Dumbo The Flying Elephant

Lehigh Valley International Airport has just completed a deal with Delusion Airlines, which will pretend to fly passengers anywhere in the world they want. It is estimated that there might be up to 250,000 people in the valley with occasional hallucinations. Since the planes don't actually go anywhere, Delusion Airlines will not be sticking LVIA with a $million dollar fuel bill, as did all the previous airlines. Currently, there are not many flights that actually go anyplace. There are no direct flights to any city in Florida, except Orlando twice a week. There are no direct flights to Boston, or any other city considered a destination in the travel business. The busiest flight is the Continental Airline Bus to Newark. Despite still owing $16 million for land they never used, despite having less domestic flights than the old airport shown above, yesterday The Morning Call reported a plan to spend $5 million for a U.S. Customs station for international flights.

No Grandstanding

The public meetings on the Water System Sale(lease) are being conducted using Pawlowski's tried and true, dog and pony method. After the public is made to suffer through a PowerPoint presentation, survivors are allowed to submit a written question. Since City Council must approve the plan, Jeanette Eichenwald has called for a public input meeting. Pawlowski's not thrilled about that format. At the Pawlowski controlled information meetings, the public is not allowed to speak, or directly ask the mayor a question. The City Council format allows a citizen to speak for up to three minutes. Pawlowski believes that leads to grandstanding.  Although Council must approve the lease concept, it has not been determined if they will be allowed to vote on the actual contract. Another Council, in another era, would have automatically voted NO the first time, to insure they get to approve any contract. This post is based on an article by Scott Kraus, which appeared in yesterday's Morning Call, buried on the obituary page. I have been unable to find the story on their website, or provide a link. The streams which run through our park system provide water for the water filtration plant, and are called The Watershed. Control of these streams would be part of the lease to a private company.
Those concerned about the sale/lease of the water system are welcome to express their displeasure by joining us, when we plant a weeping willow on the bank of Cedar Creek, time and date to be announced.

The Sign Of Delusion

When I first saw the new street signs in Old Allentown, I gave them about a year. I must now downgrade that lifespan to about 6 months. The old green and white signs are going on 60 years of use. Generations of boys did pull ups on the old sign at 12th and Turner; This sign will support one pull up by one boy. The Allentown planning office told Morning Call reporter, Dan Hartzell, that the antique looking signs are to enhance the historic nature of Old Allentown. Hartzell thought that it's wonderful that the Old Allentown yuppies get something, because they Walk the Walk. He did not report that the signs have no structural integrity, are too short and are junk. Although Hartzell took the above photograph only one week ago, the Turner has since broken off the sign. In truth, we do not have an historic district, we have a poverty district with a few yuppies and a city hall deluding itself. In the City Without Limits, we wasted another half a $million dollars.

A New Tree For Cedar Park

The storm last year was devastating to the old willows of Cedar Park. To the members of our group, the weeping willows symbolize the finest aspects of our park system. This year the park was dug up while the Lehigh County Authority laid a new water main from Cedar Crest Blvd. to across Ott Street. The pipe then turned north, was dug under the creek, and up Ott Street under a new sidewalk. As noted in the post below by the Sierra Club, if Mayor Pawlowski has his way, the stream banks may soon be controlled by a private company with no ties to Allentown. Before that happens, our group will plant a symbolic willow tree along the banks of Cedar Creek. Although there is some debate on the appropriateness of riparian buffers in our park systems, it is agreed by all that the current No Mow Zones are not riparian buffers, but actually just No Maintenance Zones. Under the guidance of a riparian consultant, 20 feet of creek bank will be cleared to host the new willow.

Sierra Club Opposes Privatization

 The Lehigh Valley Sierra Club urges the City of Allentown to not rush to privatize its municipal drinking water and sanitary sewer system. The Lehigh Valley Sierra Club has several hundred members residing in the city, with 1,400 members living in the Lehigh Valley. The Sierra Club is the nation’s oldest and largest environmental organization, with almost one million members, 24,000 of whom live in Pennsylvania.

            Allentown Mayor Ed Pawlowski is proposing leasing Allentown’s municipal water and sewer system to a another, possibly commercial, entity for 50 years, in exchange for millions of dollars that could help shore up the city’s teetering employee pension fund. This seems at first blush like a lifeline to a city struggling financially but in actuality may be a recipe for disaster.

            Not only are water rates to residents projected to double under any leasing scheme but privatization would put Allentown’s jewel of a park system – much of it along the Little Lehigh Creek, the city’s prime drinking water source – under the control of a private entity that could exploit that watershed without concern for environmental damage that could result. Opportunities to market Allentown’s plentiful water to others would pass away from the city to an entity not controlled by Allentown’s citizens. In what condition would the system and its watershed be returned to the city after 50 years of private exploitation?

            The national Sierra Club recommends any municipal water system privatization follow five necessary steps before adoption:

            -- full public disclosure of all the details of the lease before approval

            -- evidence that privatization would not cost more than continued municipal control

            -- guaranteed continued and effective oversight by the municipality

            -- sufficient time for a vigorous public debate before privatization

            -- a public vote by the citizens on whether to undertake privatization.

            The current proposal to privatize Allentown’s water and sewer system includes none of these safeguards. Until this proposal follows these essential steps, Allentown should not blindly jump to hand off its water and sewer system to another entity. 

Sierra Club press release courtesy of Lehigh Valley Ramblings

A Picture Postcard

Hamilton Street once had three large five and dimes. which sold many  souvenirs of Allentown, including a  large assortment of postcards. Many of cards featured Allentown's picturesque park system, known for it's idyllic streams, weeping willows and iconic WPA stone structures. The card above, from 1948, shows the double sided stairwell in Lehigh Parkway, by the Little Lehigh.  The stone constructions, now over 75 years old, are in desperate need of some budget attention. A new philosophy of stream bank management has compromised access and view of the water, while not meeting the goals of it's advocates. The current administration, unlike the willow trees, doesn't have many roots in Allentown. You are welcome to join a group of citizens,  endeavoring to protect our parks' traditions, while tastefully merging the system with current demands. We will be meeting this evening in the lower level of The Allentown Library, at 7:00pm.

