Fast Tracking Jaindl Sponsored Interchange

Although Jaindl and two other real estate interests* have only been sponsoring a study for an additional interchange on Rt 78 at Adams Road since 2016, Penn Dot has announced that funds will be shifted to that use,  instead of widening Rt. 22, which has been on the public's wish list for decades.

Jaindl's group has moved their agenda along at warp speed with the help of local state senator Pat Browne, who apparently started lobbying the Penndot secretary from day one.  Although local planners and the Lehigh Valley Planning Commission have been advocating for Rt. 22 improvements for well over a decade,  there hasn't been a peep out their director, Becky Bradley, about the Jaindl group's windfall and the public's loss.  Her comments have been limited to praising Browne about the Rt. 78 improvements.

It's wonderful for our local movers and shakers to prosper beyond their dreams here in the valley of apathy. There is no local paper which scrutinizes such dealings, only a couple of blogs.

*National Freight Inc. and Liberty Property Trust

molovinsky on allentown is produced every weekday of the year.

The Wage Of Fame

As a young man in the mid 1930's, Abe Simon worked summers as a life guard at Coney Island. Girls would pretend to be drowning to meet the 6'5" hunk. The former high school star athlete was recruited to boxing by Jock Whitney, future Ambassador to Britain. Although amassing a winning record, absorbing punches from the likes of Buddy Bear, Jersey Joe Walcott and Joe Louis took their toll on Simon.

Simon's brother congratulates him after going 13 rounds with Louis in Detroit in March of 1941, earning a second shot at the Heavyweight Title.

ADDENDUM: Abe Simon, a heavyweight who fought in the early 1940's, was a cousin of my mother. In December of 2012, I chronicled the Joe Louis boxing era in a series of posts on this blog. I try and reprint a few each December.

Distortion In South Whitehall

“Our vote was transparent and in full compliance with applicable laws, and anyone who suggests otherwise is distorting the truth,” Morgan said in her introductory statement to the packed house. Morgan knows about deception, she has been fooling voters for years.

South Whitehall is the only municipality I know of where voters must wait until the end of a meeting to speak. Commission President Morgan has been playing that trick card for years.

She knows full well that the commissioners were not bound to name a replacement for Mark Pinsley from the same party. Pinsley clearly used his commission seat only as a stepping stone, first running for state senator, and then county controller.

 She has also been cooperating with the Wildlands Conservancy to fulfill their desire to demolish Wehr's Dam, again ignoring the will of the residents.

Starting in the new year South Whitehall will have a new board, save for one holdover. Unfortunately,  the holdover is Morgan. Hopefully the new commissioners will have much more respect for voters than Morgan ever demonstrated.

Pennsylvania Short Changes Lehigh Valley

The state and its local messenger, Pat Browne, have been good to J.B. Reilly's NIZ, but for the rest of us, not so much. Browne and the state announced that interstate 78 will be upgraded, but the Rt. 22 widening is now effectively cancelled. Every day from 4:00PM until after 6:30, Rt. 22 turns into a parking lot. Also put on hold are improvements to the Tilghman Street Rt. 309 entrances. Unless you're an owl, it is impossible to safely enter the highway.

In a recent post I took the state to task for the numerous commissions that siphon funds away from actual improvements to our roads. Last year I took the turnpike to task for removing the toll both from the Pocono exit, charging the entire turnpike full length toll from unsuspecting traveling victims.

While we have one of the largest full time state houses in the country, every few years the elected fakers promise reforms, and then laugh about it behind our backs. I remember when the lottery would reduce your property taxes. I remember when gambling would abate your school property taxes.

I don't know who your state representative is, but if you think that you're being well represented, you're not very well informed.

