Sabotaging Our History

Glenn Solt, Director of Public Works for Lehigh County, is used to getting his way. During the Cunningham era he had quite the run at replacing bridges. First he started with the bridges that needed replacing, then he continued on to other bridges, after establishing a relationship with certain engineering firms and contractors. Shown above is the Reading Road Stone Arch Bridge, built in 1824. It was completely refurbished in 1980, with a pedestrian bridge added at that time. Although state inspectors deemed the bridge satisfactory, Solt set his sights on it anyway. It's historical aspect means absolutely nothing to him. He told a blogging associate that those old stone bridges are filled with crap on the inside. Although the County Commissioners saved the bridge by not authorizing the release of the funds for the engineering contract, Solt is trying to have the last say by denying normal maintenance to the historic structure. The bridge surface has not been sealed in years, the inside stones have not been pointed, nor has the rusting beam on the pedestrian span been painted. Lehigh Valley has a bad habit of neglecting maintenance on any structure that ever had any discussion concerning replacement. That is exactly why Allentown's 15th Street Bridge was allowed to rust away. Perhaps it's the Public Works Directors that need replacing.

Jewish Das Boot

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

reprinted from September 2011

UPDATE: There is speculation that a Dolphin submarine was used by Israel in a recent attack on a missile cache in Syria.

Zeppelin Over Jerusalem

The German airship LZ127 Graf Zeppelin was in service from 1928 to 1937. Two of it's 590 flights were over Jerusalem. The first occurred on March 26, 1929. It was a night flight, during which they dropped mail into the German colony at Jaffa. The second flight, pictured above, was from Cairo on April 11, 1931. The ship hovered above the Church of Holy Sepulchre for several minutes.

reprinted from May 2011

Tough Summer For Union Terrace

Union Terrace was the last major project completed by the WPA in the Allentown park system. The City, in the process of replacing the Union Street bridge over the Cedar Creek, has leveled the last thirty feet of the terraces, and taken down the WPA stone retaining wall, on the terrace's south end. I've been told that upon completion of the project, estimated at two years, the original stone will be used to face a new concrete wall. Under that section of the creek, under the former bridge, both a water and sewage main are buried. More on those issues in a future post. Although we are spending close to $300 million on the hockey arena, not one cent has been spent on the WPA stone work. The double stairwell, leading from St. Elmo Street to the terraces, needs immediate work. The top of the wall is starting to crumble, and stones are missing on the steps. Allentown, a city with misplaced priorities.

UPDATE: Years ago when Mr. Berman placed the art work in the Allentown Park system many of the citizens were outraged.Now a generation later the Park System infrastructure is falling down and there is no outrage.What a change of priorities.     submitted anonymous comment

click photo to enlarge

Lehigh Valley Railroad

The Lehigh Valley Railroad began as an carrier of anthracite coal in 1846. At it's peak, it stretched from the docks of New York harbor to Lake Erie. Although mostly a freight carrier serving the hearths of Bethlehem Steel, it operated a well known passenger line from New York City to Buffalo, The Black Diamond. As a child in the 1950's, I would sit in the car with my father waiting for the long freight trains to cross Union Street. A train watch tower stood over the busy crossing. By 1976, remnants of the railroad were absorbed by Conrail. Shown above, from the late 1930's, is the streamlined engine of the Black Diamond.

reprinted from January 2011

UPDATE: The track running along Allentown's new proposed riverfront development is the "Old" main line of the Lehigh Valley Railroad.

Allentown's Planning Puppies

The Morning Call article says that City Planning Commission had some concerns that the waterfront portion of the NIZ might have a negative impact on traffic, but the plans were passed, and the project will proceed on to the next hurdle. That hurdle is if City Council will agree to sell the developers (Mark Jaindl) a piece of land needed as an entrance road. What suspense! What hurdles! What should concern the planning puppies is the old LVRR line still in place, after all these years. This is a true historic treasure of Allentown, and should be retained, perhaps for a future tour train. Shown above was the private engine of Structural Steel, which is the primary location of the proposed new development. At one time the former industrial giant called Allentown, had several fabricators that required their own engines to push material around their plants.

photo from the Mark Rabenold Collection

Stealing Allentown's Treasures

                                                   click photograph to enlarge

The merchants who built Hamilton Street counted on architecture to attract shoppers into their emporiums. Large neon signs wouldn't appear for another fifty years. The soffit and fascia shown above, halfway between 7th and 8th on Hamilton, is one of the most elaborate facades in Allentown. One thing you can say about Allentown City Hall, they never let culture, art, or history get into the way of their plans. As successful cities come to value and profit from their history more and more, Allentown keeps using the standard catalog of proven failures. I know from other projects on Hamilton Street that Pawlowski isn't big on history. The Cityline Building in the 800 Block was permitted to stucco over beautiful brickwork. Sad that the puppies, who are directors at the Art Museum and Historical Society, remain silent on the planned destruction. It's hard to describe the magnificence of the skylight shown below, also in the targeted block. It's very large in three sections, in pristine condition. Should be quite a snack for Pawlowski's bulldozer.
UPDATE: The bulldozer prevailed, and the former architectural treasures of our mercantile history were not preserved, save for this blog's archives. Above is reprinted from May 2011

Allentown's Last Movie Theaters

Architecturally, the 19th Street Theater has no rival. The tile elephant trunks coming down the edges of the facade have delighted viewers since 1928. Up to last year, there was one other Venetian type building in Allentown, in the 700 block of Hamilton, but it was  knocked down to accommodate the arena monstrosity. The 19th Street theater has survived because of it's current affiliation with the Civic Theatre, a non-profit cultural group. Shown above is the Franklin, in the 400 block of Tilghman Street, which survived until 2008. That theater,  built a century ago in 1913,  was also called the Jennette for about forty years.