Park Defender Meeting

Tomorrow evening, Tuesday August 14, the Allentown WPA Association will once again meet in the lower level of The Allentown Library at 7:00PM. Although the group was originally started to cast light on the deteriorating condition of the WPA structures throughout the park system, we also discuss other issues affecting park users in Allentown. Regardless of your interest in the park system, or your point of view, you're most welcome to join us. The meeting will end promptly at 8:00pm, because of summer hours at the library.

The steps at Fountain Park connected the children of city center with the park, and their fathers with work at Mack Truck

Better Park Days

A Guest Post
My walks with my dog along the creek in Cedar Creek Park between Ott and Cedar Crest Blvd. have been some of the best times of my life. I have met many nice people and dogs in the past twelve years. I have seen and spoke with many people picnicking, reading a book, or just relaxing to the gurgling of the water while laying on a blanket along this beautiful creek. None of my dogs through the years, nor I, have ever had any ticks in this park until recently. All of this is gone now, along with many friends who will no longer come here because of the decision to "save" this creek (the clearest, cleanest in the area) by allowing weeds to grow along it, outwards of 20-30 feet or more. Please tell mayor Pawlowski and the park department to end this nonsense. No one at the park agrees with or likes the weeds, but say that there is nothing anyone can do about it. General Trexler intended for this land to be enjoyed by people, their children and pets, not to deny access to the creek. Please people speak up and demand that these weeds be cut. It will not take long for the ticks, mosquitos, snakes and vermin and the deadly diseases they carry, lyme disease, west nile virus, etc. to spread out from the park to the homes and neighborhood surrounding it. No one would tolerate their neighbors to have weeds growing next door to them. Please do not allow the city to destroy the beauty of this park any longer.
Tony Martin

The WPA and other park defenders will meet this coming Tuesday evening at 7:00p.m. in the lower level of The Allentown Library 

photo of park in 2008, when the creek was still accessible

Weitzel's World

The homepage of the Playworld Systems website features a picture of Allentown's Cedar Park Destination Playground. A close examination of the picture reveals that it shows less equipment than what Allentown actually installed. Weitzel shoved so much equipment into that playground that it exceeded the company's recommendations and best practices. An artist was employed to airbrush Weitzel's excesses out of the picture. Cross Ott Street, follow the yellow brick road and you come upon the LifeTrail senior exercise stations, which cost  $10,000 apiece. These stations are also produced by Playworld. Playworld, centered in Lewisburg Pennsylvania, also installed the new playground equipment at Franklin Park. Did I mention that Weitzel came to Allentown from Lewisburg?  They say that there's a framed picture of Weitzel on the boss's desk at Playworld.

No View Zone

Recently, a former park user contacted me through a Morning Call reporter. For many years he took great joy in taking his dog to Cedar Park, where he could play in the stream. That tradition ended last year, when both he and his dog couldn't access the creek without getting ticks. For those who haven't been to the parks in a few years, let me explain. We now have No Mow Zones and riparian buffers. The uncut brush is supposed to prevent herbicides from the surrounding neighborhoods from entering the water. In Allentown's case, the zones and buffers are just for show, because our storm sewer pipes empty directly in the streams, bypassing the buffers. Why would our former park director deny the public both view and access to the water? He teamed up with Abigail Pattishall from the Wildlands Conservancy, another grantmeister, to take advantage of a current grant buzz word, riparian. They're even allowing the six feet between the reflection pool and the creek to grow up. In addition to ticks, the thick underbrush encourages snakes. Did I tell you that Abigail is a trained herpetologist, specializing in water snakes? The water is now only seen from three bridges which cross the creek. Traditionally, the stream banks were stabilized by willow trees. I would like to see both new willow trees and children return to the stream banks in our beautiful parks. The Allentown WPA Association will meet on Tuesday August 14, at 7:00 p.m. in the lower level of the Allentown library. If you also have concerns about the park system, please join us.

Get On Board

I had a chance encounter with a supporter and associate of the mayor, an influential man, accomplished by any measure. He asked me why I have to be so negative? He said that I should get on board with the arena, it's going to happen anyway. I suggested that perhaps some dissent is healthy for a community. Sure of his position, rather than consider my point, he proceeded that Allentown needed to be revitalized. Although I might agree with that, I don't see the arena doing it. Yesterday, in a Morning Call article about the arena, a hockey fan from down the line can't wait for the arena to open. Although that portends well for the arena owner, the Brooks Company, will this fan be spending money in town? Will he patronize a restaurant outside of the arena, either before or after the game? As our conversation proceeded, I learned that the gentleman was unfamiliar with this blog, and based his assessment of my negativity on a letter or two to the editor. I suppose that if he ever ventured here he would have saved his breath. I have not identified the mayor's associate, nor will I host comments speculating on his identity. My point is that although the administration faced no opposition from city council, or from the press editorially, they even resent a lone voice or two asking a few questions.

Monopoly Allentown Style

Earlier this year I reported how J.B. Reilly had plans to acquire the entire block on the south side of Hamilton Street. Two holdouts at this point have been both the jean and wicker stores on Hamilton Street, otherwise, his conquest has been on course. Recently, he closed on three buildings containing 16 units on S. 8th Street. I can tell you that neither the apartments, nor it's tenants, will give Mr. Reilly pride of ownership. What motivates him to become a reluctant landlord? Is this to be Four City Center? I don't think so, it will be challenging enough to rent his three other planned office buildings. We have been told that the NIZ was not specially designed for Mr. Reilly, and that other developers were welcome to apply. However, it's becoming apparent that they will have to buy their parcel from J.B..