Wildlands Conservancy's Thrill Of Hypocrisy

Yesterday, was the last day of the Conservancy's Annual Lehigh River Sojourn. The event was well covered by The Morning Call, with both a reporter and photographer on board one of the rafts. The three day event started with a talk by Chris Kocher, President of the Wildlands. The group gets grants during the winter to demolish dams, and grants during the summer to conduct this educational sojourn on the Lehigh river. Last year, Wildlands spend over $250,000 in grant money on just a study, promoting the removal of Wehr's Dam. Their website stated that the Lehigh Sojourn would take place rain or shine, but doesn't explain why. What Chris Kocher and The Morning Call fail to reveal is that their raft adventure is scheduled to coincide with the water release from the Francis E. Walter Dam in White Haven. It is only because of this dam that the Lehigh has a steady flow of water, and that these hypocrites can get their whitewater thrill.

photo of Wildlands Conservancy hypocrites enjoying dam release by Harry Fisher of The Morning Call

reprinted from June 30, 2015

ADDENDUM: This past Sunday, June 5, 2016,  Chris Kocher had an editorial in The Morning Call praising the accomplishments of his organization.  Although he mentions their upcoming river trip this summer, he doesn't use the word dam.  Additionally, although he mentions stream miles open for fish passage,  he still doesn't use the word "dam."  He doesn't mention demolishing a 10 inch high WPA dam, and dumping the rubble around the beautiful stone bridge piers.  He doesn't mention contributing to the largest fish kill in Lehigh Valley history, by demolishing the Fish Hatchery Dam, which regulated the water flow into the fish ponds during storm flooding.  He doesn't mention spending  $259,000 on  a taxpayer funded engineering study, to greatly inflate the cost of repairing Wehr's Dam.  He doesn't mention reneging on his own pledge to back away from trying to demolish Wehr's Dam.   The Wildlands Conservancy remains a sacred cow, allowing people to feel politically correct about the environment,  even if the Conservancy tells a few fibs along the way to pay their own salary.

above reprinted from June of 2016

UPDATE DECEMBER 4, 2019. In an article in yesterday's paper, Chris Kocher brays about getting a grant from Harrisburg to preserve some acreage on South Mountain.  He is using the same Harrisburg connections to undermine the voter's wishes to preserve Wehr's Dam.  While the Morning Call continues to carry water for Kocker and Wildlands, it refuses letters to inform the public about the true Wehr's Dam situation.

Planning Public Delusion In Lehigh Valley

The Morning Call recently shared an opinion piece by the director of the regional planning commission. Understand that we who write blogs such as this, don't suffer bureaucrat speak very well. This particular editorial contained every gimmick in their book.  Needless to say, she conducted the routine survey getting input from all sectors of the community.

The piece's premise was balancing the urban growth with our picture perfect surrounding countryside.  Such successful bureaucrats never let the back room nitty gritty dealing get in the way of their narrative.  While the paper shows a picture of the new construction in downtown Allentown,  the article overlooks the fact that all the buildings are owned by one man, and that we're paying for them.  When she writes about the countryside,  she likewise omits the reality that almost all the farmland is owned or leased by one man, who grows feed corn. In the myth, they're all little private farms, growing the food on our table. When she writes about the need for trails and light rail,  she ignores the reality that the new trails are being made from the former rail right of ways.

Her real job isn't to convey the hard truth to the public, that's my job.  Her job is to delude the public that their future well being is being planned for by concerned leadership, rather than by some nitty gritty backroom opportunists.

A Bastard Blogger And Christmas Lights In Parkway

As dusk falls, cars start entering Lehigh Parkway to enjoy the annual Christmas light display.  In the darkness they drive past the top of the Double Stairwell, built by the WPA in 1935. It was designed as the signature structure in the park. In daylight they would see that the top landing is breaking up, and the subsequent landings down the double stairs are even in worse condition. These cracked landings allow seeping water to undermine the steps below them,  jeopardizing the entire structure.  I have been reporting these deteriorating conditions to the Park Department for six years. While nothing has been done to rehab this irreplaceable structure, the department is actively seeking grants to build another new park, near the old incinerator plant off Basin Street.

