One Of The Most Beautiful

Although I often reproduce the front of picture postcards to illustrate our park system, I have never before copied the back, as shown below. This card, from the mid 1950's, states that the parks and gardens in Allentown help make it one of the most beautiful cities in America. The Rose and Old Fashion Gardens no longer look like they did in the picture above. The water lilies are gone from the ponds, and the gardens are reduced in size, no longer reaching the ponds. Our parks are still beautiful, but we must guard and fight against the continuous reductions. This coming Wednesday evening the Wildlands Conservancy will try to convince City Council that removing the beautiful dam will improve the quality of the stream. Although there are certain factors which will reduce the validity of their argument, I will defend the dam on the abstraction called beauty.

Picture postcards are made because of beauty. Beauty is what we show off to relatives and friends when they visit Allentown. Help me keep at least our park system a postcard.

A Walk In The Parkway

Yesterday, the above photo by Morning Call photographer Denise Sanchez appeared under the heading, A Walk In The Parkway. If her assignment had anything to do with my editorial the previous Saturday on the riparian buffer, remains to be seen. I can tell you that I received a lot of feedback on the piece. The more important battle will be this coming Wednesday evening at 6:00p.m., when City Council discusses the proposed removal of the Robin Hood Dam. Although the unsightly riparian barriers can be cut down to restore the public's view and access to the creek, a destroyed dam cannot be restored.

Lehigh Valley Black History

 Colored Voters Association was the predecessor to the Bethlehem NAACP. The matchbook dates to the mid 1940's.

Always The Teacher

Joanne Jackson has always been a teacher, even after she retired. According to The Morning Call, her resignation last night from the Allentown School Board caught everybody off guard. It didn't catch me off guard, but only because Joanne and I are friends on Facebook. From her posts there, I know that her name is no longer Jackson, because she recently married. Also from her posts, I know that she sold her home in Allentown, and that they are living in her husband's home. Because of moving out of the Allentown district, her resignation was inevitable, but, being always the teacher, Joanne chose to make a lesson out of it. From my knowledge, the reasons that she gave for her resignation were indeed long term frustrations that she had with some fellow board members. My Facebook interaction is different than most. I limit my Friends to people I actually know, and have worked with on one project or another. I also happen to be friends with two fellow board members with whom she had issues, Scott Armstrong and David Zimmerman. Although I can understand the clash in style and tension Joanne felt with these two gentleman, I believe that Allentown was well served by all three of them. Joanne's resignation, for whatever reason, is indeed a loss to the school district.

WPA Effort Goes Facebook

Thanks to the kindness of others, our WPA efforts are on  Facebook. Although I will take credit for the photograph of the bridge, dam, and wall, the page was started by others, and is currently maintained by Steven Ramos. This coming Wednesday, August 28th at 6:00p.m., City Council will discuss the fate of the Robin Hood dam. If you would like the dam and ambience to remain as is, please consider attending the meeting. If you like to see the WPA structures in our park system maintained, please make your Facebook friends aware of the WPA Facebook page.

It's Like A Postcard

Last week when I prevailed on some players at City Hall to meet me in Lehigh Parkway, somebody remarked that it's like a postcard. With the creek banks now overgrown, it would difficult to recreate the nationally distributed postcards of Allentown parks from the 1950's. But the old postcards still exist, giving testimony to the beauty that was ours. There will be a formal discussion with the City Council Park and Recreation Committee next Wednesday at 5:00p.m. They will hear about stream velocity theory and habitat from the grant driven new age science crew. I will talk about beauty. I still believe that the parks were created for the pleasure of people.

King Of The Gypsies

According to my mother, a Gypsy king was buried in Allentown in around 1960, she knew about such things. She was born in Galgo, Hungary, an area of Transylvania, now part of Romania, near present day Gilgau. In Galgo, the Jews and Gypsies lived on the edge of town. In the early 20's, my grandparents, along with their Gypsy neighbors, came to Bethlehem to work at the Steel. On weekends, to make extra money, my grandparents would open their house and show Hungarian movies. None of their relatives, Jew or Gypsy, save one cousin, survived the nazi's; even the cemeteries were desecrated. As you can see from the document above, my grandfather earned his citizenship the hard way.

REPRINTED FROM DEC. 23, 2007

UPDATE: My post above is from 2007. In tomorrow's paper, The Morning Call has the story about the Gypsies coming to Allentown. Apparently, the Gypsy prince drowned, and a memorial service was held in Allentown. I suspect my mother had the details correct, and my memory was at fault.

Weekend In The Parkway

Lehigh Parkway provided a retreat for generations of Allentonians since it was built in the mid 1930's. In 1941, the current bridge over the Little Lehigh replaced the old cow bridge, and the picnic area called Robin Hood was completed. The area contained parking, picnic tables, rest rooms and a fountain overlooking the beautiful creek. Needless to say, the view and access to the creek was unimpeded.