A CyberVisit

The responses and comments to the political posts are usually within a day or two. The historical posts have a much longer shelf life. People using search engines find something of their youth often years after I wrote the post. I still occasionally get a comment from someone who worked at a Mohican Market, often somewhere in upstate New York. Yesterday, a former post on the 6th Ward received such a comment.

 Hello molovinsky, I found your blog today. I was born in the 6th ward in 1933. My grandfather, who died very young, long before I was born, was Emanuelle Markowitz and was, I believe, the first religious head of Aguda Achim. His wife was Ida Markowitz. We lived at 234 and then 244 Hamilton St. and went to Harrison Morton grade school before departing permanently to New York City. Arnold Fein (brother is Barry)

 My grandparents lived on Second Street in around 1900, and belonged to the Agudas Achim congregation. After Arnold and I exchanged a couple comments, I invited him to send me a note about Allentown via email.

  Yeah, Michael, I went back for a visit about 3 yrs. ago. All of lower Hamilton St,is part of a highway and the Jersey RR Station ,I was told, failed as a restaurant.The stores I remember on Hamilton between 2nd and 3rd were, Queenies Luncheonette, Bucky Boyle's Bar, Harry Gross Shoes,an A&P on the corner of 1st (Front?)and Hamilton, a "holy roller" storefront church, a travel agency with a large steamship model in the window,Taylors Plumbing Supply (now Weinstein's-I visited the place when I was there), a "Giant" supermarket on 5th and Hamilton across from the P.O., Francis the barber on the hill,the Colonial theatre,etc.Harrison Morton is still there and 2nd St.off Hamilton is still the same including the "A Treat" sign on the little store near HM, which I remember. Some friend's names from that time are: Stanley and Nancy Kulp (Culp?) who lived in an old wooden house next to the Lehigh Valley RR Freight terminal across from Taylor's. Michael Miller, Bobby Kressler, George Mevrides(sp?), Andrew Kent,Dickie Catalina(whom I'll never forget as the guy who came running out on Hamilton St. on 12/7/ shouting, "the Japs bombed Pearl Harbor"), the 4-5 Delaney kids,Dickie Gross who lived in a stone house on 2nd St.just off Hamilton where his father had his dental practice, Lucille Wiener, Phyllis Malatrott,Victoria Minner,Ronald DiLeo whose father was a Dr., (told me my first "off color" joke in the 1st grade while we were standing side by side at a HM urinal)), Marvin Karll, 2 HM footballers (who were not friends as such), Barney Garulla(sp?) and Albert Casium, whom I believe was Albanian.Other places were the slaughter house, Arbegast and Bastion (sp?). Couldn't miss that!, Riverfront Park, and a horse watering trough on the corner of Hamilton and Front(?)Lots of others. Something priceless about childhood, no matter where it's spent.

 Even in Allentown.

UPDATE: More memories from "Arnie" Fein
Also, my grand parents owned a store on 2nd St. around Tilghman, before I was born. My mother always remembered the few words she knew in Slavic because some of the customers spoke only "Slavisch".Another recollection was in 1943 when a lot of us went to the JerseyRR terminal to watch a train full of German POWs being transported west. Larry and Jimmy Whitman lived above the A&P on that picture you sent. Their name was anglicized from a Polish name their parents shortened.Harry and Jean Getz, friends of my mother, owned a small shoe store between 2nd and 3rd Sts.The name of the travel agency was, if I'm correct, something like Bortz. On Walnut St. around the corner from Weinstein's was the "Perkiomen Transfer Co." The local movie house was the Townie which I believe was in the 6th ward.Further up the hill were the Colonial, the Midway and the Transit.There was a trolley named the Liberty Bell which went from 8th St. to Philly and a trolley to Bethlehem along the "Bethlehem Minsi Trail". Other memories as they come from the distant past...

 photo supplied by Arnold Fein, showing him, brother and mother at Hamilton and the current American Parkway, next to the current Weinstein Supply Company.

The Sign Of Hypocrisy

Very early this morning I was amused by the article in The Morning Call speaking of something new coming to downtown Allentown, a electronic billboard. I thought I had put the soon to be demolished Monument Building to rest, but now it features in yet another story of Allentown's double standards. Before the Mayor forced the owner to lock the doors, he had installed the exact type of new billboard coming to Allentown. I apparently was not the only one shaking my head over this story. Before 7:00AM I received the following comment.

  In regards to the future digital billboards: The sad part is that a business man had this same idea and placed a beautiful sign on the side of the 645 Hamilton Street building only to have ut turned off due to City politics.. Everything that is being thought of as new and innovative was proposed and DONE by individuals 6-10 years ago who took it "upon themselves" to make Allentown a better City. Unfortunately, we received no support so many have left or became apathetic... SMH Alfonso Todd

There is actually a proud tradition of signs in center square.  For many years during the golden era a large illuminated Neuweiler Beer sign stood atop the Whelan Drugstore, on the northwest corner.  Back to the hapless Monument owner and his innovative sign.  The sign was up for a number of months and being tolerated by the city, until one faithful day.  As a favor to the coffee shop owner,  the sign company programmed an ad for Lou Hershman running for office, just as Mayor Pawlowski was walking down the street.  The Mayor blew his fuse, and the sign shortly thereafter, when the city threw every sign law on the book at the owner.

 The billboard is actually still mounted to the building, as a testament to this hypocrisy.   Is it the same billboard firm now hired by the city to place billboards on certain streets, including N. 7th? I'll leave some meat on the bone for the paper to discover, when they adopt this story.
photocredit:molovinsky

The Fifth Estate-Blogging

Occasionally I post a comment on The Morning Call website. Invariably, Future Downtown Arena Attendee comes on to say that I live beyond the city borders and only received so many hundreds of votes in my independent bid for mayor. Last time she attributed my criticism of the mayor's initiative on sour grapes, for having lost the election. Of course there could be no other rational reason to oppose all those enlightened plans coming from city hall. In this town, with one party only on city council, and no scrutiny from the local press, this blog is often the epicenter of opposition. Certainly my associate from Nazareth, Bernie O'Hare, adds a larger voice on some issues. The noise Bernie and I make is eventually heard by our newspaper friends. Although you will seldom see mention of our blogs, they eventually adopt the issues.