As a long time public critic of the former Pawlowski administration,  his park directors may have dismissed my criticism of park policy as political discontent. However, with the current mayor and park director I have a long time rapport, but to no apparent avail.

When I drive through the park I don't see the pretty lights, but a sad situation. I see crumbling WPA structures. I see neglect and misplaced priorities.

photo/The Morning Call

The Devil Of Ocean Paradise

The resort town's boardwalk is partially open during the cold winter months for the hardy of spirit.  The stores that remain open were purchased mostly by middle eastern immigrants, who overpaid for their piece of the American dream in the dying resort.  Their mortgage demands every nickel they can muster,  and their large families are eager to practice their broken English on the few customers willing to brave the boardwalk's cold winter wind.

All their stores sell the same things...  brightly colored candy, souvenirs and small toys designed to make children nag and beg.  Along with the stores there is a strip of game stands, where during the warm summer breezes,  fathers and boyfriends hope to win a stuffed animal.  During the winter, the steel garage doors are closed on all these stands, except for one.  The immigrants with their broken English cannot lure in players, but the Devil can.

Oversized brightly colored stuffed animals adorn the stand. Music from the 70's pulses from one loud speaker,  while the Devil commands the occasional passing man to "show her that you care by winning a bear."  Please don't misunderstand me, he is not Satan himself, but a minor devil.  He can give you a cold, or ruin a first date,  but he has no power over life and death.  Even those he afflicts can purchase redemption.... Inside the stores there are chocolate wafers for sale,  covered with white candy sprinkles.  For a mere $26 a pound, the bad omen can be eaten away.

This minor devil came from Coney Island a decade ago.  Brooklyn's Brighton Beach area started gentrifying in the late 90's, and the dress up spread to adjoining Coney.  Doc, the minor devil, thrived on hearty spirits, but not heady minds.  His move to Ocean Paradise was a win-win.  While the owning immigrant gets to keep almost all the money the stand takes in,  Doc gets to dispense a headache or two each weekend.  He has a room at a nearby old motel owned by the same family, and enjoys the middle eastern food that he has eaten since time immemorial.

If you walk on the boardwalk during the winter, you better dress warm, and not be tempted to show her that you care.

reprinted from November of 2018

Pennsylvania's Plum System

Julio Guridy, Allentown's current longest standing council member, lost the vice presidency of council last night. Last year he lost the presidency, which is the current backdoor to being mayor. With Pawlowski's pending baggage, this could well be the year that a council president moves up, via resignation. However, don't cry for Julio, once Allentown's rising star. About a decade ago, the power brokers in Philadelphia got Julio appointed to the Joint Toll Bridge Commission, with which he has earned close to $100 grand a year ever since, for an unnecessary position, involving very little time.  These positions are political plums, and have existed in Pennsylvania forever.

above excerpted from January 2016

UPDATE NOVEMBER 28, 2019: The 2016 post above was not intended to disparage Julio Guridy, but rather the commission system in Pennsylvania.  A woman in Easton was just appointed to a commission by Governor Wolf, and is receiving congratulations by numerous political types, from both parties. Likewise, as with Julio,  this post is not meant to disparage the woman. Such appointments represent what is so wrong about this state. The congratulations represent what is so pervasive about the system. Wolf ran as a reformer for his first term, but quickly put aside any such notions.  One thing's for sure, nobody will be offering this blogger a no-show commission job for being a good boy.

Another Report At Taxpayer Expense

Allentown received the organizational recommendations from Novak Consulting, a day late and a dollar short. O'Connell's administration had already submitted their proposed budget to city council before the delayed report was completed. Among the gems the report contained was a recommendation that perhaps Allentown should use an outsider negotiator for union contracts. We could have used one of them when Afflerbach gave the store away to the police union.

The report praised the decision to lease the water and sewage department, ignoring the astronomical increase to the homeowners by the recent change to monthly billing. Actually, there were other recommendations out of touch with the local realities. Who could imagine that an outside analysis by a Ohio firm might miss some local flavor?