The Picture Shows of Allentown

There was a time in our center cities when movie theaters dominated the cultural scene.  A few of these old theaters still exist, such as the Boyd in Bethlehem. Allentown had no less than six movie houses, either on or directly off Hamilton Street. Several smaller theaters were scattered in different neighborhoods, such as the Allen and Towne. On Hamilton Street itself, the Colonial and Rialto dominated. Both large ornate theaters, with balconies.



The elaborate promotion shown above for the movie Grand Hotel dates back to 1932. I have been unable to identify which theater or city is shown. The photograph was taken by a professional photographer named Harris, who worked out of the Farr Building in Easton.

reprinted from December of 2009, then titled Before Netflick.
Some comments from that time:LVCI said... Boyd (9th), Earle (8th), Jeanette (Tilghman), Eric (Hamilton), Capri (Hamilton) and of course the big granddaddy The Blvd. Drive-in. The Rialto before a movie theatre was home to live vaudeville acts. The stage one time extended straight out to 10th street before being made into a store front. The Rialto was the 1st theatre to get air conditioning. Before it's 1st fire there was an eating/seating area overlooking the marble lobby entranceway. DECEMBER 27, 2009 AT 1:04 PM
Anonymous said... TO: 1.04 pm The Eric Theater was a relatively new and modern theater built in the mid- to early 1960s. It had nothing in common with the others you mentioned, either historically, or architecturally. It really was not on Hamilton Street. Unlike the great old Allentown movie houses, the Eric was built into a quasi 'strip mall' after all the older structures were demolished and bulldozed. If anything, the theater itself was closer to being located on 4th street, closer to Linden. There were several movie theaters that you missed that were on Hamilton, or reasonably close. I know that there was a smaller theater (torn down in the 1950's or 1940's) on the south side of Hamilton very close to the Merchant's Bank building at 7th and Hamilton. I heard the name mentioned from an 'old-timer', but for the moment it escapes me. Don't forget the Strand, located on north 8th Street, very near to the Farr Building. Anon.
DECEMBER 27, 2009 AT 1:52 PM michael molovinsky said... anon, i believe the missing theater you're thinking of was the midway, where i spent many afternoons watching the matinee's. maybe two serials, such as flash gordon, then 5 cartoons. btw, my photo store, allentown photographic, was in the strand lobby. that part of the building still stands; the actual theater section was used as the farr shoe chain warehouse for many years. the earle was on the parking lot next to it. across the street was the original Look Steak Sandwich shop. DECEMBER 27, 2009 AT 4:48 PM
Anonymous said... Allentown movie theater update, cont'd. From the Allentown 1935-35 City Directory:
Embassy Theater - 28 N. Ninth St.
Park Theater - 823 St. John (today's Zandy's)
State Theater - 35 N. Sixth St.
Transit Theater - 535 Hamilton
Victor Theater - 716 Hamilton
Little Theater - 1333-35 Chew St.

The Last Customer In Allentown

The 700 block of Hamilton Street was the core of Allentown shopping for over 150 years. Even during the heyday of Hess's, it was located between Allentown's department stores. In the last twenty years of center city shopping, it became the primary block. Even in it's last few years, when the demographic changes resulted in a much poorer clientele, an enormous amount of merchandise was still being sold. The Family Dollar store was one of that's chain's most successful locations. As the politicians and newspaper promote the Transformation, foot traffic and resulting walk in business virtually no longer exists. When the new offices and their workers are up and running, what will really happen business wise? Although there will be more mouths to feed during the lunch hour, that will be the extent of the Transformation's spinoff. The former stores and commerce of Hamilton Street will now be occupied by an enormous white elephant, dormant most of the time. Any upscale ventures will learn that the new office workers have no time or interest, beyond feeding their face, during lunch hour. The hotel will transition to apartments, as the folly of that idea becomes quickly apparent. The remainder of Allentown will continue to be ignored, as more and more resources are directed toward the Transformation, to disguise it's failure. A handful of developers will profit enormously, because of the unprecedented use of state tax funds by the NIZ. The remaining taxpayers of Allentown will supplement the folly with increasing property taxes, and punishing water and sewage rates. They will discover the true cost of their local political apathy.

Happy Dependence Day*

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

*this post is reprinted from 2008 and 2011, when it was titled as Growth Industry In Allentown.  The new title is stolen from Julian Stolz

Israel's First Air Force

Jerusalem

In the city of awe-inspiring sites, the most imposing is The Dome of the Rock. The Dome covers the Rock from which Muslims believe the Prophet Muhammad ascended to Heaven to receive a message from Allah. The Jews believe the rock is the Foundation Stone, from which the world was created. On it, Abraham was prepared to sacrifice Isaac and the Ark of the Covenant stood when the Temple occupied the Mount. The Mount and Temple was enlarged by Herod, during the lifetime of Jesus.

Jews pray at the retaining wall, The Western Wall, which survived the Temple's destruction by the Romans in 70 A.D. The bottom four rows of stones date from Herod, below current street level, there are 17 more layers.