The Year Of Promise

Mayor Pawlowski has a new sermon on his Facebook page about selling our water system, actually it's only a fifty year lease. And it was written in a town near Bethlehem "a unique solution has been identified that is not only feasible, but I believe, the right thing to do. City Council and I propose a long-term lease of the city’s water treatment and distribution system and the sewer collection, treatment and disposal system." I was under the impression that City Council had to evaluate and approve this proposal, seems as if they're already on board. The apostle Julio is mentioned. "City Council President Julio Guirdy expressed concern that public consideration be just as important as the city’s, so we have scheduled four public meetings on the first four Thursdays in August to present this proposal to the public and listen to your feedback." If both the mayor and city council has already decided that this is the way to go, these public meetings are just the usual dog and pony shows. In a proclamation biblical in tone, Pawlowski declares 2012 the year of promise. "This proposal represents a fantastic opportunity to cover our costs, shore-up our bottom line and avoid tax increases for the foreseeable future. I called 2012 the Year of Promise. With this option we can realize our promise. It gives us the ability to rebuild our financial foundations, leverage the progress we have forges together, and turn our progress into success." Be sure to attend those public meetings, your opinion on the subject surely matters to them.

Closing The Monument Building

One morning in early July of 2008, code enforcement descended upon the Monument Building like a swat team. Every officer, in every department in the city entered the building at the same time, and spread out looking for every possible violation. Under the previous owner, the same conditions with the same tenants, were lauded as a rebirth. Whatever motivated Pawlowski to pull the plug on the new owner, the tenants were lightweights, of no consequence. At that time myself and few other malcontents, like Lou Hershman, would gather very early in the morning for coffee at Jerry's Cafe, located on the first floor. The building had begun it's life as the 1st National Bank. After being closed for many years, it reopened as Corporate Center. The new buyer renamed it Monument Building. 645 Hamilton Street will now be torn down, to be replaced by J.B. Reilly's Two City Center. This series tells the story of the little people, who were disposed of along the way. Below reprinted from July 2008
The current issue of Lehigh Valley Latino Magazine contains greetings and congratulations from Mayor Ed Pawlowski, complete with his official photograph and the City Seal. The Magazine, along with 5 other minority businesses are being forced out of 645 Hamilton Street, with the city now telling the Morning Call they're just unlicensed nobody's. In April, Pawlowski wrote "I want to thank Valley Latino TV Show and Magazine for keeping the Latino community informed. Your dedicated effort shows a deep commitment...congratulations... I wish you great success!" This week the mobile cords from the Latino TV Show stage lighting were misrepresented as extension cords by the city. Along with the magazine and television studio, a graphic art designer, a festival promoter, and a security company were displaced. You won't hear them complain, they're being assisted and relocated by city hall. reprinted from July 2008

7th & Hamilton, The Real Story

The Morning Call has a feature story today about the former 1st National Bank, on the northeast corner of 7th and Hamilton. Arena development magnate J.B. Reilly will demolish the building and turn it into Two City Center, which was originally proposed for the parking lot behind the southwest corner; Different corner, same NIZ taxpayer paid loan. Let me present the real history of the building's past. Read about about little people who used their own money, being bullied about, before Pawlowski dreamt of the arena. Part 1, from the archives of molovinsky on allentown.
                                                   below from July 10, 2008

 
A couple years ago the website for the Lehigh Valley Economic Development Corporation described 645 Hamilton St. as "a monument to growth."* Today's edition of The Morning Call, reporting on violations from the City of Allentown, describes the building as unsafe.** It's the same building, with the same tenants, in the same condition. Unlike the city inspectors, or the well meaning reporter, I'm there every day for coffee at Jerry's Cafe. Jerry's was not one of the upstart businesses blessed with a grant. He had to pay for everything, and everything had to be inspected inside out. His plans had to be approved, his electric and plumbing had to be approved, his grill and hood system had to be approved. City inspectors in and out of the building during this process included no less than plumbing, electrical and health. Although the recent violation report issued to the building in general, lists extension cords, it fails to note those cords are attached to a movable lighting grid for the Latino Television production studio and are cords by design. Although the city citation reports cites unlicensed businesses, it omits the fact that the lower level was occupied by Sassi which performs drug testing for the Lehigh County, and the City's action recently caused Melendez Reality and Madison Mortgage to vacate. Unfortunately for this current hapless owner, the City was looking for violations. Last month Pawlowski promoted a building across the street which has not been occupied or improved in decades, although there is no running water there, breakfast was served to invited realtors. It's easy to beat the drums against the greedy absentee landlords, and surely the apologists will applaud Pawlowski for enforcing codes, but private money is running from this town. There is no work currently being done on any project on Hamilton Street without a grant. It's good politics, but bad business.
reprinted from July 10, 2008

Queen City Magic Show

With the molovinsky on allentown disclosure of long standing plans to build the new fire training facility in Lehigh Parkway, we must now speculate on the sale of the former fire training tower. Since the Lehigh Valley Hospital gave The Morning Call a "no comment" on this topic, speculation is not inappropriate. How convenient that the hospital needs to buy something that we no longer want. How convenient that the sale involves breaking the restriction on selling land at Queen City, a long standing objective of this administration. How convenient that a United States Senator can respectfully use his influence, because it involves a large local employer in the public health field.