Perhaps the most inappropriate idea was essentially doing away the Park and Recreation Department, and having public works take care of park maintenance. The Ohio pencil pusher probably didn't know that most of the park budget comes from the Trexler Trust, and that the recommendation would actually cost Allentown several $million in lost revenue.

The report cost $125,000, which would have paid for a city position. City Council virtually snickered at it, suggesting that perhaps a committee be formed to study it. I suppose its best value was providing  material for a blog post.

post card from golden era of park system

The World Of Mirth

Allentown at one time had two very productive railroad branch lines; The West End, and the Barber Quarry. The Barber Quarry, for the most part, ran along the Little Lehigh Creek. It serviced the Mack Truck plants on South 10th, and continued west until it turned north along Union Terrace, ending at Wenz's tombstone at 20th and Hamilton Streets. The West End, for the most part, ran along Sumner Avenue, turning south and looping past 17th and Liberty Streets.

The Allentown Economic and Development Corporation has received a $1.8 million grant, toward a $4 million dollar project, to restore a portion of the Barber Quarry branch to service it's industrial building on South 10th Street. This building housed Traylor Engineering, which was a giant back in the day. Recently it housed a fabricator who President Obama visited on his Allentown photo opportunity mission. The business has since closed, but let's not have that reality stand in the way of grants. Last summer, I fought against Allentown's Trail Network Plan, which catered to the spandex cyclist crowd. The new trail was to be built on the Barber Quarry track line. Not only didn't the AEDC oppose the plan, it's director was an advocate. Now they will be funded to develop that which they wanted to destroy. Where do I begin in Allentown's World of Mirth?

The wonderful photograph above shows the World of Mirth train at 17th and Liberty. World of Mirth was the midway operator at the Allentown Fair during the 40's and 50's. In the background is Trexler Lumber Yard, which burnt down in the early 1970's. The B'nai B'rith Apartment houses now occupy the location.
photograph from the collection of Mark Rabenold

UPDATE: The Barber Quarry branch was not the primary railroad access to the Mack plants on South 10th Street. The branch only provided service to Mack Plant #2 on South 10th and Mack Plant #1 on 7th and Mill Streets which both closed for manufacturing in 1924 in favor of Mack #3,3A,4 and 4A on South 10th. These were served by the Reading Railroad Mack Branch. There was a switchback that connected the Barber Quarry to the Reading west of Traylor Engineering and Manufacturing Co. Yet, that was built by the Reading to serve Traylor and did not provide access for the LVRR to Mack #3,3A, 4 and 4A.

Also the western terminus was not wenz's on Hamliton Street. The branch crossed Hamilton and served several businesses including Yeager Fuel on North St Elmo, several silk mills and Pepsi Bottling at 2100 Linden Street. The bottling plant closed in 1963 which then became a city parks department building. The LVRR sold and removed the track north of Hamilton street in 1969. Accordingly, in 1970, the Wenz company became the western most shipper and receiver on the branch. update information from anonymous comment in November of 2010

reprinted from September of 2017

Newspaper Demise And The Morning Call

Former Morning Call columnist Bill White,  on his facebook page,  linked to a piece in the New York Times lamenting the closing of local papers and its consequences for local news coverage. There was also another column in the Washington Post on the same topic. The Post's column mentioned a couple big stories broken by local papers. The Morning Call was never guilty of that, on the contrary.

The Morning Call, while never breaking a big story, actually was the culprit of several unreported ones, save for this blog. In recent memory, the big missed story by the MC was Pawlowski's corruption. Only after the FBI raided city hall, did the local paper start reporting on the saga. This blog started out in 2007 revealing that Pawlowski really couldn't walk on water, and soon afterwards O'Hare's blog joined the fray, with his considerable skills.

Now, about the Call being the culprit, let me elaborate.  During downtown's heydays, the Call's then local private owner and publisher, partnered with several prominent business owners to operate Park&Shop. When the suburban malls made center city shopping passé,  these owners prevailed upon the city to start a parking authority, buying out their parking lots. Needless to say, the paper never analyzed the public money windfall to connected private owners.

