The scrap yards accepting and buying metals are complicit with the robbers.

Over the years I photographed some of the scrap yards and know a few of the owners. They are, for the most part, fairly large businesses, with regular clients. I'm sure occasionally, all of them get snookered into buying something stolen, but I do not believe it's fair to characterize them as fences. I also have known some pickers, who are incredibly hard working, honest men. Recently, someone was arrested for stealing the copper downspouts from at least 73 houses in the west end. When someone steals something from your house it's very unpleasant. If it's an older house, with essentially irreplaceable features, it seems even more crass.

Behind The News, rental inspections

Devon Lash of The Morning Call reports on the landlords suing Allentown over last year's 600% increase in the rental inspection fee. As a target and scapegoat, landlords have always been low hanging fruit. Here's some background not known to the public and press. When the Administration first approached City Council, I was told that it was their intention to raise the fee to thirty five dollars. Because Council did not blink or question that figure, the Mayor's office then realized that they had a ticket to ride. Without hesitation, Council agreed to more than double the initial figure, to $75.00 per each apartment unit annually. Rental units are on a five year inspection cycle, making the actual fee $375.00 per inspection. Of course, the public wouldn't care if the landlords were charged $750.00 a year, or even $7,500.00.* This stigmatization of landlords has allowed the Administration to even have a Landlord Hall of Shame on it's official website. Could you imagine a page dedicated to another class of property owners? Homeowners of Shame. Taxpayers of Shame. Citizens of Shame.

disclaimer: I'm a landlord, but not part of the lawsuit.

first comment on The Morning Call website about this article, but it won't be the last: where in the constitution does it say that a slum lord in Allentown cant be expected to pay more on his rental property? I guess when RCN raises their fees its unconstitutional, or when PPL raises fees for basic living needs its unconstitutional? 90% Of landlords are scum, drivin by greed, why else would you own 46 places, Greed American greed!

A Giant Among Midgets

Here's a story you will not read about on any official City of Allentown website. It's a story of private gumption, instead of the usual public subsidy. It's the late 1990's, and I stop in and visit infamous Allentown landlord Joe Clark. He's sitting at a desk in the middle of a large empty storefront at 7th and Turner, surrounded by landlord supplies and building materials. The phone rings and it's Mayor William Heydt. Heydt just learned that Clark purchased the vacant Eastern Light Building on Hamilton Street, and wants to know Clark's intentions. Clark tells him he's going to build the best nightclub Allentown has ever seen. Heydt doesn't offer any help, but tells him that he'll be under close scrutiny. Clark does go on to build the club, without a nickel of help from Allentown. Years later, when the BrewWorks would open with unlimited city subsidy, a public parking lot on 8th Street was given exclusively to the BrewWorks. A few weeks ago Clark asked if he could rent the Parking Authority lot behind the nightclub; Request Denied. This week, based on ticket sales, Crocodile Rock was rated the 60th most successful nightclub in the world for 2011. The midgets at City Hall pay for consultants, when there's a genius half a block away.

Whine and Cheese

Decades ago I could be found at an Allentown Art Museum opening. As the years passed and I became more cynical, I started referring to those events as Whine and Cheese. Now of course, I call those people yuppies, and have long since been removed from their mailing lists. In the last several months my regard for them, and the Old Allentown Preservation Association, has grown even lower. Both groups sat silently by, while the architectural and historical gems of Allentown were destroyed. Allentown only had a few significant facades. I captured the above image this summer. We need not speculate if the new arena will last 80 years, or if people in the year 3000 will consider it's architecture significant; It will be long gone.

destruction image from the Rebellious Evil Brothers Film

The Butchers of Allentown

photograph by Bob Wilt
A&B (Abogast&Bastian), dominated the local meat packing industry for almost 100 years. At it's peak, they employed 700 people and could process 4,000 hogs a day. The huge plant was at the foot of Hamilton Street, at the Lehigh River. All that remains is their free standing office building, which has been incorporated into America on Wheels. Front and Hamilton was Allentown's meatpacking district. Within one block, two national Chicago meatpackers, Swift and Wilson, had distribution centers. Also in the area were several small independents, among them M. Feder and Allentown Meat Packing Company.

reprinted from January 17, 2011

The Longest 90 miles

I think that one of the longest 90 miles stretches in United States has to be between New York City and Allentown. Although only two hours away, it's a different world. In Manhattan, a one bedroom apartment rents for $3200, in center city Allentown, $650. In Manhattan there are a million office workers earning in excess of $100,000. In Allentown, they couldn't fill the BrewPub. In Manhattan, it costs $750,000 to buy a small one bedroom condominium. With this frame of mind, many New York investors came to Allentown and purchased apartment buildings. They thought because they were paying less than the price of their Beamer, for each apartment, how could they lose? They gave the tenants self addressed envelopes and told them to send the rent. They learned how they could lose, and many of those buildings are now for sale or empty. This brings to mind an urban minded blogger writing about the Lehigh Valley. He wants all of us to move into center city and take public transportation. He wants the city government to insist on tall buildings and high density. He has the New York City frame of mind. Blogger Jon Geeting is heartened by the current NIZ development. As one developer candidly admitted, it's only possible with your tax dollars. Only when Allentown begins being developed with private money, as in New York City, will it be meaningful.