The FireTower Caper

A molovinsky on allentown exclusive. The residents of Allentown are being told that if we do not sell the fire training tower to the Lehigh Valley Hospital Laboratory for expansion, we're in danger of losing a large employer. It appears much more likely that it's the back end of a long standing plan, and that the hospital is accommodating us. There have been plans for at least two years for a new fire training facility, and the city has been soliciting grants for such. The multi-story, multi-million dollar training facility is to be built adjoining the police academy in Lehigh Parkway. The location is the road and hill currently used as the temporary exit road for the park,  and also used as the exit during the Lights In Parkway. In the past this area served the public as park land, used for many years by model plane enthusiasts. The new training center would bring all the heavy fire equipment from nearby counties, necessitating a wider road, moved further east of the current single lane exit road. This would be in line with the new park tradition of spreading more macadam. molovinsky on allentown has also learned that with new adjoining police and fire training facilities, there is discussion of a new position, Public Safety Director. The Director would oversee Police, Fire and EMS. The new position would require appropriate assistants and secretaries, in The City Without Limits.

Living Here In Allentown

In 1982, when Billy Joel wrote Allentown, they were still serving strawberry pie in the basement at Hess's. Mayor Pawlowski has hired an Australian, from Macungie, to rewrite the iconic song. I don't think that toothpaste is going back in the tube. Perhaps, it would be better if Pawlowski concentrated on improving the city, instead of the song. There's even a delusion that perhaps Billy will come back to Allentown, and perform the new version. A comment to The Morning Call said that in retrospect, 1982 were the good old days.

Rumors From The Gristmill

The Fegley Family Brew Works is reportedly in jeopardy of losing it's golf course concession, because they dared speak against the Trash to Energy Plant. This plant uses technology not used anywhere else in the country, and was opposed by a broad spectrum of those involved in the environmental and green movements. Fran Dougherty, Allentown's Managing Director, told the Lehigh County Commissioners that a new $multi-million dollar training center will be built in Lehigh Parkway, to replace the fire tower facility being sold to Lehigh Valley Health Network, to expand their laboratory at Lehigh and Vultee Streets. Dougherty discounts the FAA prohibition of the sale as a temporary misunderstanding. In 1928 this city reached a population of 100,000 people. Although we are only slightly larger now, we are being operated with the shenanigans of multi-million person city.

The Great White Hope

Jack Johnson was the first black man to hold the World Heavyweight Championship, in an era which did not celebrate such an accomplishment. A former champ, James Jefferies, was induced by $100,000 in 1910 to come out of retirement to challenge Johnson. Jefferies was called The Great White Hope. The story became a movie in 1970, starring James Earl Jones. By the time Joe Louis became champion three decades later, although the resentment was gone, he was still referred to as the Negro Champion and the Brown Bomber. A promo for Abe Simon's first Louis fight even refers to Simon as The White Heavyweight. Simon certainly was no bigot, his trainer for the fight was none other than the great Jack Johnson himself.

Buyer's Remorse

The video above was sent to me as a preview of the campaign by the Republican Jewish Coalition, which I support. It's not clear to me if the advertisement will be aired for the general public, or targeted specifically to Jewish groups. Barack Obama received 78% of the Jewish vote in 2008.

Before The Queen

The original hanger and tower at Queen City Airport were built as part of the war effort,  and dedicated as Convair Field on October 10, 1943. In 1928, the Chief of the Reading Police flew to Allentown to attend the fair, landing at Mitchel Field. Despite Mayor Pawlowski's efforts to sell Queen City, the Lehigh Valley Airport Authority has decided that the south side airfield will continue it's aviation tradition, and even expand it's hanger capacity. Pawlowski, who previously declared July Privatization Month, then suggested that the Airport Authority should at least privatize the Queen's operation.

The 37th Sport, Grass Parking

The theme of the SportsFest coverage on Sunday was that 36 different sports were being played at one location, CedarBeach Park. Anybody who drove up either Ott or Hamilton Street knows that records were also broken in Grass Parking. Rented security personnel continued directing vehicles to the meadow just west of the swimming pool, and up to the tree planted area toward Hamilton Street, until every square foot was jam packed. I'm conflicted about parking on the grass. Although MayFair through Sportsfest is certainly rough on the grass, it's only two months of the year, and thousands of people are served by the events. I do find it environmentally hypocritical to park on the grass, but institute a no mow zone denying access and view of the stream. Perhaps the Park Department should conduct a public input meeting on these issues. Could you imagine a meeting with citizens and the Park Department, without paid consultants, and projects which cost $millions?

Saving The Queen

The Old
When I grew up on Liberator Ave., I would walk up Catalina Ave. toward school, which was at the end of Coronado. The streets were named for the Vultee-Consolidated WW2 planes, and the neighborhood was next to the airport built as part of the war effort. Vultee Street was built to connect the hangers with the Mack 5C plant, which was given over to Vultee-Consolidated for plane part manufacturing. Today this small airport is known as Queen City, and is threatened by Mayor Ed Pawlowski.

1944 was the first full year of the operation for the company's Allentown, Pennsylvania factory. Consolidated Vultee handled over $100M in wartime contracts at their Allentown plant where they produced TBY-2 Sea Wolves, components parts for B-24 Liberator bombers and other essential armaments and products for the war effort.

Pawlowski covets this unique part of our history to expand the tax base. What he doesn't understand is that more housing or commercial space is not in Allentown's best long term interest. Unfortunately, long term interest is not a term understood by our current leadership. There is a whole development of started houses off S. 12th St. and Mack Blvd. which were never completed. There are filled in foundations on 8th Street, also never completed. More housing is the last thing both the real estate market and school system need. Likewise, the existing commercial sector has been struggling to maintain an acceptable occupancy rate. Queen City airport is an unique asset to Allentown. If LVIA does successfully expand, a separate airport for small planes is very desirable for safety. Considering Pawlowski's predetermined objective, I question whether he should have been appointed to the LVIA Board.
The New
I wrote the above several years ago. Last week The FAA has reiterated their requirements for selling Queen City, and such a sale remains totally unfeasible. Pawlowski says that he won't give up; He never meet an Allentown asset that he didn't want to sell. Although Airport Board Chairman Tony Iannelli conceded that it's time to move on, his quote is disturbing. "I totally understand the mayor's goal here, but unfortunately the hurdles are too high and too many." Tony, if you agree that the mayor's short sighted goals are in the best interest of the Airport Authority, and that it's unfortunate that you can't sell Queen City, then it's unfortunate that you're Chairman of the Authority. The recent FAA letter also prohibits Pawlowski's planned sale of the fire training tower to Lehigh Valley Health Network. Pawlowski claims that if the Hospital cannot expand their lab on Lehigh Street, that they will relocate to the suburbs and that Allentown will lose hundreds of jobs. He hasn't expressed the same concern about suburban offices relocating to Hamilton Street's NIZ.