The Church of the Holy Sepulchre is west of the Temple Mount. The first church was built on the site in the 4th century. Christians believe the church encompasses both the sites; where Jesus was crucified, and also buried and rose from the dead.
reprinted from December, 2011

School Board Masochism

Allentown School District will receive an extra $9.6 million dollars, allowing some positions to be restored, the pending tax rate to be somewhat reduced, and perhaps some additional funds to be held in reserve. The extra windfall is an annual reoccurrence. The question is why would the School Board, year after year, submit itself to the unnecessary rancor and vitriol before receiving the final state contribution? Worse yet, why should teachers have to ride that seesaw of being laid-off, and then rehired? Mike Schlossberg patted himself on the back for helping to get the local extra funds, but then voted against the budget, I assume as a good partisan. As we poison our water in Pennsylvania to benefit the natural gas industry, there's not much done in Harrisburg that impresses me.

UPDATE: Press release from ASD:
 “This is an unprecedented show of commitment to our District from the state,” says Dr. Russell Mayo, Superintendent of the Allentown School District. “We are incredibly grateful to the state and two legislators, in particular – Senator Pat Browne (R) and Representative Mike Schlossberg (D) who have led the charge to support our District and enable us to continue to provide a balanced education to the more than 17,000 students we serve in Allentown.”

Dr. Mayo, fear not, Browne and Schlossberg will give themselves more than enough credit. It's a shame for the teachers who once again have been submitted to this yoyo budget procedure. What can be done about that?

Joseph's Tomb

Moses took the bones of Joseph with him because Joseph had made the sons of Israel swear an oath. He had said, "God will surely come to your aid, and then you must carry my bones up with you from this place." (Exo 13:19)

For a thousand years, Jews had prayed at and cared for the Tomb of the Patriarch Joseph. The Samaritans had worshipped at the Tomb for 1,700 years.

On October 7, 2000, Ehud Barak ordered Israeli Border Police to withdraw from guarding the Tomb in the West Bank city of Nablus (Shechem). Within hours it was destroyed. Since then there has been a pattern of the IDF escorting religious Jews to clean up the destruction, and then more desecration after they leave.

The bones of Joseph which the Children of Israel brought up from Egypt were buried in Shechem in the portion of the field that had been purchased by Jacob. (Joshua 24:32)

In April of 2011, as 15 ultra-orthodox Jews left the Tomb after Passover prayers, a Palestinian policeman opened fire on their 3 vehicles. Several men were wounded, and the 25 year old nephew of an Israeli Government Minister was killed.

The Palestinians once again set fire to the tomb.

reprinted from April 2011

Allentown Parks, An Environmental PlayStation

Over the past five years, older visitors to city parks have noticed that the lawns and meadows adjoining the streams have been allowed to grow wild. While we, who appreciate the view and access to the creeks, see this new model as unkempt, our young politically correct speak of riparian buffers and grow zones. The riparian theory is that the undergrowth keeps the nitrogen runoff from the surrounding neighborhoods from reaching the streams; it soaks it up. In reality, Allentown's storm runoff system is  piped directly into the streams, bypassing the buffers, which are then for naught. This charade continues to downgrade our traditional park system because of money. The Wildland's Conservancy get grants and ignore the pipes, and plants the nonsense. It's easier for the Conservancy to prevail upon the Park Department, than persuade farmers and private land owners beyond the parks, where the effort might really do something. These grants not only pay for the plants, more importantly, they play for the hypocrites' salaries. They are also funded by large corporations, which can feel better about their real pollution. The Allentown Park System has become a feel good, environmental playstation. The Conservancy's new grant is to remove dams in Allentown Parks. This practice, in theory, improves water quality. Just as the storm runoff pipes make the riparian buffers useless, the sewer pipe along the Little Lehigh makes the dam removal just another token project. When I pointed out the overflowing sewage pipe, they switched gears, and now speak of allowing fish to swim upstream. Our wonderful park system even takes care of that issue with the magnificent trout hatchery, on Fish Hatchery Road. Please help me protect and preserve the small iconic dam by the Parkway's Robin Hood Bridge. Let the grant hunters ply their hypocrisy elsewhere. Protect our traditional park system.

shown above are the pipes which release rain water directly into the Cedar Creek, next to the Rose Garden Ponds.

Racism Accusation In Allentown School System

The Morning Call and Express Times have reported that the federal government is making inquires regarding opportunities for minorities in honor, gifted and advanced placement courses in the Allentown School system. These investigations usually result from a complaint. Yesterday, in a Facebook comment, a local Latino accused the school administration of institutional racism.

What will it take until the parents of this district take to the streets. ASD is institutionally hostile to students and educators of color. No question. So what are you going to do about it?

Those making such comments base their accusation on the small number of minorities represented in the administration and teaching staff, vs. the high percentage of minority students in the system. Although minorities are now a majority in the Allentown School System, this transition occurred in just the last decade. The career of the average education professional is about thirty five years. Before the fiscal crunch, when Allentown was in the hiring mode, it took aggressive action looking for minority candidates. Almost half the population of Puerto Rico now resides in Connecticut, Pennsylvania and Florida. Many communities in these states are competing for Hispanic educators. Hispanic teachers cannot be manufactured. The activists should expend their energy cultivating an appreciation of education in their community. In the meantime, they should show more appreciation for the dedicated teachers of ASD.