Muddy Waters

It's been a tough five years for the Little Lehigh under Donny Cunningham. First, he has remained silent on the drilling of wells at the stream's headwater, to accommodate the bottling industry he shepherded to the valley. Now, The Morning Call has publicized the fact that the Lehigh County Authority (water and sewage) has an on going spillage of sewage into the waterway. Recently, when I criticized Cunningham's Plan to demolish the historic stone arch Reading Road Bridge,  Bernie O'Hare, defended the plan by quoting the "Bridge Doctor", Glenn Solt. Solt is Cunningham's public works director. Solt said that stone arch bridges look pretty, but they're filled with "crap." The Morning Call article quotes Richard Young, Pawlowski's Public Works Director. Young states that the Allentown Sewer Plant, which handles the sewage from the Lehigh County Authority, only intentionally dumps raw sewage downstream from the water plant. He fails to mention that the manhole covers, which overflow during storms, are upstream or just before our water plant. The above photo shows such overflow just west of Schreibers Bridge, which is only a few blocks before the water plant intake pipe. I hope Cunningham and Solt don't see this post. Schreibers Bridge is also a historic stone arch bridge. Built in 1828, it was rehabilitated in 1920 and 1998. Maybe Cunningham should concentrate on what's flowing under the bridges.

photo from The Morning Call
reprinted from July 2010

UPDATE:Some things have changed since I wrote this post in July of 2010, some things have not. Donny Cunningham resigned as County Executive and now heads Lehigh Valley Economic Development.  This blogger has managed to keep Solt from tearing down the Reading Road stone arch bridge.  Schreiber's Bridge, built in 1828, is carrying the load for the 15th Street Bridge, which is being replaced. Raw sewage still overflows from the LCA pipe in Lehigh Parkway,  and the Wildlands Conservancy picks and chooses science to suit their endless pursuit of grants.  According to Wildlands there is no sewage in the Little Lehigh, and the only pollution problem will be solved by removing the beautiful historic dam at  Robin Hood. They  were also silent about well drilling at the Little Lehigh headwaters, and anything else that might negatively impact their revenue stream, which is now partially funded by Nestle Bottling Company.

Not The Jew

Lately prejudice, specifically racism, has been in the news. The Trayvon Martin case even got Oprah to bitch about the clerk balking at handing her the $38,000.00 purse, she had to settle for a $10,000 purse. An article in The Morning Call about a reunion of Hess Brothers employees brings me to one of my blog ideas never written. I believe that anti-semitism helped numerous businesses thrive in Allentown. I can tell you that as a Jew growing up in Allentown, that there was no lack of anti-semitism, it comes easy for the Pennsylvania Dutch Germans. I can also tell you that as a customer there was no reason to go the Leh's or Zollinger's, other than they weren't the Jew. I've met business people who prided themselves on never having worked for Max Hess Jr. I met business people who after learning the business from Hess, went out on their own, and still called him a Jew. If Hess wasn't a Jew, and merchants had to compete with his merchandizing skills without getting some business due to anti-Semitism,  there would have been fewer businesses on Hamilton Street.

Walking With The New Park Director

I had respectfully requested, through the City Clerk, that City Council visit Robin Hood before any decision, to both see and hear the dam. Furthermore, I volunteered to take them, at their convenience, on a quick tour of the park's remaining WPA structures. Several days later, the clerk contacted me to confirm a time for me to show two council members the sites. I was delighted to hear that the new park director, John Mikowychok, would be joining us. Yesterday was the appointment, and John and I were the first to arrive. As we stood on the bridge, John told me that only 90% of the dam was being removed, and the portion near the water monitoring station would remain. I was shocked, I didn't know that the decision to remove the dam had already been determined. He then informed me that the Wildland's Conservancy was coming, and after learning the details from them on Robin Hood, we would proceed to the dams near the fish hatchery, also scheduled to be removed. The Conservancy crew arrived, with plans and documents in hand. Also by then, Council members Cynthia Mota and Jeff Glazier arrived, but my delight was gone. John explained the agenda, that first Wildland's would brief them about Robin Hood, then they would move on to the Fish Hatchery. I reminded the council members that they were there at my invitation, to see the dam, and then tour the WPA sites. To their credit, Glazier and Mota told Mikowychok that before going to the fish hatchery dams, they would take the tour with me. I wanted them to see how many park features previous park directors had arbitrarily destroyed, and perhaps be more inclined to preserve the dam.