For another example, move ahead forty years and corporate Morning Call, now owned by Tribune's latest incarnation,  had their building included in the NIZ,  even though it was across the street. The corporation sold the building to NIZ King J.B. Reilly,  and outsourced the actual paper printing to Jersey City.  While the NIZ is promoted by the Morning Call, it is never scrutinized by them.

Bill White is correct that those interested in the local news, while a dwindling demographic, would be underserved by the paper's closure.  However, there would no loss of breaking exposés,  if there ever were any from the Morning Call.

photocredit: historic pictures from the Morning Call

South Whitehall Retains Enemy Of The Dam

Public wise, there are not many happy campers in South Whitehall this week. Passage of the large Ridge Farm housing project, at the corner of Walbert and Cedar Crest, has angered many objectors.

Come January, with one exception, there will be a brand new board of commissioners. Unfortunately, the one remaining, Tori Morgan, is IMO Wehr's dam's biggest enemy... Put another way, she is the Wildands Conservancy's best friend.  As an advocate for Wehr's Dam, I had no doubts that it was she who assured the Wildlands Conservancy that their plan to demolish the dam would be pushed through by the commissioners back in 2014.  As I outlined in previous posts, the township is now essentially conspiring with the Wildlands to undue the will of the voters, who had approved a referendum to save the dam.

I'm not very appreciated at municipal meetings. Although I would prefer to be diplomatic,  usually whatever brought me there has me agitated before I stand up.  South Whitehall has a special treat for those who wish to be heard, their courtesy of the floor is at the end of the meeting. By then I must wipe the foam off my mouth before I speak.

The newly elected commissioners (and one appointed) may be having second thoughts.

Journalism In The Valley Of Sacred Cows

Alan Jennings has announced his new program which is facade grants to rental properties in the 200 block of N. 10th Street. The program has also targeted a second unannounced block for rehab. Alan apparently still has his bank arm bending skills in tact, as TD Bank will be supplementing the grants. The big question is what happened to that tide rising NIZ?  When the state tax funded NIZ was approved, it was promoted as promising an improved center city, beyond its 125 acre confines. If this benefit never materialized, what do taxpayers get for our money? Alan was on the original board of the NIZ. If he started this non-NIZ improvement program, he must have little faith in the NIZ's real ability to raise the tide.

The local media, especially the Morning Call,  has a history of sheltering their pet politicians and projects. Ed Pawlowski was kept on a pedestal until the FBI raided city hall.  Articles about the NIZ have been limited to soft promotion, rather than hard analysis.

With the continuing consolidation of the newspaper industry, the Morning Call editors worry about their pensions, not truth, justice and the American way.

shown above the editor's office at the Daily Planet, with Clark Kent in background


UPDATE: The Parkland Press has printed my letter concerning Wehr's Dam. The Morning Call, protecting the Wildlands Conservancy, has ignored my concerns about the township not respecting the voter's referendum in regard to the dam.

Saving The Queen City Airport

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

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

Pawlowski covets this unique part of our history to expand the tax base. What he doesn't understand is that more housing or commercial space is not in Allentown's best long term interest. Unfortunately, long term interest is not a term understood by our current leadership. There is a whole development of started houses off S. 12th St. and Mack Blvd. which were never completed. There are filled in foundations on 8th Street, also never completed. More housing is the last thing both the real estate market and school system need. Likewise, the existing commercial sector has been struggling to maintain an acceptable occupancy rate. Queen City airport is an unique asset to Allentown. If LVIA does successfully expand, a separate airport for small planes is very desirable for safety. Considering Pawlowski's predetermined objective, I question whether he should have been appointed to the LVIA Board.

above reprinted from 2011

UPDATE NOVEMBER 20, 2019: Queen City Airport ended up being retained by LVIA.  Ed Pawlowski was only finally dislodged from Allentown by the federal authorities.  This blog takes pride in having recognized his schemes for what they were, long before the local politicians or press.