Allentown's Taste Problem

The Morning Call reports that Sangria, the high end restaurant in the Butz Building, is failing; That's because it never existed in the real marketplace. Butz was given a grant for $350,000 to outfit the place, so he and the operator rode that pony as long as the ride was free. Truth is that none of these high end puppet shows have succeeded, there's no market for such in Allentown. That's because this town has zero ambience. The Cosmopolitan also is a failure, but the owners have pockets deep enough to keep the doors open. The arena will not make Allentown a dining destination. It will attract a hotdog and beer crowd, that will exit this town as fast as a clogged 8th Street will allow. They're building a monstrosity on Hamilton Street, which will not attract one dime beyond those getting the free ride. Thus spoke the marketplace.

School Board Math Test

The Administration has been going around pushing to turn the Phoenix Building into apartments, and give the owner a pass on taxes, to boot. Needless to say, the pitch worked at City Council, what doesn't? That independent body voted 6 to 0 to approve, with Jeanette Eichenwald absent. They're using the old historic name, Adelaide, in their pitch, and the usual buzz words, like loft and young professionals. The developer wants to turn the building into 150 apartments. Unless we learn how to clone young professionals, common sense knows that school age children will be running up and down the hallways at the Phoenix, or Adelaide, or whatever they call it. If many children aren't there for the first wave of tenants, they surely will be, as the bloom fades on that rose, long before the KOZ would expire. What does it cost the Allentown School system to educate 100 to 150 children a year? The taxes on the building are only $18,000. Any more than two students is a loser to the School Board. How many children can they expect from 150 apartments? Why would they even consider approving a tax incentive? Why would the Administration even ask?

The classic postcard shows the building from the rear, facing the Jordan Creek

A Jew At St. George

This weekend I had the pleasure to attend the Heritage Festival at St. George Antiochian Orthodox Church, and the privilege to met Khouria Minerva Sabbagh, wife of Rev. Fr. Anthony Sabbagh. Khouria is a term of honor, conveying the significant role she plays in the life of the church. The numerous children delighted in the kiddie rides, adding smiles and giggles to their heritage experience. Needless to say, the middle eastern food was lovingly made by doting grandmothers. Although the Syrian community was out in force, the annual festival attracts a large, diverse crowd. During high school, I would occasionally attend midnight mass with a Syrian friend. In the small world of Allentown, one of Khouria Minerva's daughters is now married into that family. Although the festival was  joyous, with current events, we must keep the Syrian community in our thoughts and prayers.

Allentown Is Open For Business

According to Francis Dougherty, Pawlowski's managing director, the sale of the fire training facility at Queen City Airport "demonstrates to all the rest of the country that Allentown is open for business." I believe that in many ways it demonstrates that Allentown is for sale. The Administration has insinuated that if the Lehigh Valley Hospital couldn't buy that land for expansion, they might well move their lab, costing Allentown many jobs. They now imply that the sale will create more jobs. In reality, it was never said that the parcel was wanted for anything but additional parking. Queen City contains acres of paved area which could have been rented for parking. Dougherty also said that the fire training facility will be moved to the police academy in Lehigh Parkway, creating a "center of public safety training excellence." When I first starting posting about this sale last year, I wrote that we are headed toward such a facility. Consequently, we will create a Public Safety Director, and support staff. How ironic that the Fire Chief has such sugar plums in his head, while construction still hasn't started on the East Side Fire Station. The future Public Safety Center will further infringe upon the public's park land in Lehigh Parkway. With Dougherty calling City Council's approval "a partnership to bring sustaining jobs to the community", don't be surprised in the future to see more parcels shaved off Queen City and Lehigh Parkway.

*The provided link goes to the Morning Call  Blog 610.  There was also an article in Saturday's hard copy Morning Call, however, I'm unable to locate the story on mcall and provide that link.  Both those articles were written by Emily Opilo.

Below is a reprint from my post of July 2012, entitled The Fire Tower 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. 

The above is my post from July 2012, entitled The Fire Tower Caper.  Allentown City Council approved the sale this past Wednesday, June 19th,  2013.   

Allentown Raises School Tax 38%

You won't read this headline in today's  Morning Call, it simply says that we are rehiring five gym teachers. My post yesterday concentrated of the consequences of living within our school budget. Although the post was concise, as per my style, I had done my homework. Conversations with Armstrong and Zimmerman revealed that they would not support any rehires, while we faced an 8.5% tax increase for the next four years. Last night the remainder of their peers voted to bring back the elementary level gym teachers. It is reasonable to expect even more rehires will occur when the State Budget reveals a few more dollars for Allentown. By not applying the found dollars to the general fund, the School Board is ensuring that the full tax increases will be levied. This approach in four years will yield an effective tax increase of 38%. The suburban school tax increase this year averaged 2.8%. Although yesterday I tried not to stake out a position on the rehiring, I can tell you that unabated tax increases will have dire consequences in the sought after middle class home market. While we are diverting close to a $Billion Dollars in state income taxes to gentrify Hamilton Street, we are squeezing the joy out of both our children and homeowners.

UPDATE: Rolf Oeler wonders in a comment if Scott Armstrong will be reelected.  On a Facebook page I visited today,  an administrator at a local charity called Armstrong a troll and useless.  A teacher from Dieruff called him a stupid ass.   I suspect that with the 8.5% tax increase, he will be reelected if he articulates his position to the taxpayers.  In a few years, when the increase reaches 38%,  his positions will be appreciated even more.  However, I doubt that he will tolerate the abuse for that long.

