Bernie and Wayne

Bernie O'Hare is running a story that says that Wayne Woodman pushed Wanda Mercado-Arroyo off the bus to the Republican State Committee, to give the seat to his wife, Lisa Scheller. Although Bernie writes that he isn't calling Woodman a bigot, he points out a couple times that Mercado-Arroyo is Hispanic, and questions how inclusive Woodman really is toward that group? That story was pitched to this blog several weeks ago, and I rejected it. It came from somebody who doesn't have much use for Wayne Woodman. When it landed on Bernie's desk, it found fertile ground. Although Bernie will argue differently, and cite facts, certain people are consistently treated well by him, and others, not so well; Me, I don't like anybody.

While we're on the subject on Hispanics, I like to announce that Steven Ramos collected the required amount of signatures in his run for Allentown's new 22nd State House District, mandated because of the surge in the Hispanic population. His candidacy is supported by Wayne Woodman, who had hired Steven several years ago to direct the local party office.

Chump Change in Allentown

Recently, Mayor Ed Pawlowski said that the community would share in the benefits of Allentown's transformation, and that he was directing $2.5million towards that end. As the riverfront and the Neuweiler Brewery projects come on line, we are fast approaching the $1 billion dollar mark with the NIZ state tax rape. Advocates for community benefit should not despair that their share is less than one quarter of one percent, because the mayor has indicated that more may come their way, if they behave themselves.

When Neon Was King

During the glory days of Hamilton Street, when it came to neon, bigger was better. No store had a bigger sign than Hess's, and that was appropriate. When the city planners decided to built the canopy, that was the end of the great neon age for Allentown. That structure bisected the building's facades, and the vertical signs had to go. Since then we have progressed into sign regulations. Shopping is not a primary part of the new Hamilton Street transformation. Let's move this discussion around the corner to Allentown's new Hispanic shopping district on 7th Street. Hispanic Shopping District is my designation, not the city's. I call it that, because that's what it is. The street is being managed by Peter Lewnes, who is doing a good job. He's giving facade grants and sign guidance. The buildings end up with a historic look, and a professional hand lettered sign. Although it's neat, clean and presentable, it's not too exciting. Of course the City Fathers don't want too much excitement, as the people from Catasauqua drive in to the new arena. These new subsidized merchants are on a short leash. City inspectors remind them that besides for OPEN signs, no neon is permitted, and it must be inside the store. Now I know that I'm not a paid consultant,  and there's no grant involved with this idea, but how about letting our new merchants put up some neon?How about letting them pursue the same dreams as the merchants once did on Hamilton Street. How about lengthening that leash?

The Morning Call's Unbashful Cheerleading

The special section in this weekend's Morning Call is called Great Expectations, The Story of Allentown's Renaissance. In this 36-page special section, The Morning Call will take a closer look at the urban renaissance underway in Allentown, the projects that will bring thousands of workers and hundreds of new residents to the city's downtown... Less than 48 hours ago this blogger wrote that molovinsky on allentown was turning the corner on the arena, but I didn't mean that I would condone unfettered cheerleading by the press. In the first of four sections each Morning Call reporter writes an essay referencing Allentown's past, although none of them have any actual memory or experience of that era, beyond the paper's archives. The second section promotes the new businesses arriving and refers to center city as a boomtown. The article omits the reality that taxpayers across the state are subsidizing Allentown's transformation. Section C is about The People Behind the Transformation. Although the paper writes that they are the engine of change, it can also be said that they are the private beneficiaries of public money. The last section may be the worst. It is supposedly essays by civic leaders. Some of them are bystanders, and some of them had absolutely nothing to do with any of it. All four sections are packed with paid advertisements, with the biggest ads coming from those benefitting the most. Yesterday, I reached out to several current and former members of our political establishment, for their opinion of the paper's special edition. They all agreed that it ranged from unbalanced to outright promotion, dressed up as journalism.

Turning Allentown's Blight Into Success

The recent article about Allentown in the New York Times used the B word. Aided by tax dollars that would otherwise go to state or local general funds, developers should be able to offer attractive rents to companies that bring in new workers — who in turn might move into or buy new apartments and support new shops and restaurants in what had been a blighted urban landscape. The writer of the Times piece is from New York City. We know that, because even J.B.Reilly, who hopes to rent apartments to the new office workers, isn't building condo's to sell in center city Allentown, or as he says, city center Allentown. While that writer is from NYC, this writer is from Allentown, and will now tell you how to change blight into success; You simply move it around the corner and up three blocks. The merchants and shoppers previously referred to as blight on Hamilton Street, are now being touted as the success of 7th Street. On Hamilton Street they had to compete with both the memory and expectation of better days. On 7th Street, thing have been so dire for so long, the same shops and people now look like success. We could debate the sociology of my observation. We could become offended or defensive, but taking the show around the corner did change the perception. Talking of turning the corner, readers may soon notice a change in this blog. Although molovinsky on allentown will continue to write the unspoken, there are  few too vestiges of the old commerce and valves to reference. While nobody will identify me as an advocate of the Arena and Neighborhood Improvement Zone, reporting will shift more to the future.

photocredit:The Urban Shopper/michael molovinsky

The Backside of Allentown's Development

Yesterday was a big day for J.B. Reilly and his City Center Development. The New York Times featured a story on Allentown's unique development bonanza, and Reilly was rubber stamped by the Arena Authority to build two more buildings. There were a couple of items in the Times puff article which demand a reality check. Aided by tax dollars that would otherwise go to state or local general funds, developers should be able to offer attractive rents to companies that bring in new workers — who in turn might move into or buy new apartments and support new shops and restaurants in what had been a blighted urban landscape. Although I know that the lunch business will increase tenfold, I can yet to believe that the new workers will choose to live downtown. Another concern of mine is the quote by the hospital administrator. Dr. Ronald Swinfard, chief executive of the nonprofit, said it would benefit by paying less rent per square foot than it does in its current suburban location — where it will retain some operations — but that it was mainly attracted to the new building because it will add to facilities for the community medicine that the group already offers elsewhere in Allentown. My worry is that their presence in the new building on Hamilton Street will lessen their commitment to the facility at 17th and Chew Streets. Any reduction in that commitment would be very detrimental to greater Allentown.