I showed Mikowychok the abandoned island and the boat landing, things that he never saw before, or even knew existed. I found his indifference to the demise of these wonderful constructions astounding. When I criticized the tall thin weed wall blocking the entire creek view, he replied that a row of single tall weeds was better than none. He actually told Mota that the creek was more enticing when you could only get a glimpse of it here and there. It made me think of an old arcade peep show machine. It's too bad that the city hired another lobbyist for the Wildland's Conservancy as Park Director, instead of a defender of our unique park system, however, it's no surprise.  Both the out of town park directors were hired by the same out of town city manager. All three of them, four including the mayor, have no knowledge or appreciation of the formerly nationally recognized park system, in the former All American City. Wildland's was spouting voodoo science. They actually said that there's no fecal count in the creek, despite my photographs of creek shores filled with toilet paper. In order for them to harvest the current grant they must demolish the dam by the end of September. From the grant they also harvest administrative fees. The dam dates from the early 1940's, and has delighted five generations with it's sight and sound. The hard press is on City Council to approve this latest destruction with virtually no deliberation. I ask those who appreciate beauty and ambience to help me save our history.

CeCe Doesn't Understand

CeCe Gerlach appeared before Allentown City Council and wanted to know what the Arena project and the NIZ will do for people of limited income. Leave it to Uncle Mike here to give you the straight answer. Although they will never say it, they are hoping that it will make them disappear, or at least push them up to the colored district, further up 7th Street. When I appeared on the Business Matters debate on the arena, an advocate for the project referred to the former merchants and their clientele as a cancer. Earlier this week, the Arena Authority wondered what they could do to officially repress undesirable businesses in the district. Facade grants have been given out to dress up those remaining businesses that attract low income customers. As for jobs in the NIZ, you can sell peanuts at the arena. You will not be trained as a banker for the new Penn National Headquarters. You will not be trained as a physician at the Lehigh Valley Sports Medicine Center. You will not be trained as an engineer at the Air Products division moving into J.B. Reilly's new City Center Office Building. However, money will be contributed to Alan Jennings' Community Action Company for a few minority owned startups, maybe even one or two in the promise land. Lehigh County Community College will get funded for more training classes. Community Benefit will be funded, but it's very doubtful that the community will benefit.

Redoing The Redo

If it seems as if the street in front of your home, which was dug up last year, is being dug up again, that's because it is. UGI, which changed out metal pipes to plastic last year, has decided to distribute their gas with higher pressure. Last year's new plastic pipes were not sufficiently engineered to handle the increase. Do you find that reassuring?

A Creek Centered Park

In 1928, General Harry Trexler hired famed landscape architect, J. Franklin Meehan, to design Lehigh Parkway as a creek centered park. A defender of the current neglect, masquerading as conservation, accused me of wanting the park to look like a golf course. As it turns out, park planner Franklin Meehan, is mostly known as a golf course architect. The General wanted the creek totally accessible, both visually and physically, for the citizens of Allentown. Shown above, in the photograph circa 1950, is the picnic island with connecting bridge, and part of the boat landing. Over forty years ago a former park director took the bridge away, and the island is now overgrown. Also years ago, the boat landing was intentionally buried. This blog advocates to defend what remains of the traditional Lehigh Parkway, as a creek centered park for the people.

7th and Hamilton, 1942

6 Points At Parkway Entrance, Early 1940's

Mack Bulldog Features Boat Landing

The Mack Truck magazine, Bulldog, often featured scenes from Allentown's nationally recognized park system. Shown on this cover, from the early 1940s, is the Boat Landing. Buried over by a park director in the 1970's, it remained buried, until dug out by this blogger and friends in 2009.

The Boat Landing

Getting to the Boat Landing, for six year old boys who lived above the park in 1953, was quite an adventure. There were three other wonderful WPA structures to navigate on the journey. Unfortunately,  poor foresight by a previous park director has erased some of the WPA's monuments in Lehigh Parkway. As the postcard from the mid-50's above shows, the Boat Landing (my name for the structure) was a source of pride for the city and park system. It is located at the end of the park,  near Regency Apartments. I use the present tense because remnants of this edifice still exist,  buried under dirt and debris. Other attractions lost in that section of the park include the Spring Pond near the Robin Hood parking lot, and the bridge to the "Island", plus the mosaic inlaid benches which were on the island. ( Island halfway between parking lot and boat landing). Neither the Mayor or the Park Director knows that these centerpieces ever existed. These are irreplaceable architectural treasures well worth restoring.

reprinted from May, 2009, combining two posts  seeking help to  uncover this treasure after 50 years.

Saving The Spring Pond

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





In the spring of 2010 I met Mike Gilbert of the Park Department, and pitched the idea of a partial restoration. On May 26th, I posted A Modest Proposal, which outlined my hopes for the pond. By July, Gilbert had the Park Department clear off the remaining stones, and clean up around the miniature bridge.