The Sunday Drive

My family wasn't much for recreation. My father worked six days a week, from early morning till early evening. We did go for a long car ride on Sundays. Back then gasoline was cheap, and having no destination wasn't thought of as wasteful. Children were more content to sit in back seat and look out the window, now they want a video screen in the vehicle.

Even children's play then involved more imagination and interaction. Howdy Doody was just a puppet on strings,who spend most of his time talking to an adult, Buffalo Bob, can you imagine?

 Sitting in that back seat in the mid fifties, I might well had

my "coonskin" hat with me. Fess Parker was a genuine American hero. It mattered little if he played both Davy Crockett and Daniel Boone, both were king of the wild frontier. The ride probably lasted for two hours and then we would go to a restaurant to eat dinner. Compared to now, there were very few restaurants.

My mother would cook all the other meals that week, and we probably ate out more than most. Supermarkets were the new rage in food shopping, but the butcher, baker and candle stick maker were still going strong. If my father headed west or south, chances are we ended up at Shankweiler's Hotel, famous for chicken and waffles. They were at the intersection of Old 22 and Route 100. The building still exists and currently is a bank. The family also owned another hotel on Route 309. Both locations also operated adjoining Drive-In movies.

If my father headed north or east, we would end up at Walp's, which was on the corner of Union Blvd. and Airport Road. Walp's was a much more urban place. While Shankweiler's was an old country inn, Walp's was built as a modern restaurant. I enjoyed those rides, they were a learning experience.

reprinted from March 2010

Double Down(Towns)

People often speculate as to why Bethlehem now is a destination, while, too often, Allentown is considered a place to avoid. The long answer will not fit within this short post, but here may be a few reasons. Bethlehem had two downtown's, on both sides of the river. While downtown Allentown certainly was the premier shopping area for the Lehigh Valley prior to the malls, it may have become a victim to over-planning. In the late 60's, early 70's, Allentown attempted to compete with the suburban malls by building a canopy on Hamilton Street. The viability of Hamilton Street was extended for a few years, but the magnetism of Hess's could well have been the reason. Bethlehem also built a pedestrian mall on Broad Street, but the historical quaintness of Main Street remained. Although the commerce in it's southside business district languished, the architecture remained. By the time Allentown removed the canopies in the late 90's, the architecture of it's buildings had long been bisected and altered. As historical became chic, Bethlehem profited from having done less in the past.

It's southside business district is a time capsule, architecturally unchanged since the turn of the last century. It now is becoming a mix of boutiques and bistros in a fashionable historic setting. Last, but not least, Bethlehem benefited from consistency of developmental leadership. While Allentown has had a succession of Economic Directors, Tony Hanna, with benefit of his institutional memory, has led Bethlehem for many years.

Shown at the top is pop up photo matches from the 1930's, promoting Julian Goldman's Fine Clothes For The Family on the South Side, East Third Street. Also shown is Tony Hanna, along side of the former Goodman Furniture Store.

reprinted from April 2010

The Electronic Tabloid

The frightening truth beyond Allentown
                           click if you dare

Time Capsule

Long time readers of this blog realize I occasionally revisit the streets of my youth, which seem idyllic in retrospect, although probably not at the time (certainly my shenanigans were not idyllic for my parents). My neighborhood was called Little Lehigh Parkway, and it was wedged between the southern top of the Parkway and Jefferson Street. Realtors now refer to this area as Little Lehigh Manor, but I have no recollection of that designation. The self-contained neighborhood even had it's own elementary school, where nursery rhymes of the time adorned the brick (they're still there)

As a little boy growing up, Spanky and Our Gang was a TV program, not an urban problem. When boys divided up to play cowboys and indians, being Hopalong was a coveted role. Our fathers experienced working in one of the most prosperous times in American history, post WW2. Children of Mack and Steel workers could well afford college if they so chose. Mothers could afford to stay home and watch their children grow and play.

Time has been most kind to my old neighborhood. A local leader told me that she is well satisfied with the current city government. The post war subdivisions, such as Midway Manor, remain oasis from the difficulties in central Allentown.

reprinted from March 2009

Union Men To The End

No one could ever accuse Pawlowski or Schlossberg of abandoning the unions. According to The Morning Call, at Pawlowski's news conference today, which I did not attend, the mayor said that the sale/lease of the water department is the only hope for the city to avoid bankruptcy, which he wouldn't consider. Bankruptcy is the only vehicle which allows the city to escape the pension obligations, in which former mayor Afflerbach allowed early retirement at salaries above those actually earned. Schlossberg, on his way to Harrisburg come November unopposed, said he has several non-negotiable concerns: "that water and sewer employees keep their current benefits..." I cannot mentally juxtaposition the construction of a hockey arena with our municipal finances in such dire straits. I don't know where the news conference was held, but the middle of The Hole would not have been an inappropriate location.