Who's In Charge of Allentown's Snow Failure

When these winter storms of our discontent started, I visited Mayor Pawlowski's Facebook page. He assured everybody that he was on top of it, and that the streets were in good shape. There are small streets on the east side that have yet to see a plow. There are heavily used streets, such as Liberty, which has yet to be cleared curb to curb, end to end. Reports from the field yesterday indicated that the city was clearing 14th Street. In a lifetime of traveling Allentown, I don't think that I have ever used 14th Street; Who's in charge? Another cost of the water lease was losing the manpower, equipment and experience which helped clear the snow in the winter time. While the Administration and media are fixated on the arena's progress, essential public service is ignored.

Allentown's Snow Removing Failure

Yesterday, I decided to revisit the street shown in the previous post. Although the street once again had snow dugouts, the 600 block of 16th Street now always has too many double parkers to allow safe stopping. The picture shown above, taken yesterday, is the 300 block, between Chew and Gordon Streets. While I was waiting for the drugstore to develop the film, the street sweeper truck sped down the middle of 16th street. Although sweeping tickets are issued by the Allentown Parking Authority, the sweeping trucks are operated by Allentown's Department of Streets. I did not observe any sweeping tickets being issued. Rather than going through the motion of sweeping, I would have rather seen Allentown continue the curb to curb snow removal job, which seems to have been suspended. The parking on many streets and blocks still remain clogged with the snow from the storm weeks ago. Although we have dodged yet another snow storm, the temperatures are forecast to remain very cold. One can only feel sorry for the poor snooks who work for National Penn Bank. They are being forced to move from quaint Boyertown, to the filth of center city Allentown.

The Allentown Parking Authority

The Allentown Parking Authority Officer shown here is by far the most productive person they have, he may well be the most productive city worker period. I estimate he easily writes over a $half million dollars a year by himself. He spends the day hoping from one fertile hot zone to another. You can see him everyday, several times working Chew Street, between 16th and West. That block, because of the hospital, has time restricted parking. He's like a fisherman, a very good one, who knows the good spots. For those less familiar with this blog, please use the search engine on the upper right; type in parking authority. Along with taking them to task numerous times, I documented fictitious data they provided to City Council to justify doubling the meter rate and fine structure. I also 

"They're acting like a vampire sucking the blood out of downtown," Molovinsky said of the authority.

conducted a news conference, covered by Channel 69, on unnecessary parking meters as far out as 10th and Chew. Those meters were finally removed, only this year. Some comments on the previous post suggest that there is justification for the Authority and their policies. As a student of this bureaucracy for years, I can tell you that it has actually had a negative affect on center city commerce. It's simply a back door tax, mostly on those who can least afford it. The cars shown are being ticketed for not moving for street sweeping, despite the snow.*

*photographs from 2007, Parking Authority supposedly no longer gives "sweep tickets" during snow storms.

UPDATE: This is a reprint from September of 2010. My thanks to the reader who sent me the archive date. I was told by the current Authority director that although the regulations haven't changed, they now use discretion concerning enforcement during snow hardships.

Behind The Curtain of Blogging

Recently, a fellow blogger frustrated by the lack of comments submitted to his blog, complained that two blogs seem to dominate the valley. I believe that he was referring to Bernie O'Hare's Lehigh Valley Ramblings, and yours truly. The complaining blogger posts anonymously, on a wide range of topics, assuming that the public should find something interesting about his opinions. The information being transmitted over the airwaves is limitless, and highly competitive. Bernie works the local political scene half the day, and every night; He is a fixture at Northampton County meetings. Although I'm much more reclusive than O'Hare, last week I sat down with a party chairman, a school superintendent, a county judge and a state representative. Please don't get the impression that these distinguished people invited me to lunch, on the contrary. In each case I ambushed them in a public place, and left before they could summon security. In addition to gonzo journalism, I use this blog to publicize causes in which I'm involved, such as the WPA, and preserving the traditional park system. Nobody cares about my opinion on the Oscar nominees, nor should they.

Helping Democracy in Allentown

As a party candidate to run for the state house you need 300 signatures. Today, a State Representative told me how difficult that can be even for an incumbent. Steven Ramos is running as a Republican in the new Allentown 22nd District, which is overwhelmingly Democratic. I ask all registered Republicans in the District to contact Steven and arrange to sign his petition. Regardless of who you support, everybody benefits from more choices. Steven can be reached at 610 335=5247 or steven.ramos@hotmail.com

Republican Party Chairman Blasts County Executive Muller

Yesterday, Democrat Tom Muller gave the state of the union address at Coca Cola Park. The Morning Call today provides good coverage of the speech, with measured rebuttals by Republican Commissioner Mike Schware. Bernie O'Hare, who has made Muller his current pol of choice, posts the speech in it's entirety, as if it were the Gettysburg Address. I only broach the subject to bring you Wayne Woodman's comment from his Facebook page.

The man most responsible for creating a hostile environment blames others. The man who is on the record saying he will resolve our deficit (which he helped create) without hiking taxes is upset that our Commissioners passed a resolution asking him to abide by his promise to voters. Mr Muller is a phony....an ally of the status quo cronies from union bosses to developers looking for a handout. He calls our Reform commissioners terrorists for daring to ask questions and propose solutions. I suppose it's easier to lash out than to actually engage in a deliberate and civil debate. Muller is the poster child for what's wrong and taxpayers will pay his tab.

As Samantha Marcus notes in the Morning Call, it's going to be a combative year at Government Center.

Allentown's Housing Future

Some people read tea-leafs, I read deed transfers. It would be more accurate to say that I study deed transfer. There has only been two weeks in the last 35 years that I failed to scrutinize the list, and those omissions were failed attempts at relaxation. Recently, I mentioned Kenneth Heffentrager and his Tenant Association of Allentown. Kenneth has become a fixture at City Council meetings, complaining about housing and landlords. Kenneth is going to become a very busy boy. For the last several years the deed transfers have been dominated by landlords buying owner occupied houses. Many of these landlords are new to the business, attracted by $25,000, and even cheaper houses in center city. Landlording is tough for experienced operators, and the learning curve is steep. It will take years for the city to identify all the new landlords, and many will walk away when confronted with the realities of their new venture. Although Allentown has a strategy for Hamilton Street, it needs one for the remainder of center city.