Allentown School Board

Allentown School Board picked up another $350,000 this week, and at least two members, President Bob Smith and board member Joanne Jackson, want to bring back at least five laid off teachers. Smith favors bringing back elementary level gym teachers. Jackson, a former teacher herself, needs no convincing. Usually, by the time the state budget is finished at the end of June, there are more funds available for the district. With a school tax increase of over 8% this year, some board members instead favor applying the additional funds to decrease the rising homeowner burden. Board member Scott Armstrong believes that bringing back a few teachers is only a temporary false reprieve, and not facing fiscal reality, which is an 8% increase each year, for the next four years. Member David Zimmerman would also not rehire any teachers. Hiring back teachers, who have already received their pink slip, actually only increases and complicates the long term pension obligation. The school situation is dire. We face more layoffs, increasing taxes, and school closings. One wonders why we built new buildings in this financial climate? Both the federal and state governments impose essentially unfunded mandates in both testing and performance. A state takeover would provide no benefit, there's no magic in Harrisburg. I personally know both camps on the school board. Although they have different approaches to our problems, they all have a deep regard for the students of Allentown. I believe that those students will continue to find dedicated teachers that provide a quality education even under these difficult conditions.

Allentown Meat Packing Co.

My grandfather lived on the corner of Jordan and Chew, and butchered in a small barn behind the house. He would deliver by horse and wagon to his customers, corner markets. The house is still there, the barn, long gone. My father, and one of his brothers, acquired the H.H. Steinmetz packing house in 1943. Operating as Allentown Meat Packing, by 1950 they closed the slaughter house, and converted the front of the plant into a meat market open to the public. That continued to 1970, when it was leased to an operator who sold meat by freezer full packages. In 1975 the building was torn down, as part of a long term lease agreement with A&B, who wanted the space for parking. The photo was taken just prior to demolition.

reprinted from January 2011

Abandoned West Channel Of The Lehigh River

I made an inquiry to Allentown Public Works about the history of the river abandonment, and they were kind enough to research the topic and return my call. They located the map from 1964, which indicates the planned abandonment, apparently approved by the State. Coincidentally, the map partially shown above, was my father's copy, with added markings. The map key, not shown, indicates that parcel 1* is owned by Molovinsky. This was the location of my father's meat packing business, which I will discuss in a separate post, in the near future. Although Public Works agrees with my speculation that the channel was eliminated to protect the sewage plant from flooding, no document was located to verify the reason. The map does mark the former western lower channel of the river as part of the creek, and clearly shows how this project altered the confluence of the creek and river.

*Parcel 1 on Union Street, Molovinsky (Allentown (Meat) Packing Company),  is to the immediate right of the added inked area, also marked 1. At the bottom of the inked 1, the current entrance road to the treatment plant is also indicated in ink.  Click map to enlarge.

A Changing Confluence

Future cartographers will locate the confluence of the Little Lehigh Creek and the Lehigh River as south, and slightly east of the current LCA sewage plant. Historians will know better. Up to forty years ago, nature joined the Little Lehigh with with western channel of the Lehigh, halfway down the side of Kline's Island. Around 1970, the City of Allentown decided to reclaim the river channel north of the confluence, ending Kline's status as an island. What is now the last section of the Little Lehigh, was previously the Lehigh. The map shown was produced in 1900. Also gone from current geography is the man made harbors, shown north of the Hamilton Street bridge. The new google map shows that the

former bridge to Kline's Island still stands, crossing the now reclaimed former west channel of the Lehigh River. Also visible is the footprint of Allentown's former gas tank.

Allentown's Syrians of The 6th Ward

When my grandfather first arrived in Allentown, he lived in the Ward, on 2nd. Street. It was around 1895 and the neighborhood was full of immigrants. Some groups came from the same area in the old country, most noticeably the Syrians, from the village of Amar. They were members of the Antiochian Orthodox Church, a Christian minority in a Muslim country. The congregation of St. George's Church on Catasauqua Ave., largely is descended from those immigrants. Well known names in Allentown, such as Atiyeh, Haddad, Hanna, Makoul, Koury and Joseph are among their members. They were among one of the first groups to organize, and those organizations still exist. The photo above was organized by the Syrian American Organization in 1944. Note that Jewish, on the left, is treated as a nationality.

click on photo to enlarge

UPDATE: This post is reprinted from March 2010, then titled The 6th Ward. An article in today's Morning Call describes the dilemma and concern the current conflict in Syria is causing the local Syrian community. I know from my Syrian friends that supposedly Assad's father's childhood nanny was Christian, and that Christians were protected under the Assads. It is not the purpose of this post to speculate on the current conflict in Syria, but to wish the relatives of our Syrian community safety.