Allentown Goes Private

Tomorrow morning at 11:00am, Mayor Pawlowski will announce the sale of Allentown's water and sewage departments to a private operator. The sale is being conducted to satisfy the pension obligations incurred by the police and fire contracts. Two well placed sources have provided this blogger with two versions of the announcement. In the first version, the systems have been sold for $150 million. In the second version, the systems will be put out to bid. In this city, it's very possible that both versions are true; It will be formally put out to bid, but he has a predetermined buyer at the 150 price. The buyer would assume control of both the plants and distribution systems, and be responsible for every aspect of operation. A former city worker insures me that the quality of service from the water department will certainly suffer. Blogger Bernie O'Hare contributed to this post.
UPDATE: The Morning Call apparently felt compelled to issue a statement, and posted their announcement of the pending sale two hours after this post.  They quote an unnamed source saying "If this done right, this will solve the pension problems overnight, but we must install proper oversight and control."  Allentown has no experience with doing things right, or with oversight and controls.  We are in trouble.
UPDATING THE UPDATE:  Our local LCA might well be a bidder (or the bidder) for the Allentown systems.  The current project through Cedar Park interconnects the systems, and will expand their capacity to deliver treated water to western Lehigh County. If the Lehigh County Authority is in fact the buyer, the consequence of selling this prime Allentown asset would be tolerable. Allentonians could expect responsible stewardship and reasonable fees.

building the water works in 1928, The Morning Call archives

Whose Parks Are They?

photocredit: Denise Sanchez/The Morning Call

Shown above, Luciana Martucci, with her Barbie fishing pole, teaches her daddy how to fish in an Allentown park. Luciana is concerned that the Trail Network Plan will encourage many additional bicyclists, going much faster, which will make watching her daddy more difficult; He tends to wander when they walk on the paths. She doesn't understand why the paths are going to be dug up and paved to accommodate one particular set of users, at the expense of all others.

The parks are a nationally recognized heritage of all Allentonians, from one generation to the next. No one Administration, or set of Trustee's, is entitled to impose irreversible changes in its design or use.


reprinted from April 10, 2010

The Money Pit, The Sequel

For we of little faith, the hole on Hamilton Street is a huge money pit. The NIZ legislation makes cost no object, and the real projected cost of the arena project has never been disclosed. If the arena is not enough to suck Allentown dry for the next few decades, let us contemplate the Neuweiler Brewery, located in the riverside portion of the NIZ district. The City of Allentown has hired Cornerstone Consulting Engineers, fee unknown, to evaluate the building for conversion into "a mix of office, apartments and retail space." molovinsky on allentown has commissioned the former caretaker of the property, John P. Chapkovich, to share his actual experience, after spending years on site.

  The Neuweiler property has many many secrets hidden within it that the City does not know about environmentally... I remember a few years ago, as well as in the ‘80s, that they City made the comment about just tearing it down. I made myself a little phone call to them and needed to inform them that if they would demolish the building that they would have to completely rebuild the roads around the building and regrade the property seeing as the building is holding them up. Since they took over have they done anything to alleviate the code violations that exist? Lead by example. The City actually took the property via eminent domain as the original site of the arena project. for some reason, their sights were then changed (no pun intended) to the Center Square one. The developer of the Arena fronted the near $1M to purchase the 16 W Liberty St property, the rear parcel, in the form of a loan to the Redevelopment Authority.... I personally showed at least 20-30 real estate developers through this property(front brewery portion) in the almost 5 years that I was involved in it, most of them sent through City Hall or the county... There is no way with the amount it would cost to just renovate the building and convert it into anything,... the rental that would be required to fund the project would be too high.. This is without the environmental issues. My question is, how is the City going to make this happen?.... I also just took a look at the “study” that was done by cornerstone for the property and just right off the top of my head I find it very shady. There are parts of the building that were obvious issues that were omitted or made to be less than what they are...I also reviewed the environmental cleanup plan for the property that is posted on the City's webite and just to clean the debris out the preliminary estimate is $900K-950K. They said the actual cost could (key word here) be lower. The plan also goes on to say that this is not including any remediation because of building materials on the building such as lead paint, the asbestos that is the ceilings in the front of the building (that isn't plaster my friends)... Once again, this is an issue of City hall telling people what they want to hear to get what they want....

Our mayor is going Hollywood with this project. There's a movie company interested in the property, because of it's NIZ status. They specialize in science fiction and horror flicks. Any title suggestions?

Allentown Library's Exclusionary Policy

The Allentown Public Library discontinued renting it's meeting rooms last spring, to formulate a new policy, and ended up failing it's own stated mission. The purpose of the Library's meeting rooms is.... to champion the principle of intellectual freedom by providing a forum for the free exchange of ideas, and to fulfill the Library's role as a community center...This morning, when I attempted to rent a room for the Allentown WPA Association, I was given a 7 page packet. Among the new requirements, I would have to produce a certificate of insurance, showing that my group has $1 million dollars in coverage. It seems the free exchange of ideas is no longer free. I'm not too worried about my park group not being able to use the library. I suspect that the Director would rather pay our fees herself, than be submitted to more of me. I am concerned about other groups, with less of a voice, looking to raise the community's awareness on one issue or another.

What Will Arena Complex Really Cost

We read in the paper that the arena complex will cost $220 million dollars, but that figure was actually created by yours truly, back in April. I simply rounded off the arena from 158 to 160, added 20 for the office addition, and another 40 for the hotel. Although The Morning Call was quick to adopt my math, City Hall has remained silent in regard to any correction; That may well mean that the project will actually cost more. It is my belief that the real cost will not be known until they float the bonds.

Allentown's Prime Time

During Allentown's prime time, it prospered as an enlightened oligarchy. Allentown's leaders would meet for lunch at the Livingston Club on S. 7th Street, and decide what this town needed to do to remain The All-American City. John Leh, Donald Miller and Harvey Farr owned the Park&Shop, and made sure that there was adequate parking for all the merchants. Although an eccentric outsider, Max Hess Jr. did more than his share for Hamilton Street. Not only did Hamilton Street prosper, but so did everyone else, living and working on the side streets leading to Hamilton. Although the oligarchy died off, and the Livingston was torn down, democracy doesn't seem to have served Allentown very well. We now have a strong arm-mayor and a subservient City Council. If the current project, with no cost limits, transforms Allentown remains to be seen. I remain doubtful that any benefits will spread down the side streets.