Arena Authority Potty Training Abdouche

According to today's Morning Call, Albert Abdouche must jump through numerous hoops to receive the benefit of NIZ financing for the Americus property. Abdouche proposes a hotel on the lower floors, with apartments on the upper. Although the apartments are feasible, the hotel is not. This blog has previously stated that the new arena hotel will render the Holiday Inn, at 9th Street, to second class status, at best. Who could possibly believe that center city can support three hotels? Apparently, not the NIZ Board, because they have imposed requirements on Abdouche not inflicted upon the other beneficiaries of their financing. While J.B. Reilly was fronted money on his projects, Albert must secure his own financing. It's an enormous building, for which I believe the GodFathers have a plan, but I'm not sure that Abdouche is part of it.

Depot At Overlook Park

Old timers have noticed that the contractor's building on Hanover Avenue transformed into a community center for Overlook Park. But only the oldest, or train buffs, realized that the building was the freight depot and office for the Lehigh & New England Railroad. Lehigh & New England was formed in 1895, primarily as a coal carrier. The line ran from Allentown to Maybrook, New York.

In 1904 it was acquired by the Lehigh Coal and Navigation Company. The line ceased operation in 1961. Among it's infrastructure were impressive bridges across both the Lehigh and Delaware Rivers, both of which were dismantled. Ironic that a remnant of our industrial era is being utilized by the successor of a public housing project.

reprinted from May26,2012

The Butchers of Allentown

Those coming here today looking for a story about sloppy civic leadership will be disappointed. This post is literally about butchers, more specifically, some butchers at Allentown Meat Packing Company. A few days ago, while at the Fairground's Farmers Market, I learned that Bobby had passed away. Bobby was the "kid" who worked at my father's meat market on Union Street. Bobby grew up in an orphanage, a hardship which my father respected. One meat cutter that I knew nothing about was Lamont, other than he lived at the WestEnd Hotel. He was a bear of a man, who could carry a beef quarter from the cooler with no effort. I never saw Lamont in the market portion of the shop, he always remained in the back, either in the large cooler or the adjoining cutting room. While my father insisted that people working on the counter change their meat coat and apron several times during the day, no such rule was imposed upon Lamont. Although he would look over the trays of meat before being taken out to the display cases, he never spoke. Last time I spoke to Bobby. he told me that he appreciated that my father had taught him a trade, which he used throughout his life.

The Painterly Eye

Photographer K Mary Hess combines masterful technique with a landscape painter's aesthetics,  to create hauntingly beautiful images of the Lehigh Valley and it's surrounds.

Transformational Politicians

When I first started writing about Donny Cunningham years ago, I referred to him as an Eddie Rendell in training pants. Although I don't know how he progressed with those pants, he has picked up the new pol word of the decade, transformational. Donny is now head of the Lehigh Valley Economic Development Corporation, where the first thing he did was fillet the experienced business recruiters when he got the position, to steer the organization into the 21st century. Now, Donny says that if the taxpayers up his budget by 15 times, from $2.5 million to $33 million, that he can do a better job. For that kind of money his agency could do transformational things, and he has the consultant's report to prove it. All this can happen by simply raising the valley's sale tax by one cent on the dollar. Those of little faith should know that this plan almost has Tony Iannelli's approval, It's good to see the region's leaders looking to create a grand vision for economic growth...

Street Sweeping Tickets Start March 1

Yesterday, was one of those days when the switchboard at molovinsky on allentown lit up all day. Seems as if the Parking Authority was putting flyers on cars notifying them that street sweeping tickets would resume March 1st in district 2, west of 10th Street. For hapless Allentown residents, some of whom are still parking in the hole they carved out, the Authority's enthusiasm was less than appreciated. Allentown has the knack of punishing the good deed of living there. Let up hope that next winter, with the hockey arena opening, that Allentown doesn't receive any snow.

Steven Ramos Announces His Candidacy For District 22

Steven Ramos announces his candidacy for the newly drawn 22nd State House District.

"I'm running because it's imperative to have a representative that fights for the best interest of our families and our community. My initial priority is focusing on reforming parts of our government that put unnecessary burdens on our families."

Steven attended Trexler Middle School and William Allen High,  before serving 4 years in the Army. He and his wife Josie have been married for eighteen years and have four children. Steven has worked as an Information Technology professional, managing server systems and networks for the past 16 years. He served as Executive Director of the Lehigh County Republican Committee, and has served on various campaigns reaching out to the Hispanic community.  He has continuously helped with the vision of restoring Allentown to a strong vibrant community.

"We have a very unique opportunity to have a new voice fighting for our best interests. I look forward to the campaign ahead and starting to visit our residents in the community to listen to their concerns."

Editor's note: I'm delighted that the new district will have a Republican candidate who happens to be Hispanic, and that Mr. Ramos permitted molovinsky on allentown to make the initial announcement.

UPDATE:   Steven Ramos Website

The Transfiguration of Allentown

Pawlowski calls it transformative. I then began referring to it as the transformation. However, that word does not do the expectations justice. After all, Pawlowski thought that he could ride this donkey into Harrisburg. Every city in Pennsylvania now wants a version of the magic tax loophole. Although the results still remain to be seen, careers are changing on the expectations. Both Mann and Browne are retiring to lucrative lobbying positions as a result. While this blog reported last year that we now live in Reillyville, and that his lordship purchased almost the entire square block of Walnut Street, the Morning Call reporters have now done a feature on that story. If they can write themselves a ticket out of here with charts and graphs, like some of their predecessors did helped somewhat from my scoops, remains to be seen. Needless to say, the expectations of the arena will exceed the reality, it always does. The nation is littered with urban failures. The only insurance against a white elephant is leaving before it makes it first big mess.