Smell The Roses

Friends of the Allentown Parks will host an accessible tour of Allentown's famed Malcolm Gross Rose Garden, tomorrow morning, Saturday June 15, at 10:00a.m. Leading the tour will be none other than Paul Pozzi, caretaker of the garden. Take the time, smell the roses.

vintage postcard from Allentown's traditional park era

The Last Jews of Egypt

There are only a few dozen Jews still living in Egypt, all in either Cairo or Alexandria. The number of remaining synagogues outnumbers the remainder of Jews. Many of these synagogues are magnificent structures, and to the credit of the Egyptian government, they are protected and some are being restored. Prior to 1948, well over 80,000 Jews lived in the two cities. The current Ben Ezra in Cairo dates from 1892. The site, once a Coptic Church, became a synagogue in 882.. Tradition marks this as the spot where the prophet Jeremiah gathered the Jews in the 6th century after Nebuchadnezzar had destroyed the Jerusalem temple. The adjacent spring is supposed to mark the place where the pharaohs daughter found Moses in the reeds, and where Mary drew water to wash Jesus. It was here that the famous Philosopher Maimonides studied. Last century a collection of ancient manuscripts was discovered in the compound.

reprinted from June 2010

Morning Call Cross Dressers

Blogger Bernie O'Hare has joined Bill White's infamous Hall of Fame. Although O'Hare does protest, White believed that he secretly hoped for admission. O'Hare admitted that just the nomination alone jacked up his viewership. Although Bernie's inclusion will increase his readership, there's a reluctance on the part of hard and soft copy readers to cross back and forth. Occasionally, I bump into someone who tells me that they haven't seen a letter by me in the paper recently, and that they enjoy them. I thank them for that, then explain that I have a blog, and write a piece almost every day. Next time I see the person we have the same conversation, over and over again, they just won't cross over. While hardcopy readers dwindle, it's hard for the papers to make up the loss with their websites. The hardcopy readers are stubborn, and the web readers fickle. Meanwhile, congratulations to O'Hare and his Lehigh Valley Ramblings.

Slim Pickins In Blogosphere

I feel sorry for you blog readers, it's slim pickins out there! The only must read is by Bernie O'Hare, but then you must wade through his neuroses. Between his battles with other bloggers and commenters, and his political mancrushes, reading it is exhausting. Then there's George Wacker and his tabloid titillater; I've never gotten beyond the titles to visit that 8th grade locker room. LVCI relies on cyber mining. His post today on swimming pools was a push/pull survey by the former park director two years ago, trying to justify building a water park at Cedar Park. Although the concept has already been rejected by Council and the Administration, it's new stuff to that net surfer. We mustn't forget Chris Casey and Poliblog. He uses a complex algorithm to come up with wrong predictions. Then there's me....

Turning Out The Light

The train tower on Union Street was demolished in 1971. It survived years beyond need because the gates were never automated, and the remaining track was used for switching freight cars. The junction yard behind the State Hospital property, near the border with Bethlehem, is still active. The freight trains travel south Allentown toward Emmaus several times a day. In the quiet of early morning, you can still hear that whistle almost everywhere in the city.

photograph by Dave Latshaw is part of the Mark Rabenold Collection

reprinted from July 2011

De Beams, De Beams

Allentown's all a twitter about the beams arriving for the 15th Street Bridge. Allentown Director of Public Works, Richard Young, appeared on local TV saying that the project is on schedule. He forgot to mention that it's a snail pace schedule, stranding south Allentown for years. He forgot to mention that the two Tilghman Street bridges, west of Allentown, were removed and replaced in a matter of months. He forgot to mention that more is done in a few weeks at the Arena, than has been done on the bridge project since it began. He forgot to mention that his department allowed the previous bridge to rust away from neglect. He forgot to mention that he didn't intercede with his counter point on the state level, also named Young, to postpone construction on the 24th/Oxford Street bridge. He forgot to mention...

UPDATE: Although this post is critical of Allentown Public Works, the real blame lies with the Administration.  Although Allentown's share of the project is only 5%,  it occurs to me that the relaxed schedule seems to be built into a cut rate bid on the project.  If Allentown's priorities were geared toward citizen convenience, instead of the mayor's Big Arena Razzle Dazzle, I'm sure that Young would have just as soon payed more for an accelerated schedule on the bridge.

Union Street Slowdown

By the early 1960's, things had slowed for Allentown's manufacturing base and the rail freight cars that served them. Train lines had consolidated, and tracks and spurs had been removed. Remaining plants were supplied by trucks, and people traveled by bus and car. The remaining train station would soon close, but the term rustbelt had not yet entered the vocabulary. Western Electric (AT&T) on Union Blvd. was now making transistors, and there was still confidence in the new economy. Allentown was the All American City.

reprinted from July 2011

Friends In The Park

This morning, Friends Of The Allentown Parks, sponsored an Accessible Discovery Nature Walk in Cedar Park. Leading the well attended event, with his back to the camera, was Phil McGrath, retired naturalist with the Pa. Dept. of Conservation and National Resources.

The Union Street Train Tower

The Union Street crossing was a busy place. It was located between the Jordan Creek and south 3th Street. Virtually all the train lines serving Allentown converged here. The Lehigh Valley Railroad's old main line also crossed Union Street further east, toward the Lehigh River. Allentown was at this time served by two train stations, the Lehigh Valley Railroad Station which was built over the Jordan Creek, and the New Jersey Central, which still stands as a closed restaurant and bar. This photograph, from 1930, is first in a series which will chronicle both the demise of our railroad era, and manufacturing base. Today, the tower is long gone and only one track survives. It is used by a private short line operator.

photograph from the Collection of Mark Rabenold 

reprinted from July 2011

The Trains of Union Street

Up to the late 1960's, Union Street, between the Jordan Creek and Lehigh River, was crossed by numerous train tracks. In addition to the main tracks for the New Jersey Central and Lehigh Valley Railroads, the area hosted many sidings for the industries that once huddled along this historic river front area. There was a small rail yard with five sidings between the UGI gas storage tank, which dominated Allentown's skyline, and Allentown Meat Packing Company.  The photo above dates from the late 1940's.  The map below from the early 1930's.