The Real Neuweiler Story

A feature story in today's Morning Call omits the fact that several years ago the City of Allentown stole the brewery from the rightful owner. Just as merchants of Hamilton Street were never allotted the opportunity to benefit from city arranged grants or the NIZ, the former taxpaying owner of the brewery was never given any assistance. Mayor Pawlowski can't stand private investors, if he didn't give you a grant, you're not worth much. In the early 70's, the City and Redevelopment Authority gave control of the Neuweiler Brewery to a friend. Under the City's watch, windows were removed and exterior walls broken through to remove the brewing tanks and piping for scrap. All metal, wires and any object of value were crudely ripped out in an orgy of demolition. With a large opening in the back wall smashed out, the basement was used as a free landfill by a roofer.

What should be mentioned about the XXXX roofing property is the fact that when I was involved with the brewery property in front that the owner at one point had compiled evidence of the roofers illegal disposal of environmental hazards and that when the evidence was to be presented to the City that he was not only arrested, for issues regarding the building, but the evidence was just disregarded. That property would stockpile environmental hazards in the back and then when the pile got large enough a large dump truck with a front end loader would show up. A bunch of work would go on out back and "poof" no pile of garbage. Also, when he would do slate roofing (which is covered in petroleum) he would just dump it on the rear of the property and when the piles would get high, he would level the property off, even into the railbed in the rear. (anyone that doesn't believe me on this one, go take a walk on the rails behind the property you will see it). former caretaker of brewery property

 Still the building remained iconic, because of it's rich industrial architecture. In 2003 a New Jersey investor bought the building for over $200,000 in the condition shown in the photograph. The building has been in that condition since the late 70's. His hope was at some point the City would appreciate the landmark. and cooperate in its revival. He must have found the building citations from the Pawlowski administration mind-numbing; Can you image being held responsible for carnage committed by a previous owner under the City's watch? Mayor Pawlowski, afraid someone might want to invest private money in Allentown and pay real estate taxes, had the Neuweiler owner jailed when he came to Allentown to discuss the property. The city, through the Redevelopment Authority, then seized the brewery. The former Neuweiler garages, behind the brewery, were sold years ago to a roofer. A couple years ago the City purchased the roofer's property for close to a $million dollars, reuniting the parcel. The Morning Call story today is about the hope and potential of the site, but I thought you might want to know about the City's complicity in it's sordid past.

portions of this post are reprinted from May 2008
UPDATE: The following was received as a comment on June 14,2012, by the former caretaker of the Neuweiler property:The Neuweiler property has many many secrets hidden within it that the City does not know about environmentally. The bottling house along Front St at one point was cleaned up the DEP (state) and was an absolute disaster then. I remember a few years ago, as well as in the ‘80s, that they City made the comment about just tearing it down. I made myself a little phone call to them and needed to inform them that if they would demolish the building that they would have to completely rebuild the roads around the building and regrade the property seeing as the building is holding them up. Regarding the former owner of the larger buildings, the building was not actually purchased, the mortgage was. Mr. Kellner bought the mortgage in foreclosure. The owner, Hanna Industrial Properties, fell on hard times with the loss of his primary funding source. Once Mr. Kellner took over the property the City was giving him fines of thousands of dollars a month because of appearance issues with the property. I have a copy of the inspection report that the fines were based on, it is ridiculous. Since they took over have they done anything to alleviate the code violations that exist? Lead by example. The City actually took the property via eminent domain as the original site of the arena project. for some reason, their sights were then changed (no pun intended) to the Center Square one. The developer of the Arena fronted the near $1M to purchase the 16 W Liberty St property, the rear parcel, in the form of a loan to the Redevelopment Authority. They last year, defaulted on that loan. The last year that Mr. Kellner owned the property, the City even went as far as to demolish the iconic Neuweiler smokestack. How did they do this you may ask, they went back into the archives and decided to act on a raze or repair order from 1979, mind you the demolition occurred around 2007 or 8. We had an engineer come out and certify the structural integrity of the property as well and they demolished it anyway. I personally showed at least 20-30 real estate developers through this property in the almost 5 years that I was involved in it, most of them sent through City Hall or the county. Each one of them had the same thing to say, there is no money to be made there. There is no way with the amount it would cost to just renovate the building and convert it into anything that the rental that would be required to fund the project would be too high for the area. This is without the environmental issues. My question is, how is the City going to make this happen? My thought is that this is Phase 2 of the City's NIZ project, the arena being Phase 1. I also just took a look at the “study” that was done by cornerstone for the property and just right off the top of my head I find it very shady. There are parts of the building that were obvious issues that were omitted or made to be less than what they are. John P. Chapkovich

A Woman of Letters

Barba-Del Campbell was in the hallway at the overflow Council meeting this past July on Cedar Creek Park. She handed me a handwritten letter which I put into my pocket. I met Barba-Del a few years earlier at the first meeting for the Lanta merchants. There were at least two passions in her life, activism and art; Apparently, she had a long relationship with both. This past summer, The Morning Call had a feature story about her role in commemorating Paul Robeson with a postage stamp.

I typed and printed Barba-Del's letter and faxed it along with my own to the Morning Call. Both our editorials appeared side by side in the paper. My effort resulted in a handwritten thank you note. Barba-Del didn't have a computer. I would print out pieces I wrote on the merchants or on the parks, and leave them at her "office", that would be the first table to the left at The House of Chen.

There will be a gathering this Saturday in her memory at the restaurant. Barba-Del is on the far right in photo above, which was taken after that Lanta meeting by participant Bernie O'Hare. Ann Elizabeth Schlegel and Heather Sincavage also remember this remarkable woman.

ADDENDUM:  I STOPPED INTO THE HOUSE OF CHEN TRIBUTE TO BARBA-DEL TO PAY MY RESPECTS,  THERE WERE HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE IN ATTENDANCE.
Heather Sincavage reflects on the memorial service


reprinted from March 2010