UPDATE: The graphic map prepared by The Morning Call omitted two major Hamilton Street properties obtained by Reilly's City Center, the former Colonial Theater site near 5th Street, and the Gallery On The Mall, in the 900 block. The Call's feature story also failed to mention that Reilly was fronted $20million dollars by the Arena Authority,  which he used to acquire all the properties.

photocredit:molovinsky

Rumble In The School District

Scott Armstrong, the school director everyone loves to hate, was fouled this morning in a Morning Call ViewPoint, by teacher's union president Debbie Tretter. The paper's editor bent his own rules in allowing Tretter to make personal attacks based on emotionalism, as opposed to facts. It is disappointing when any elected official, let alone a school board director, denigrates those who are less fortunate and votes against housing opportunities. Saying that Armstrong denigrates poor people is simply untrue, and throwing mud against the wall, hoping that some of it sticks. Armstrong voted against bestowing a tax free status upon the Phoenix Mill, in a proposal of turning that commercial space into apartments. There was no claim that the Phoenix Mill would be affordable, on the contrary, it was presented as loft apartments, which would attract very few, if any children. He was joined in that vote by four other school directors, two of whom (Joanne Bauer and CeCe Gerlach) are known as very pro teacher. I believe that it's inappropriate for Tretter to be attacking an elected member of the school board with innuendo, and inconsistent of the newspaper to facilitate it.

UPDATE: The editor defended Tretter's attack on Armstrong by saying that it's "Her opinion."  I have in the past been prevented, by the same editor, from even writing that someone used "propaganda techniques." I was told that such an accusation constitutes a personal attack, which is against their policy. I was to restrict myself to only refuting facts.  It appears that Ms. Tretter was given more more freedom with her opinion.  The editor told me that each piece is evaluated on a case by case basis. He apparently means a person by person basis.  At best, the paper applies it's standards selectively, in an inconsistent manner.

Life After Pawlowski

Siobhan (Sam) Bennett and Charles F. Thiel have a lot in common, although they will probably oppose each other for mayor of Allentown in 2017. Both believe that public safety and public education are the keys to Allentown's future. Although Allentown may be making significant gains in the bricks and mortar of development, the neighborhoods and school district languish. Both future candidates believe that unless these quality of life issues are addressed, the commercial development alone isn't enough to revitalize Allentown. Bennett is returning to town after being President/CEO of the Woman's Campaign Fund and She Should Run for five years. Both are national organizations housed in Washington, D.C. She was cofounder of the William Allen Construction Company and served on the School District Foundation. Charles F. Thiel was recently appointed to the school board and also serves on the District Foundation.

He is general manager of a local communication and technology company. Both Sam and Charlie will be disappointed with this write-up. I conducted the interviews over the phone, and unbeknown to them, I wasn't writing down their articulate views. They will have over three years to present those polished points to more conventional reporters. Although both are currently Democrats, I believe that they will oppose each other in the general election. While Bennett is married to the Democratic Party, Thiel is flexible enough to run as an independent. Either Sam or Charlie could well serve Allentown.

UPDATE: Bennett is literally married to the Democratic Party, her husband heads the Allentown Committee. Both Bennett and Thiel feel that Pawlowski will not be running for a 4th term, nor would they hesitate to challenge him, if he does. Likewise, neither expressed any concern about Julio Guridy, who also might be a candidate.

UPDATING THE UPDATE: Bennett feels that Allen High's alumni, 60,000 strong, is a tremendous untapped resource to revitalize the school district,  which would help the city with one of it's major negative perceptions.

Two Tales of One City

I have lived in the City of Allentown since 1978 and the recent snowfall has reminded me that city services are being more efficiently performed now than at any other time in my memory...not perfect, but better. On those very rare occasions when I bother to go downtown, I am starting to see a profoundly different city. Every other Mayor in my lifetime was just trying to re-capture some glorious past which, take it from me, wasn't all that glorious to start with. I think that when it is all said and done, that Mayor Pawlowski will have had as significant impact on Allentown that Caesar Augustus did on Rome or that Napoleon III had on Paris in that he is changing the face of the City I realize this sounds like sucking up on a grand level and perhaps it is but I am trying to offer a lifetime's perspective on a City which historically has underperformed all our expectations.
Todd Larmer

The roads here are a nightmare. Almost every street in the downtown has been posted posted "No Parking" for so long residents are ignoring the warning. Most streets are reduced to a single lane with cars parked in snow bunkers carved out by the locals. Others are buried and have not been moved in weeks. Yet none of our local media outlets are ready to report what an abysmal job the city administration has done. Can't wait for the arena traffic to add to the joy.
Scott Armstrong

Todd lives in the west end, where most cars are parked in garages. The streets are pre-treated before the snow, and plowed fairly quickly. Scott lives on the fringe of center city, by West Park.

UPDATE: Comments on Facebook

   Jean Lambert-  east side of allentown bad

   Michael Hysick-The St. Francis of Assisi neighborhood is real bad

   Benito Cruz Jr.-I could use a run of napalm on my block

   Kenneth Heffentrager- How do you close Green St. 3 days ago to say now to be removed still     

   nothing has been done... Tilghman has been closed to parking for days...

   Bill Stauffer-Several streets are closed in my neighborhood as well...City does not seem to have the

   same level of manpower it had to remove snow that it did prior to the "lease" of our water system
   Michael E. Golden-Where The Hell Are The Snow Plows?? Isn't West Brook Park Part Of Allentown!

                        

photocredit:Emily Robson/The Morning Call/December 8, 2013

Pep Rally at Reillyville

Sometimes the news is more absurd than this distractor could ever fabricate, such was the case Wednesday afternoon. Two hundred invited guests packed into Symphony Hall to the Reilly Institute, to hear a lecture on the future of center city, or I should say City Center. An urbanist author explained how there is a national trend back to living in cities. Although I haven't written a book, nor have I stayed at a Holiday Inn, I know Allentown. Reilly can make them work downtown, but he won't be able to make them live there. There is no reason to live there. You can reach center city from anywhere in the suburbs in ten minutes. Allentown is 20 years away from creating any culture that could compensate for the crime and grime. That will take much more than five new buildings.