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







I will attempt to organize a group and contributions for this most worthy cause. Between the Spring Pond and The Boat Landing there was once a bridge to the island. Wouldn't it be nice if a small boy could go exploring.
reprinted from previous posts
UPDATE:Mike Gilbert has retired, and the Park Department has a new director. Although grass and sod are starting to again cover the remaining stones that surround the pond, the miniature bridge is still visible. I will make it my mission to again pitch the new personnel.

Our History Disregarded

One of General Trexler's first land donations to the City of Allentown was some acreage along the Little Lehigh. He wanted to make sure that the quality of the water supply for the city was protected. The above photograph shows one of first things built in Lehigh Parkway. Please note that the retaining walls on the park entrance road have not yet been built. On the previous post Anon 8:49 PM asks;
Has the City showed you the complete inventory and locations of all the WPA sites?
Not to sound too presumptuous, but I believe the current Administration is learning about the WPA sites from this blog, starting with "Stairway To Shame,"  compiled from two posts written in Sept. 2008. The photo shows the spring pond and ornamental bridge. Although water still comes from the spring pipe, residents today would have a hard time locating this image, although it's in a very prominent place.







The spring pond has been allowed to become overgrown, but the stones lining the pond are for the most part still there, buried under a few inches of dirt and tall grass.

Likewise the bridge is intact, but obscured by high grass. Now, I'm not a fan of the grow zones, high mowing and riparian buffer zones. Giving the advocates of those programs the benefit of the doubt, there can be no justification, whatsoever, for letting our historic treasures be overgrown and buried. The spring pond and bridge is right next to the parking lot in Robin Hood, the City now calls it Hole Number One of the Disc Golf Course. Hopefully the City will have enough consideration for General Trexler to weedwack the bridge, so that a father and his children can have a moment like the one shown at the top of this post.
reprinted from October 2009

UPDATE: I've had some success with the park department in regard to the Spring Pond site. That story will be the next post.

The Fountain Of My Youth

Just west of the Robin Hood Bridge is a fountain which quenched the thirst of my summer days. Built during the WPA era, it overlooked the creek. Although the water was turned off years ago, so now is the view. The weeds and assorted invasives growing are not a riparian buffer. Science says that a buffer has to be 25feet wide to be of any value. A reader described this thin strip of wild growth as neglect, masquerading as conservation. All it does is block both the view and access to the waterway. It denies our current citizens the beauty and experience for which the parks were designed. Although the Wildland's Conservancy would like you to believe that the Allentown Parks are there to be wildlands, in reality they were designed by landscape architects, to provide the citizens of Allentown with what Harry Trexler called serenity. He did also appreciate conservation, but for that he created the Trexler Game Preserve, north of Allentown. There are places in the parks which can accommodate the riparian buffer zones, without compromising the intended public experience of waterway view and access. Riparians could be created and maintained in the western side of Lehigh Parkway, between the pedestrian bridge and Bogerts Bridge. In Cedar Park, the riparian section could be in western side, between the last walking bridge and Cedar Crest Blvd. It's time that the parks were given back to the citizens of Allentown. They are not funded, or intended by our tax dollars and the Trexler Trust,  just to be a venue for the Wildland's Conservancy to harvest grants.  Let a child again giggle by the creek's edge. Let us get back our intended park experience.

Robin Hood Dam Reprieve

When I approached City Council in May about the Robin Hood Dam, I questioned the Wildland Conservancy's rationale for demolishing the dam. Water quality and fish migration seemed moot points. The overflowing sewer line, along side of the creek, is the gorilla in that argument. With the fish hatchery, and hundreds of fisherman who line the creek banks, it seems as if the good General Trexler anticipated any problems in that department. I raised the issue that removing the dam may threatened the Robin Hood Bridge, as the water flow would increase both it's depth and velocity. Rich Young, Public Works Director, conceded that the Wildland's had submitted no engineering studies with their plan to demolish the dam. City Council agreed with my concerns, and I was told that they would conduct a meeting, to which I would be invited, before any work commenced. Last week, we learned that the Conservancy had gone ahead and removed the dam in Jordan Park. Last night, Francis Dougherty, City Manager, revealed that the Wildland's wanted to start with Robin Hood's demolition. Also last night, Councilwoman Cynthia Mota agreed to conduct the previously promised meeting in September. Although my previous questions are still relevant, I'm becoming more militant about this issue. The dam should remain if for no other reason than the beauty of it's sight and sound. Who the hell is Wildland's Conservancy to destroy an icon of Lehigh Parkway. The truth be told,  they are using our park system as a venue to harvest grants, and administrative fees that come with them. A quick visit to Lehigh Parkway will bring tears to your eyes. The creek is no longer visible anywhere, hidden by a wall of weeds and invasive species, the result of another grant by the Wildland's Conservancy. I have requested that City Council visit the park, to see and hear the dam before any vote.