Small rail yard on bottom left of map. Allentown Meat Packing was the former H.H. Steinmetz Co. in 1932.

Armstrong's Editorial

State Democrats, teachers union betray the poorest students.

   Dramatically rising expenditures are forcing Pennsylvania’s fiscally stressed urban school districts to balance their budgets with draconian cuts and higher taxes.  In Allentown, the Lehigh Valley’s poorest municipality, the ASD’s 2013-14 preliminary budget calls for an 8% tax increase and the furloughing of 155 employees (132 teachers, 12 administrators, 10 custodial, and 1 clerical). Yet, these unprecedented measures leave the district short of a balanced budget, and projections indicate further tax increases and cuts will be necessary next year and possibly the year after that.

  Even though the ASD is regarded as one of the state’s best run urban school districts, it is facing a very  bleak future. The main culprit is the ballooning cost of mandatory PSERS (Public School Employee Retirement System) contributions that will increase by 37% next year (91% over the next three years). The rising cost of these PSERS is in effect transferring funding out of classrooms into this very generous and unsustainable retirement system.  For now, wealthier suburban districts are able to weather these increases, but for already cash strapped urban districts there is no margin left to absorb these new costs.

    It is interesting to note that these same urban areas constitute the base of Pennsylvania’s Democratic Party. Geographically, small areas like Allentown provide huge tallies of Democratic votes in state wide elections, that have the effect of swamping Republican turnout in the much larger Republican suburban and rural areas. One would think the state’s Democratic Party would appreciate the value of these voters and act to protect the better interests of this vital constituency.

   Think again, right now Pennsylvania’s Democratic Party  is putting its allegiance to labor unions ahead of the best interests of  urban voters by blocking urgently needed reform of the state’s unsustainable pension system. In other words, the basic educational needs of  poor and minority Democratic urban voters are being effectively abandoned by Democratic leaders so that the lavish benefits of more affluent union workers can be preserved.

   While the cost of their sky high benefits are bankrupting urban public schools, the teachers’ union tactic is to blame Harrisburg. Rather than enter into useful negotiations that could lead to necessary reform, they point the finger of blame away from themselves and their cohorts, the state’s Democratic Party and state employee unions.

  Pennsylvania’s poorest children are now bearing the brunt of the rising cost of state employee luxury pensions. State employee unions and the state Democratic Party want the current administration to cover the pension shortfall with higher state taxes. In effect, they want those who have less to pay more to those who already have more. Pennsylvania’s urban poor would be wise to note the obvious duplicity and callousness of their Democratic elected officials.

Scott Armstrong

Armstrong is an elected member of the Allentown School Board.  The above editorial appears in today's Morning Call

Park Ranger Report

Well boys and girls, it's been almost a year since my first Park Ranger Report. Former Park Director, Greg Weitzel, is no longer with us. I have been contacted by someone in Idaho who is underwhelmed by Greg, he apparently took his Water World Plan with him to the new job. While on the subject of swimming, I made a disturbing discovery on a recent walk in Fountain Park. Although the City claims that the pool there is closed because of a filter problem, I noticed that the pool building hasn't been painted in so many years, that it's green paint is actually fading away. That lack of maintenance suggests that closing that location was planned years ago.

Rick Holtzman, Park Superintendent, served as acting Park Director between Weitzel and his replacement. During Holtzman's tenure, the park system was struck by Hurricane Sandy. As reported previously on this blog, the damage was extensive. Dozens of trees were lost throughout the system, especially in Cedar Park. To complicate the situation there, one tree smashed the walking bridge, just west of the rose garden. Holtzman did a terrific job cleaning up the parks, replanting trees, and even replacing the destroyed bridge.

I'm proud to report that awareness of the WPA has increased to the point that this outlaw was asked to conduct a tour of Lehigh Parkway. Soon, I hope to report that some funding has been secured for restoration of those iconic structures. Lastly, I got an opportunity to meet the new Park Director, John Mikowychok. I made a pitch for both the WPA and the traditional park system. My current park project is attempting to save the Robin Hood Dam from being removed by the Wildland's Conservancy. They received a grant to remove dams. Removing that small dam could well undermine the Robin Hood Bridge, and will destroy the ambience of the WPA designed section of the park. Hopefully, the City will protect this irreplaceable part of our history.

Allentown, Where Nothing Matters Except The Arena

Schreiber's Bridge and Mill

If the snail pace of construction on the 15th Street Bridge isn't enough to aggravate Allentown southsiders,  they have a new insult coming.  Although the Administration is fast tracking the arena, they are unresponsive to the fact that the State will close northbound traffic on the Oxford Drive/24th Street  Bridge for the summer.  Considering that the 15th Street Bridge was delayed for decades, one would think that the Oxford Drive project could wait until the 15th Street Bridge is complete. Schreiber's Bridge, built in 1828, will now receive  even more traffic.

PennDOT Announces Start of Oxford Drive Bridge Project in the City of Allentown, Lehigh County  On behalf of Governor Tom Corbett, the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) today announced work will begin Monday, June 10 on a project to rehabilitate the Oxford Drive Bridge over the Little Lehigh River in the City of Allentown, Lehigh County.

The project includes bridge deck overlaying, expansion dam replacement, beam repairs, substructure and parapet repairs, and other miscellaneous construction. Beginning on June 10 and throughout construction, northbound Oxford Drive will be closed and detoured between Fish Hatchery Road and Lindberg Avenue. Northbound Oxford Drive traffic will be detoured on Fish Hatchery Road, Cedar Crest Boulevard and Hamilton Boulevard. Southbound traffic will be maintained. 