When Allentown Came To A Standstill

Thirty one years ago, almost to the day, Allentown received a record snow storm of over 25 inches, not counting the drifts. It snowed 5 inches an hour on February 11, 1983. At the time I was living by West Park, and joined in the neighborhood effort to dig out West Street. Despite those efforts, occurring all over the city, there was no place to go, and no place to park. If Allentown still has the neighborhood fabric for such efforts is questionable.

photocredit:The Morning Call

Morning In The Parks

Although I have been profoundly disappointed by the Pawlowski administration and City Council in my efforts to defend our unique park features, I have not allowed that defeat to deprive me of one of the benefits of Allentown, enjoying the beauty of the parks. The winter provides a certain magic in the parks, for those who can cope with the cold. This particular winter requires some discipline, but the rewards are there. Recently, I came within six feet of a Blue Heron, standing still while fishing in a creek.

photocredit:molovinsky

The Winter of My Discontent

With the forecast of another snowstorm coming Wednesday evening, my memory turns to the winter of 1993-94. I was living on a long corner on Union Street, in Hamilton Park. By this time in 1994, the path from my front door to the sidewalk was like a snow tunnel, with walls over three feet high. The busy intersection had a crossing guard, and it was important that I kept the corner clear, constantly digging through the plow curl from two directions.  The reason I remember that winter wasn't because of my house, but at the time I maintained buildings in center city. My days consisted mostly of salting, chopping and shoveling, one property after another, from one snowstorm after another. Driving my station wagon, filled with 50lb. salt bags, up the alleys was like a kiddie ride at Dorney Park, the ruts would steer the car, no hands were necessary. This post and the previous one are somewhat unusual for me. I have for the most part maintained a privacy wall between my business and my blogging. Tomorrow evening, The Tenant Association of Allentown will complain to City Council about slumlords; I thought that in the interest of balance I would give a glimpse into conscientious landlording. Although the meeting might be cancelled once again because of the snow, Allentown's many good landlords will still be out shoveling the sidewalks.

photocredit:The Morning Call/Dumping snow off the former Tilghman Street Bridge into the Jordan Creek

They Shoot Landlords, Don't They?

When I ran as a long-shot independent for mayor in 2005, against Ed Pawlowski and Bill Heydt,  the first thing I did was take The  Morning Call reporter on a tour of the properties that I managed.  As an intercity landlord, operating apartments between 4th and 12th, Walnut and Tilghman Streets,  I knew that the rentals would become  Allentown's biggest problem.  After the WW2,  it became fashionable to live in a twin or small ranch, and Allentown's row houses began being divided into apartments.  Those apartments were mostly occupied by singles or childless couples, and helped keep downtown and Hamilton Street vital, long past many of it's sister cities.  In the 1960's, despite the thousands of converted apartments,  center city was clean, and Allentown was the All American City.  Both the tenants and landlords were hard working and conscientious.  As the urban poor from New York and New Jersey discovered the clean streets of Allentown, and it's moderately priced apartments,  a steady influx of new residents arrived daily.  These changes were not encouraged by the landlords.  Nobody ever purchased a building hoping to replace their conscientious middle class occupants, with a poorer, more problematic tenant base.  Various social agencies staked many of these newcomers to the first month rent and security deposits.  Although politically incorrect, I said at the time that Allentown was creating a poverty magnet.  My phrase and analysis back then is now recognized as an unintended consequence of such programs.  During Heydt's administration, Allentown passed a Rental Inspection Law.  Some viewed  this as the solution to the rental problem, I didn't fully agree;  You cannot legislate pride of ownership. Bad operators could, and easily did, cross the T's and dot the i's.  Pawlowski's solution has been to tag buildings as unfit for habitation, so many,  that the process itself has created blight.  Halls of Shame, either by the city or private groups, only stigmatize both the property and owner, but don't produce a solution.  The programs in place, if applied with more flexibility, can work.  The school district is starting to show concern about the consequences of more apartments and students.  Recent zoning changes allowing the conversion of commercial space by right, rather than by variance, could well add to the problem.  At the end of the day,  all landlords want to see their investment appreciate.  The city must learn to work with that basic incentive as a vehicle for change.

UPDATE: There will be a special public meeting with City Council Wednesday evening at 6:00 p.m., concerning the housing problems in Allentown. The flyer below was created by the Tenant Association of Allentown. Although I do not agree with all their methods, this blog supports the concept of advocacy in Allentown, and is glad to publicize their agenda.

The Beatles Concert at Convention Hall

In the summer of 1964, when I was 17, I took a bus from the old terminal on S. 6th Street, to California. I had a letter from the manager of Trexler Orchards, asking his associate in Oxnard, California, to give me a job in the lemon orchard. That manager also owned a carwash, and gave me a job there instead.  I rented a small cabin at the end of a backyard, they were built during the war to provide extra housing for the G.I's. After two months at the carwash, I was rescued by a former Allentonian. His father had moved the family years earlier, to work at the Western Electric plant in Hawthorne. Kenneth was about five years older than me, and he and his friends prided themselves on gate-crashing. In my few weeks there we crashed several concerts and Disneyland. I returned at the end of summer, in time for the Beatles concert in Atlantic City. Putting my new delinquent skill to work, I vaulted over the turnstile and ran into the seating section. If the Beatles sang or not, I couldn't tell you, the screaming made it impossible to know.  Kenneth became an accomplished celebrity photographer, among other things. He passed away several years ago, and his family returned to Allentown to spread his ashes in Lehigh Parkway.

The Little Bridge That Could

When I was a boy growing up on the south side, going to the doctor near the current YMCA, meant going over Schreiber's Bridge. Being built in 1828, the bridge even back then was over a hundred years old. When the 15th Street (Ward Street) Bridge opened in 1954, who would imagine that it would come and go, while the stone arch bridge continued providing passage over the creek. The Little Bridge That Could took quite a beating during the last couple of years, while constructing the new 15th Street Bridge. Trucks smashed the northern entrance walls no less than three times, turning on to Martin Luther King Drive. Although it is understandable that the City will wait until this Spring to repair the walls, there exists a more urgent matter. From the extensive use caused by the detour, and this harsh winter, the roadbed is badly cracked over the bridge's arch. These openings allow water to enter and seep down into the stone arch. Perhaps the city administration could give the historic bridge some special attention yet this winter, it certainly has earned some consideration.