Allentown Park Crimes

The riparian buffer zones have become in reality invasive species zones. In some park areas, fast growing vines envelop the iconic willow trees. Some new trees, planted to replace those destroyed by Hurricane Sandy, have been overwhelmed by these vines. The Buffer Zone was instituted several years ago because The Wildland's Conservancy got a grant, and the former Allentown park director wanted another bullet point on his résumé. The riparian buffer zones should be limited to only the areas which the park department can thoroughly maintain. The Wildland's Conservancy, with another grant in hand, now wants to remove two dams along the Little Lehigh Creek. They claim the removal will improve water quality and allow the fish to migrate upstream. This blog has taken a position against removing the WPA era dam at Robin Hood. The sewage line which overflows in heavy rain makes the water quality argument a moot point. The Fish Hatchery makes the fish migration also moot. City Councilman Peter Schweyer told concerned citizens in May that a meeting would be held before any dam removal permission was granted. Rich Young, Director of Public Works, testified that no engineering reports were submitted by the Conservancy, or approved. Schweyer made the same commitment to Allentown Friends Of The Parks. Although no meeting has been held, the Wildland's has started their dam removal project with Jordan Park. The mayor of Allentown is preoccupied with the arena project, and it's benefit to his quest for higher state office. The citizens of Allentown must depend upon the good offices of City Council to safeguard their interests.

Urban Transportation Archeology

The Lehigh Valley Transit Company abruptly ended it's Liberty Bell trolley service to Philadelphia in September of 1951, with no public notice. After several years of low ridership, it was given permission by the PUC to suspend service. Crews were quickly dispatched to remove track, which would make a State imposed resumption impossible. The train and trolley fans, two different species, hunt and document the remaining relics of the bygone systems. Shown above, crew working on the Aineyville Viaduct in 1950, with the Good Shepherd Home in the background.

The Aineyville Viaduct

The other day I referred to myself as a local historian. I earned that self appointed degree by a long standing interest in local history.  Another interest, photography, enabled me to record some things that are no longer here to see. My degree is not unique. As I mentioned several times before, the local rail buffs are the real local historians. Their knowledge of our former industrial base is unsurpassed. Shown above is the Aineyville Viaduct (Bridge), which allowed  Lehigh Valley Transit's Liberty Bell trolley to cross over Trout Creek,  on the way to Philadelphia. Shown in the background is the Good Shepherd Home.  The bridge was in line with St. John Street.   Aineyville refers to the area south of Trout Creek, now referred to as South Allentown,  in the area of S. 4th  and Basin Streets.  The photo dates from 1948, photographer unknown.  The viaduct was dismantled in 1953.

I may have to surrender my degree, the first version of this post misidentified the location of the viaduct. Further revisions were made at 9:30 a.m.

Allentown Memories

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

reprinted from previous years

UPDATE: Notice the Allentown Hospital, appearing as a large expanded mansion, in the lower right of the photo. The fairground is crowded with former agriculture and animal display buildings that occupied the parcel, along with many trees.  Since this post was written, and reprinted, the 19th Street makeover has been completed. A new restaurant is planned for half the former Shanty location.

Drag Races And Such At Dorney Park

Dorney Park is celebrating it's 125th Anniversary, as noted by The Morning Call. A landmark that old, has provided memories for five generations. As a teenager in the 1960's, friday nights at Castle Rock, a dance hall from the twenties, were literally a Freddy Cannon moment. Park admission was free, and there were many attractions which no longer exist, most victim to fire. In addition to the dance hall, there was also a roller skating ring and a stock car race track. The picture above was part of a large neon sign on Hamilton Blvd., on the northwest corner with Cedar Crest Blvd.

In 2007 John Travolta,dressed in drag, portrayed Hollywood's version of Hairspray, initially made by campy underground film maker John Waters, and shot at Dorney Park in 1988. Travolta's part was originally played by a less wholesome, real life female impersonator named Devine, who died shortly after the movie was released.

In my father's time, you could get the trolley at 7th and Hamilton and take it to Dorney Park. Through the 1980's, you could still drive on the road which went right through the middle of the park. Now, combined with a water park, Dorney has become a regional attraction. Busloads of children and families come from New York and elsewhere, but it will always remain a rite of passage for local youngsters.

reprinted from May of 2009.

UPDATE: The large Dorney Park sign stood on the northwest corner of Hamilton and Cedar Crest.  Historic stone homes,  including the current King George Inn, stood on the other three corners. The intersection was called Dorneyville. At the Dorney Sign there was a diagonal road which also entered the intersection,  and the sign pointed to follow that road to the amusement park.