Work is scheduled to be complete this September. 

UPDATE: Dan Hartzell, of The Morning Call, reports on the closure at 4:30 this afternoon. As usual, no acknowledgment of this blog, despite my numerous posts about the abuse being sustained by Schreiber's Bridge.   The PennDOT press release is dated May 30th.

The Alchemy of the NIZ

All over the state, politicians clamoring like baby birds for worms, want to have a NIZ in their district. Although not one new person has yet to step foot in downtown Allentown, by their criterion, the zone is a raging success; "We looked at Allentown and said 'Wow!'" Although chemists never succeeded in making gold from lead, new construction is the coin of the realm in politics. Never mind if the project turns into a white elephant. Never mind if the new tenant in Allentown turns Boyertown into a ghost-town. The key words are ground breaking and ribbon cutting. Reilly's two new projects, storefronts on Hamilton Street, and apartments on Linden Street, have received NIZ Authority Approval; What a surprise! Order more ceremonial shovels and oversize scissors. As more NIZ districts are approved, state taxes will have to rise to cover these developer incentives. Once upon a time a new business needed a building. Now we build new buildings that need to borrow a business.

Kline's Island, an Environmental Frankenstein

Today, Kline's Island is synonymous with the sewer plant. It wasn't always that way. Originally, like Adam's Island, it was owned by a family, and had houses. It was the location of the first bridges across the Lehigh, being the narrowest point. Allentown doesn't have a good history with the environment. Besides allowing the Wildland's Conservancy to actually defile our park system with their inappropriate, token science fair projects, we're not much for islands. The sewer plant on Kline's will soon be transferred to the Lehigh County Authority. Far worse for the previous island, we are allowing a company to build a trash to energy plant, which will mix imported garbage and sewage into pellets to burn. This project isn't energy driven, but rather motivated by tax credits and finance. Allentown is the only community which was receptive to such such an environmental frankenstein. The top photo shows Kline's Island in 1939, when it was still an island. Allentown decided that Kline's would be a good spot to use as a fill dump, and filled in the entire western channel of the former island. Please join me in my efforts to save the small historic Robin Hood dam on the Little Lehigh. Believe me, Allentown City Hall doesn't know best.

Allentown, Free Market Reject

With all the press conferences and announcements, sometimes it hard to remember that the Free Market passed on Allentown. Not one project, nor one dollar, is coming from private hands. Credit Pat Browne and J.B. Reilly for the mother of all incentives. Credit Mayor Pawlowski for labeling the public money grab as a Transformation, and The Morning Call for their eagerness to disseminate such propaganda. A decade ago, the real marketplace rejected Heydt's attempt at a $14 million dollar arena. Now, working 7 days a week under lights, using public money, we are building a monument to hope, at 20 times the price.

NIZ Hubris

The Morning Call revealed yesterday that the Arena Authority has been meeting behind closed doors, in violation of the Sunshine Act. The stunning article, by Emily Opilo and Matt Assad, explains how meetings were not advertised, and that a reporter was asked to leave at a recent meeting. In a further demonstration of their arrogance, two attorneys connected with the board, claim ignorance of the violation. The one attorney on the board, Sy Taub, maintained that bond payment arrangements between the Authority and chief beneficiary, J.B. Reilly, should be determined in private executive session. Before the Authority was formed, the Administration made a case that a degree of secrecy was necessary when acquiring properties for the arena, to protect the public cost from real estate speculation. Since the public portion of acquisition has been completed, I see no justification for keeping arrangements between Reilly and the Authority private.

UPDATE: Although the private Executive Session can be technically used under the Sunshine Act for an agency to discuss lease and purchase of real estate,  Sy Taub extending that exception to a private developer is a legal stretch,  showing the contempt this Administration and Agency has for the general public.

Does the Authority exist to service Reilly, or the public good? In the first year of using state taxes, half of the revenue went for Reilly's debt service. Who determined that ratio between Reilly's interests, and that of the citizens? In the two hybrid buildings on the Arena Complex, partially owned by Reilly, who determines what percentage of the building belongs to whom. How could Taub and Jerome Frank justify no public knowledge, much less scrutiny? The Arena Authority has no oversight by the State of Pennsylvania. Last year Sy Taub said that it would be up to the Authority to monitor itself. So far, they have failed miserably with that promise.

High End Malarky

Today, there was another press conference, and The Morning Call once again regurgitated malarky. Pawlowski and Reilly say that high-end apartments are coming to 7th and Linden. To help induce the disposal income  crowd, they're  going to extend the Art Walk, that should do it. Although Reilly had announced this project previously, there's a change. He's now partnering with Pennrose Properties, which specializes in harvesting tax credits for income restricted projects. I'm not one to mince words. Mixed income neighborhoods exist in large cities, where space is at a premium, not in Allentown, not at 7th and Linden Streets. What does another barbershop photo have to do with this story?  In center city Allentown, in 2013, if you look at someone for more than two seconds, they want to know what you're looking at. Imagine walking into a barbershop, in today's Allentown, and photographing strangers, good luck with that. Why would our young office worker want to spend $1000 and up a month, to live at 7th and Linden Streets?  Is he hoping to get shot at the all night convenience store?  Reilly knows better, even if The Morning Call doesn't, that's why he's bringing in Pennrose.

photocredit:molovinsky