Rich Fegley and the DTE Contract

To say that Rich Fegley is upset about the Delta Thermo Energy Contract is an understatement. This arrangement, already approved by city council about two years ago, allows DTE to mix our trash and sewage into some concoction that they will burn to make energy. This precise process has not been done before anywhere in the country. Rich doesn't think that we're innovators, he thinks that we're chumps. He believes that Mayor Pawlowski and DTE outright mislead city council on the projections to continue conventional trash collection.

On Tue, Feb 4, 2014 Rich Fegley  wrote: Members of City Council, At the last three Allentown City Council meetings I brought something to your attention that I feel  is very important. As I have stated three times before, the contract that the City signed with Delta Thermo Energy  was based on false and misleading information. Here are excerpts from the PWIA 12-12-2013 letter (attached) to PA Department of  Environmental Protection: Delta Thermo made a number of materially false statements to the public regarding  their proposed project and the waste disposal industry as a whole. Delta Thermo's continued use of false environmental marketing claims Delta Thermo's representatives claimed that landfill tipping fees have increased  7% a year over each of the last ten years. This is false........... The PWIA in this letter continues to point out further FALSE and MISLEADING information  that Delta Thermo Energy and ultimately Mayor Ed Pawlowski and PMF (Scott Shearer)  provided to City Council and the Public. I am stating that we were told information that was fabricated and false. At the last Council meeting I asked Council to look into what research was done by PFM and Mayor Pawlowski on LANDFILL COSTS in the Lehigh Valley. How did PFM and Pawlowski come up with this $90.48/ton cost? This new analysis show that the City will lose $113,000,000. This is a real number based on the "real" numbers that PFM and Mayor Pawlowski presented to City Council and the public. I hope that we can discuss this at City Council this Wednesday. Thank you for your attention, Rich Fegley I wish Fegley well on his endeavor. Approval of the Delta Thermo Contract was a circus, complete with trade union members from out of town packing the council chamber. New council member Cynthia Mota voted no, and then changed her vote, after being taken on a field trip by Delta Thermo. I would think that negating the contract at this point would be more complicated, requiring more motivation, than this council has ever displayed.

Pawlowski's Back, First Snow Emergency

Residents on Tilghman Street learned the expensive way that Pawlowski is back to mayoring in Allentown. Whether you're towed during a snow emergency, or ticketed at a meter, center city residents are the ones who are fined and inconvenienced by the traffic regulations. Community activist Ce Ce Gerlach wonders on Facebook, This is like the 5th snow of the season and now, all of a sudden we are in a "snow emergency". Hundreds of residents were towed, including mine. A city of poor and working class people now have to pay at least $250 to get our cars back. Perhaps Mike Fleck could have hired some canvassers to knock on doors and give the residents some heads up on the towing, like Pawlowski did to get votes back in November.

UPDATE: Mayor Ed Pawlowski claims that 89 cars were towed during the snow emergency  Monday morning, which was instituted with a three hour warning. Police used sirens and loudspeakers to notify residents on both Chew and Tilghman Streets, but the notice given to Walnut Street residents has not been verified.

Time, Money and Cheap Locals Keep Pawlowski Here

Unless Rob McCord becomes Governor, Allentown is probably stuck with Pawlowski for at least the next four years. Seems as if his pesky city responsibilities helped keep Ed from devoting enough time to fund raising.."Every time I sat down to make fundraising calls, another issue would come up that would require my attention," he said...Stepping down will allow me to focus all of my energy on the job that I really love: being the mayor of Allentown,"I didn't know that anybody twisted his arm to run for governor. Also the locals contributors here seem to lack the vision necessary to properly fund one of their own. McCord traveled here in the snow to receive Ed's endorsement. I'm not sure which part of Pawlowski's announcement today should offend Allentonians more, but one thing is clear, his heart clearly isn't here. I did not attend the news conference, this analysis is based on local news sources.

The Morning Call Slow Pitches To Mike Fleck

In today's profile on Mike Fleck, The Morning Call says that the political consultant  plays hardball, indeed he does. Although Fleck may play hard, the paper treated him with kid gloves. In the recent City Council race, Fleck had hired a local attorney to intimidate a candidate into withdrawing. The court ruled the action violated the election code, and the candidate, Kim Velez, was reinstated on the ballot. Not a word of that shenanigan appears in the article, although at the time, the incident was covered by the same reporters. The slowest t-ball pitch in the article concerns the notion that there is a firewall between Fleck's business consulting and his political consulting, here in Pawlowskiville? Although they mention the teenage marketing company Ruckus, they omit the fact that they secured yet another extension from the ACIDA on their Neuweiler option, even though they have resorted to now trying to solicit investors from the internet.

UPDATE: In the comment section a reader suggests,  "Let the city R's pay their volunteers if necessary to get the job done and get out the vote."  Is this the direction Allentown should go in?

Tom Muller's Conversion Complete

It was suggested this past November that Muller was a Republican at heart, but had converted to the Democratic Party only to save the county from the radical inclinations of Scott Ott. The other day Lisa Scheller had an excellent letter in The Morning Call. In it she argued that the county pension contribution should be lowered from 5.5% because CD'S haven't paid that much in years. She also opposes the conflict of interest on the pension board, where most of it's members will receive the pension on which they are setting the rate. According to published reports, I didn't attend the meeting, Muller resorted to dragging Scheller's personal wealth into the debate; "I seriously doubt Commissioner Scheller has any of her wealth in CDs, or much of her wealth in CDs," Apparently, between being elected in November, and starting office in January, Muller must have been sent to Chicago for a workshop on class politics and divisive rhetoric. Although only a few months ago Muller's campaign literature featured him as a conservative businessman, yesterday he seemed like a union boss, while attempting to vilify Scheller in front of a room packed with county employees. Muller knows only too well that CD's are an analogy for conservative investments, and that insolvency caused by public pensions is the crisis of the decade. Muller won the pension board vote yesterday, but it was Scheller who had the taxpayer's back.