Historic Hysteria Over The King George Inn

My friend Emma used to refer to Old Allentown as the Hysterical District. She coined that phrase when people went nuts after she and others dared to oppose the Historic District. Emma felt back then that the new proposed ordinance infringed upon the property rights of existing residents. Over forty some years ago, the current owner of the King George  Inn set out to save the building, but he put his own money where his mouth was. Now 83 years old, he closed the restaurant, and wants to sell the building. A developer purchased other parcels by that corner, and wants to demolish all the buildings, and  build a new commercial complex. Fellow blogger Jon Geeting writes, 1,200 people signed a petition to save the King George Inn. South Whitehall zoners should simply refuse to approve the variance for the new buildings until developers agree to keep King George and pay for the renovations. None of those signers put their money where their mouth is, they want to save the building with the owner's retirement fund.  Geeting even suggests that the zoning, which is arbitrary enough, be used as a weapon. I'm a history buff, and an advocate for historical preservation, but not at the expense of someone else's property rights.

Is Allentown Humpty Dumpty?

When I read about Billy's Diner replacing Sangria at the Butz Building, my thoughts turned to Humpty. I also thought about the Diner at 9th and Linden. Years ago I posted about all the grants going to the new restaurants, and nada for the existing meat and potato crowd, that has been staying the course, and paying the taxes. I do believe that Billy's has a shot. Is he or Butz getting a little grant incentive, only a forensic accountant could tell. For Butz, going from Sangria to Billy's is a lesson in humility, that normally you have to attend church to learn. Now if some of the clientele from 9th and Linden ends up at 9th and Hamilton, that will be another bible lesson.

Park Sovereignty Compromised

The Wildland's Conservancy, feel good hypocrites who receive big business contributions to ignore fracking, sewage overflows, and the bottling industry's overuse of our water, received a grant to remove dams in Lehigh Valley. While Easton told them to pound their plans, Allentown is giving them free range in our park system, with no oversight what-so-ever. Citizens today learn that the dam in Jordan Park was removed yesterday. A few months ago I approached City Council to save the iconic dam at Robin Hood, in Lehigh Parkway. Public Works indicated that the Conservancy provided no engineering or plans for the dam removals. City Council's Park and Recreation Committee, chaired by Cynthia Mota, was supposed to conduct a meeting on the issue, inviting a coalition of concerned citizens. Personally, I have no issue with removing the dam(s) at Jordan Park. It is my understanding that they contributed to stagnation and presented a danger to children. However, they were built during the WPA era,  and belonged to the citizens of Allentown. In no way should the Wildland's Conservancy be removing features of the Allentown Park System, without direct knowledge of the citizens, and consent of City Council.

Boxing Eggs

When I was a little boy, I would work at my father's meat market, boxing eggs. The job was pretty straightforward. I would take eggs from a big box, and put them in small boxes with folding lids, each of which held a dozen. If I did a whole crate without breaking an egg, I did a good job. The real adventure was the drive to the shop. We lived just off Lehigh Street, and would take it all the way to Union Street. The many landmarks are now gone forever, only remaining in my camera of the past. Shown above in 1952, is the portion of Lehigh Street near the Acorn Hotel, which is not visible in the photograph. Before reaching the Acorn, you drove under The Reading Railroad bridge overpass, which recently has been dismantled and removed. That line served the Mack Plant on S. 10th Street. Just beyond the area pictured, the Quarry Barber railroad spur also crossed Lehigh Street, at the bridge over the Little Lehigh Creek. That line also crossed S. 10th, and served Traylor Engineering, now known as the closed Allentown Metal Works. Just last week Mitt Romney was there, to rebuke Obama's former visit to the site. Mayor Pawlowski is now rebuking Romney, but none of them really know anything about it's past. A half block away, on overgrown steps built by Roosevelt's WPA, a thousand men would climb home everyday, after working at Mack and Traylor. Freight trains, on parallel tracks, from two different railroads, were needed to supply those industrial giants.

After my father rounded the second curve on Lehigh Street, we would head up the steep Lehigh Street hill. It was packed with houses and people. At the top of the hill, we would turn right on to Union Street. Going down Union Street, Grammes Metal was built on the next big curve. Grammes made a large assortment of finished decorative metal products. Beyond Grammes were numerous railroad crossings. The Lehigh Valley Railroad tracks crossed Union, as did the Jersey Central and several spurs, near Basin Street. It was not unusual to wait twenty-five minutes for the endless freight trains to pass. A two plus story tower gave the railroad men view and control of the busy crossing. A few more blocks and we were at the meat market, in time for me to break some eggs.

reprinted from August 2012

Money No Object For Allentown Public Housing

Cumberland Gardens, operated by The Allentown Housing Authority, was constructed in 1971. Remodeled several times since, it now is going through a three phrase total rehab. The unit cost of this current renovation is $228,000 per apartment. After the first section was completed in 2012, Mayor Pawlowski said, "And the second and third phases I think will not only be more amazing, but transformative to the city of Allentown," Transformations are expensive! Most Allentonians live in row houses built between 1895 and 1930. Many of us would consider a kitchen and bathroom from 1971 modern. The Housing Authority places most it's clients out to private landlords, with vouchers. This system places the cost of excessive wear and tear with the private sector. Considering how much the Authority spends on their own units, they should out source all their clients. Allentown would be a better place with a smaller, less ambitious housing authority; That would be transformative.