Do Local Zombies Read The News

When AOL expanded the Patch local news websites a number of years ago, I couldn't comprehend the business plan. Although it provided employment to a number of laid-off former Morning Call reporters, how could the Lehigh Valley support 12 local news sites, when it could barely support the two remaining newspapers? Did Upper and Lower Saucon really justify a site, much less two separate ones? This past summer AOL cut back the number of local editors to five. Yesterday, The Morning Call reported another massive layoff at Patch, which AOL has spun off to Hale Global, a turn around specialist. Although the Morning Call reports only one surviving editor, two others are still listed on the local sites. When AOL purchased The Huffington Post, more than one experienced national blogger questioned the price. The web makes it easy for anybody to produce a newsletter. Getting people to read it is another story. Getting them to monetize it by clicking on advertisements, is a third story.

In Her Blood

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 villages of Amar and Zweitina. 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: While announcing Kim Makoul's appointment as Public Defender, County Executive Tom Muller said that it's in her blood. I grew up in the era when George Joseph was district attorney. He inspired Kim's dad, Richard Makoul, to attend law school, and become one of the valley's most successful defense attorneys.

This post is reprinted, using a different title

State of The City Called Allentown

When Mayor Pawlowski gives the State Of The City speech on Friday at the Hilton at 9th and Hamilton, will he say next year when I speak at the new hotel, this place will be a flop house? Speaking of flop houses, lately the local news has been dominated by the poor and the homeless. What a juxtaposition these new buildings make with Allentown's walking poor. While community activists demand that some of the new jobs in the Arena Zone  go to the local underemployed, and many public dollars will be spent on administering such training programs, the actual hired employees wouldn't be able to fill a closet at the new hotel. Nobody need worry about those realities at the speech on Friday. Nobody need worry about the difficulties facing the already challenged Allentown School District. Friday's speech, which will be limited to figures, numbers, and graphs about the new buildings and the promise of Transformation, will be applauded by the cheerleaders, and reported by the media.

The Return of Governor Pawlowski

Last year when cities all over Pennsylvania were clamoring for the type of development occurring in Allentown, and with Governor Corbett's dismal polling numbers, a Pawlowski run made sense, at least to Ed Pawlowski. With campaign contribution reports due at the end of the month, this blog believes that Governor Pawlowski will return to being a mayor. Unless a number of very deep pockets came forward, Ed's viability as a candidate will have waned. His campaign manager, Mike Fleck, has given no indication to the contrary in a recent local television show. Although the imported office jobs will increase the lunch traffic for downtown eateries, the sought after dinner crowd will not materialize. Despite Obama's speeches, the economy remains impaired. Locations which do not have Allentown's perceived grime and crime, such as the Promenade Mall, could not support more than a couple upscale restaurants. Much hype has gone into the Transformation of center city. The suburban middle class people populating the artist renderings will not turn into real people on the street. Let's hope for the sake of  Pawlowski's career plans that he finds another ticket to ride out of town, before the new arena becomes a white elephant.

Code Blue Warming Center

The Lehigh Valley Council of Churches has decided to open a code blue warming center in Alliance Hall, at 6th and Chew Streets. That's wonderful, but their email blast announcing the service is very disturbing

You have most likely seen press coverage concerning the plight of the homeless during this recent spell of dangerously cold weather. We have chosen not to participate in public debates about how "others" should solve this problem, particularly since the Conference has for the past decade been doing the heavy lifting when it comes to stabilizing the lives of "the least of these, my brothers and sisters" without the need for shining a media spotlight on that work. Instead of being divisive and derisive, we joined with partners who are problem solvers. Our initial plan is to open the Alliance Hall gym only when needed for emergency Code Blue weather conditions. Funding for this initiative is not guaranteed. Staffing details have not been determined.

 If they had been lifting as much as they think, such a center  would already exist. It's particularly offensive to refer to those who illuminated the problem as divisive and derisive. I keep thinking of Diane Teti's comment that nobody owns the homeless. Apparently, the established charitable institutions think that only they should be credited with good deeds.

The Homeless and The Odd Couple

Yesterday, I praised those advocates campaigning for the homeless. In eight days their efforts resulted in another shelter venue for the homeless, the YMCA, opening it's doors. More importingly, they motivated some elected officials, from both the city and county, to visit Safe Haven at St. Pauls. I also noted the about face taken by the city, which has been slow poking on this issue for eight years. The ink had barely dryed on the memo about adequate shelter space already being available, when Pawlowski announced that the YMCA would be joining the shelter options. But this post is about the man who joined Pawlowski, Tom Muller. When the advocates for the homeless pleaded with City Council last week, Muller sat quietly in the back of the room, studying the situation. This Wednesday evening one of the advocates, Rich Fegley, found County Commissioner Scott Ott sitting on the floor in St. Paul's basement, conversing with a homeless man. Ott has a background in lay ministry. Tom Muller apparently has a heart. Although these two men opposed each other this past November for County Executive, and see the mission of the county much differently, their mutual concern could have a positive result for the homeless.

The Homeless Get Another Shelter

It's not too often that activists prevail in Allentown, I can attest to that. The community owes a debt of gratitude to Diane Teti, Dale Smith, Chris Cocca, Rich Fegley, Reverend Richard Baumann and others for making Pawlowski see the error of his ways. Only yesterday City Hall said that the shelter situation was under control, but by today we learn that the YMCA will be providing shelter on weekdays, during code blue weather. What changed Pawlowski's mind?

UPDATE: Rich Fegley gave an impassioned speech to the County Commmissioners about Safe Haven and the homeless Wednesday evening. He was rewarded later that evening when he learned that three of the commissioners, Ott, Scheller and Mazziotti went to the shelter themselves, after the meeting.

Soups On At St. Pauls

In conjunction with The Lehigh Valley Conference of Churches, lunch is served three times a week at St. Pauls. According to Reverend Richard Baumann, We treat them as people, not just simply give them food. In some sense, this is a place where people can get something to eat and are also treated with some degree of respect. Baumann arranges for some of the nurses in the parish to attend the lunches, which gives the lunch guests an opportunity to ask some health related questions. Recently, Pastor Baumann has been in the news for providing basic shelter from the cold for the homeless. Over the years I've know Baumann as an advocate for the neighborhood. About ten years ago he spoke up for the neighbors who were concerned about losing the neighborhood parking lot, to the Zawarski townhouse project. He also advocated for the merchants and residents who were displaced by the arena. Although the church may be one of the oldest in the city, Baumann makes sure that it's mission stays relevant to the times.