Bernie O'Hare also covers this story.

Allentown Memorabilia

The time and market for Allentown memorabilia has come and gone. With a changing population, and the graying of the native town folks, objects of our history are destined for the landfill. Even the local historic society concentrates on shows of general interest, such as Abraham Lincoln. In addition to having been a retail mecca, Allentown manufactured a large assortment of products. Allentown was stamped on tools, knifes, and metal products of all kinds, distributed nationwide. A local regional food product was the hard pretzel, a variation of the traditional German soft pretzel. Allentown had several pretzel companies. Miller's operated out of their factory at 732 Tilghman Street, between 1944 and 1978. In the coming months this blog will profile some of these Made In Allentown products, before litter and meaningless slogans became our legacy.

Clueless On Penn Street

The Allentown School Board took the first step tonight toward approving the KOZ for the Phoenix Mill apartments. They approved a deal sweetener, where the developer will pay 110% of the current tax during the KOZ period, in exchange for burdening the district with countless more children. The City of Allentown represented the interested party, stating with a straight face that the type of loft apartments planned will not attract families with children. One board member actually asked what the city is doing to provide affordable apartments in center city. Actually, there is a special low income rental district, it is from Front Street to 17th, between Walnut and Washington, plus large sections of the east and south sides. The proposal passed 6 to 2.

A Principal's Bad Lesson Plan

When Zahorchak replaced Keith Falko as principal of Allen, this blog posted that it was a mistake. At that time I was in communication with several teachers, and knew what a masterful job Falko was doing with a difficult assignment. For today's post I have no such insider information, just his statements to the press. Apparently, Mr. Mayfield wasn't feeling the love from superintendent Russ Mayo. With that sort of attitude I don't think Mayfield's departure is such a great loss. When Mayfield was hired did he disclose that he needed to be bottle fed regular reassurance? Should students be encouraged to quit whenever they don't feel the love?  An article in today's Morning Call speculates that perhaps the turnover in principals at Allen is the fault of the school administrators, or even the school board. Much was written last fall about Mayfield being the first black principal at Allen.  Perhaps relevant experience should be the primary criterion.

UPDATE: Joanne Jackson, ASD School Board member, tells me that Mayfield did communicate his grievances to Mayo, to no avail.  Jackson believes that Mayo did undermine Mayfield, and likewise alienated other principals and supervisors.

photocredit:The Morning Call

The Hope and Change of Allentown's Transformation

Last week I had a letter to the editor in the Morning Call. It was a rework of an earlier blog post, in which I state that although there will be more lunch business from additional office workers, that will be the extent of any spinoff. I called the arena itself a white elephant. Yesterday, I bumped into an acquaintance at the supermarket, a card carrying liberal type. We usually disagree about things in a cordial fashion. In a less than friendly manner, he told me that my letter in the paper was "Just nasty." I asked him if he though that the arena projects would change things, and that Allentown would be a day destination and a nightspot?

He replied, "No, not right away, but maybe with time, you gotta start somewhere."

I told him that it either works or it doesn't. Furthermore, it will have it's biggest draw when new, and that the bloom will fade fast. He's hoping that I'm wrong.

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, an 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

reprinted from August 2012

UPDATE:The post above is from August of 2012. Since that time the building shown, The Monument Building, has been demolished, and a new building is being constructed by J.B. Reilly, using state tax dollars under the NIZ. Last night, Abe Atiyeh challenged the exception clause to the new zoning law, in regard to the new electronic billboard contract with the city.  Although that story is expertly covered by both Bernie O'Hare's Ramblings and The Morning Call,  this blog is uniquely positioned to add some  historical perspective and irony.

The Sad Secrets Of Union Terrace

The pond at Union Terrace was created for a particular activity. Only the steel sculptor cutouts of ice skaters remain as a testimony to that purpose and era. The Cedar Creek divides into two branches on the north side of the pond. The western branch flows in front of the amphitheater stage, separating it from the terraces. The eastern branch flows on the other side of the pond, near the elementary school. That smaller branch also flows under Union Street. Shown above is the opening under Union Street, next to the school;  It's not much of a lesson or example for the school children. I would like to tell you that the litter and garbage is recent, but it's been there for a long time. Although the city is generous with tickets and fines to homeowners, they're pretty lenient with their own negligence. Things will only get worse when the water department separates from the city next month.