ADDENDUM: On Tuesday evening Julio Guridy visited Safe Haven, which is the basement of St. Pauls, and The Rescue Mission, which has a $multi-million dollar budget. He was shocked at the lack of facilities at the church, but impressed with the Mission. What he doesn't seem to understand is that although the Mission may have room for a few guests from St. Paul, it cannot, and will not accommodate all of them. In this sub-zero weather there is nothing more important than being inside, even if it's on the floor of a church basement.

Allentown Locks Out The Homeless

One week after an emotional presentation to City Council about the life and death situation facing the homeless, Allentown has released an official reply. In regard to the Rescue Mission requirement of needing a police voucher, the city supported that policy; We cannot support and will not support totally unregulated environments... The official city letter also stated that St. Paul's Church is attracting out of the area homeless by their lax rules. It's strange how the Pawlowski administration can support no identification needed to vote, and the rights of immigrants, but believe that only Allentonians with proper ID are entitled not to freeze to death. Furthermore, the letter states the adequacy of existing programs and it's Commission to handle the situation. Last year the city distributed $185,000 in CDBG to organizations that work with longterm solutions to homelessness, but failed to provide an open door shelter from the cold. Advocates for the homeless, including Diane Teti, Dale Smith and Reverend Richard Baumann appealed to Council only because the existing agencies were failing to solve the problem. The City's reply, We cannot support a competing interest group at odds with the methods of the Commission. They went on to say, The idea is not just to get people out of the cold, it is to get them on a path to permanent housing, which requires case management from experienced professionals.  We veteran students of the bureaucracy are not surprised, even if the homeless advocates are dumbstruck. A week has passed, all local media reported the story, and nothing has changed. As I type this report the snow is falling, the wind is howling and the wind chill is expected to dip below zero tonight.

UPDATE: I used to attend the CDBG meeting in council chambers to watch the various non-profits clamor like baby birds for worms. The City would weigh their application, decide who's been good or bad, and make allocations. I have written before about the Rescue Mission, not my favorite organization. Recently, I had an opportunity to speak with Reverend Baumann about shelter being provided by St. Paul's Church. Baumann and St. Paul's have only reluctantly joined the homeless business. It's not a $3.5 million dollar enterprise like the Rescue Mission. It's not a CDBG funded organization with paid employees. It's a man, a church floor and a shoestring budget. This is what the City refers to as a competing interest? Diane Teti once said that nobody owns the homeless, but apparently the City thinks that it does.

Bernie O'Hare also reports on Allentown's reply

City Council's Ugly Present

I suppose the thought was that with Hamilton Street getting $800 million dollars worth of new development, and the mayor being able to use that development as a backdrop for his governor race, City Council should be thrown a crumb or two. Although the city web page touts the renovation as a much needed upgrade, it is horrendous in every facet of it's concept. The architect, W2A, should be embarrassed. The previous straight dais is now a large horseshoe shaped monstrosity, intruding into the chamber, resulting in less seating for the public. While speakers previously stood off to the side where both the council and public could see them, now only their behinds faces the public. Wooden and upholstery theater seats have been replaced with metal chairs, clipped together with plastic connectors. Prior to the meeting last week I told Julio Guridy what I thought of the remodeling. He told me that I was the first person to complain out of about 2000 compliments he received. Not less than 15 seconds later, another person told Julio that the new chamber was horrible. What a consequence.

Further Than The Farr Lot

I rented a storefront from Harvey Farr in the late 1970's. During the earlier heydays of Hamilton Street,  Farr, along with The Morning Call's Donald Miller and John Leh, controlled downtown and owned Park & Shop, a series of surface lots serving the parking needs of their customers. They built the first parking deck in America, now the police station at 10th and Hamilton. As the end of Allentown's dominance as a shopping mecca became apparent, they sold the lots to the newly formed Allentown Parking Authority. This is a story of pulling strings and having connections, which only molovinsky brings you in Allentown; You will not read these unvarnished truths in The Morning Call.

The parking situation in Allentown was well managed by two or three meter maids who worked for the police department, patrolling the meter zone with golf carts. Farr, Miller and Leh prevailed upon then mayor for life Joe Daddona to bale them out of the parking business, and thus The Allentown Parking Authority was created. At first the Authority serviced the meters, but soon purchased the surface lots as originally pre-planned.

The Parking Authority continues as a political entity. It's board of directors are appointed by the current mayor for life, Ed Pawlowski, and are among his biggest cheerleaders. A recent article in The Morning Call states that Lee Butz and company was the only bidder for the Farr surface lot, which stretches from 8th Street to the east side of the PPL Plaza. It doesn't reveal that Butz actually initiated the sale by approaching the Authority with a request. As residents of Allentown wonder how the arena patrons will cope with both perceived parking and traffic problems, the Authority will be selling the last surface lot adjoining the new arena. Existing businesses, such as the Farr Loft Apartments and The BreWWorks depend on this lot for convenient parking. Just as The Parking Authority was formed 35 years ago by pulled strings, today it still accommodates those with connections.

For Whom The Development Tolls

Myself, and other skeptics, have long maintained that the main beneficiaries of Allentown's NIZ are the few millionaires who will become billionaires. I do recognize that besides the few chosen developers and Pawlowski, there are citizens of good will who welcome what the mayor calls the transformation. However, some recent announcements seem to have little to no public benefit, but will cost the public in lost state taxes. The arena complex includes a new hotel facing 7th Street. The Holiday Inn at 9th and Hamilton will also be remodeled with zone tax funds. Business at that hotel has been marginal for years, and it has housed a series of taxpayer subsidized restaurants. Can minor league hockey fans support two hotels, can they support one? The Americus property at 6th and Hamilton also is seeking a $13 million dollar Authority loan for renovation. A new Butz proposal for the Farr Lot on 8th Street will soon push the Arena Authority loan portfolio close to the $Billion dollar mark. Contrary to Corbett's claim that there are no new taxes, we at the gasoline pump know better. Despite the cheerleaders for this development, all state residents will be paying for it, one way or another.