Duck Farm and Hotel

At the turn of the last century Allentonians could take a day trip out to Griesemerville, and spend the day at the Duck Farm and Hotel. The trolley, operated by Reading Traction Company, actually went through the Duck Farm building. That same trolley would continue west and go through or under the Dorney Park roller coaster. Today, Griesemerville is known as Union Terrace, or more precisely, Joseph S.  Daddona Lake and Terrace. The Hotel portion still exists as an apartment house. Heading west,  cross the Reading Road stone arch bridge, built in 1824, and the former hotel is the first building on your right. Note the bridge in the lower left of the above news clipping. This blog is proud to have played a part in preserving the bridge, and my hope is that the County of Lehigh will formally recognize the bridge's historic value, and secure it's future. Collectors of Lehigh Valley historic memorabilia can still find  Duck Farm postcards.

news clipping courtesy of Danny Ruth

No Sewage Leak At Union Terrace

There is no sewage leaking from the Union Street Bridge construction site. A set of circumstances steered me to an erroneous concern, and another postponed this clarification, until now. Allentown water drinkers must be content with their fecal input from the overflowing manhole covers along the Little Lehigh. Continuing today's theme of broken eggs, I suppose I may have some on my face. Although I apologize for any offense this blog caused anybody connected with the bridge project, my scrutiny will continue; The construction site is transversed by aging water and sewer mains. Residents of Allentown don't have many independent eyes looking after them. We are a one party town, with less than an energized press. I will endure an occasional unfounded concern as part of the mission.

Breaking Some Eggs

I'm afraid that once again some eggs got dropped in the 2011 recipe for molovinsky on allentown. Don't blame this chef if the politicians and newspaper don't always deal from the top of the deck, and I take notice. This blog realized early on that Zahorchak's Pathway to Success was anything but, and apparently responded appropriately, considering his departure before school ended. Along the way, The Morning Call helped itself to one of my reports, and defended the snatch. Those dropped eggs are a mess. Speaking of eggs, one of my favorite posts of the year was titled Boxing Eggs. In that post, I recall working in my father's market, and the ride there. Such posts allow me to introduce Allentown history, and share photographs of that by-gone era. I also promote 95 year old boxers, who fought in the 1930's. Occasionally. I get to combine history and current political mistakes, such as in Saving the Queen City. I also stretch the recipe to advocate, be it for the abused former merchants of Hamilton Street, or the neglected WPA park structures. The comment section of molovinsky on allentown is moderated. I reject repetitive and off topic submissions. Your readership, as always, is greatly appreciated.
UPDATE: I have reprinted the post above from January 2012 because once again I have broken some eggs, this time with my Sewer Leak, Maybe post at Union Terrace. Although I hoped to post a conclusive update by now, myself and others continue to be confused by some unusual devices being deployed on site.

Allentown, Flush With Cash

We in the peanut gallery, the citizens and taxpayers, were shocked by the subtitle in a recent Morning Call article. Pawlowski wants to buy a portion of Queen City Airport, and the reporter wrote about Allentown, Now flush with water lease money. Although the article dealt with buying a garage and eight acres currently leased by the city street department, silly us thought that money was in a lock box, to be used to pay down the police pension obligation. Let's talk more of our ignorance and silliness. Although I followed the water lease pretty closely, I never realized that we would have to form a new department to handle the storm sewer system, which was maintained by the former water department. What other issues and costs were omitted to prevent proper due diligence on the water lease question? Queen City is in real jeopardy as an airport. Mayor For Life Pawlowski covets it, and was appointed to the Airport Authority by Smiling Donny Cunningham. Airport Authority Chairman, Tony Iannelli, said that they need money and that the offer makes sense. I think it's time for some new blood on that airport authority.

Sewer Leak Problem, Maybe

I was a smoker for over 40 years, so I don't smell much, but I can smell the odor from the water on the other side of the cofferdam, shown above. This is a difficult post to write, because both the construction company and the city say there's no leak, no problem. I can tell you that the water on the northern end of the trench, shown above, is greenish and putrid. Water on the southern end of the trench, being dug for a new storm sewer line, is much cleaner and doesn't smell. I can tell you that the green putrid water is being pumped out by a long hose, across the creek, where it is being treated by a large filter device, just south of the amphitheater stage. It is my fear that perhaps a sanitary sewer line was either nicked in the excavation, or a previously leaking line was unearthed. As an advocate for the parks, I feel compelled to shine a light on this situation, awkward as it may be. If my fear is unfounded, which I hope it is, my apology to any offended parties. The Allentown drinking water is taken from that creek, about a mile downstream.
UPDATE: Both the title and text of this post have been revised.
UPDATE Wednesday July 17, 2013: Further inquires indicate that there is NOT a sewage leak. I hope to be able to write a separate, conclusive correction to this post in the near future.