Breaking Some Eggs

I'm afraid that once again some eggs got dropped in the 2007 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.

above reprinted from 2012

UPDATE NOVEMBER 19, 2019: This blog is in its twelfth year of breaking eggs.  With the departure of Tucker Yarn and Kruper Appliance, the former mercantile district is now completely gone.  Federal authorities have made my criticisms of Mayor Pawlowski now unnecessary.  I do continue to criticize the NIZ, and the Morning Call continues to defend and promote the status quo, whatever that may be.  Speaking of the paper, my opinions are once again not welcome there.  I have changed the policy here on the blog...I no longer accept anonymous comments. Although it has reduced the number of comments substantially,  I believe it adds to the page's credibility.  I will continue with the recipe.  Caution, floor slippery with broken eggs.

9 Years Later At Allen High

Margie Peterson did an excellent profile this summer(2010) on the Allentown School Superintendent applicants. Who finally got the job, John Zahorchak, would have been my third choice, out of the four candidates. Zahorchak impressed the School Board because he was the Pennsylvania's Secretary of Education. Two other candidates had experience in running large inner city school districts; Zahorchak's previous hands on experience was in little Johnstown. Although we're not a large city, we have the large "inner city" problems. Zahorchak's Harrisburg position was a political appointment by Rendell. I suspect the Board thought he would know the ropes in terms of grants; Apparently he does. Allentown is getting a grant of $2.5 million for a few years. To qualify for the grant, the school district must "fire" principals, either in underperforming schools or those who had a position more than two years. One of those to be "fired" is Allen's principal, Keith Falco. Falco is the glue which keeps the lid on Allen. Falco would be charged with organizing a special school for over-achievers. Zahorchak also wants a special school for disruptive students; that better be a big building......

..... I do know that Falco does an excellent job in discipline at Allen High, which needs it. To relocate him to a gifted honors environment seems to be wasting his talent. To do this, to chase a $2.5 million grant for a few years, suggests a bureaucrat who spends too much time reading the Professional Educator Journal.

Zahorchak said if he doesn't raise the test scores in three years, fire him. John (Zahorchak), we don't really want to fire you now, but we don't care that much about the standardized test scores. What we care about is kids walking home from school and not beating each other up. We care about kids being respectful to the neighborhood as they walk. We care about long term taxes, not short term grants.

above reprinted from October of 2010.  A few years later the school board would end up buying out the underperforming Zahorchak's contract.

GUEST UPDATE BY SCOTT ARMSTRONG NOVEMBER 18, 2019: Who could believe the city of Allentown could become more dysfunctional than it already was? Thanks to ASD Superintendent Thomas Parker and the board, it has. They instituted "Restorative Practices" (a policy in which traditional discipline is replaced with empathy and smiles) in the face of a dismal nationwide track record. The result - - in the words of two Allen teachers I spoke to -- has been chaos. And recently, that chaos has been spilling out into the surrounding neighborhoods on a daily basis. Residents are now constantly disrupted by large groups of loud and unruly students. There is daily hookah pipe smoking on the streets, alleys and park; students lounge on our porches, casting litter about and vandalizing property. In the past few months, this disorder has compounded, resulting in more dysfunction. Cars roaring their engines and racing on our streets; drugs bought and sold in plain sight. Dismissals have gone from bad to worse and often every available police patrol in the city is needed just to break up fights and other mob actions. The result is a community with almost zero quality of life during school hours. This new situation is exhausting and frightening residents, becoming an unnecessary drain on police resources, and degrading the students' educational environment.     Scott Armstrong

Democracy Being Subverted in South Whitehall

When Wehr's Dam was inspected by the state in 2012, it was rated "overall in good condition."  We are now being told that it needs a $million dollars worth of repairs. What happen to the dam in the last few years? Nothing structural happened, but it has been submitted to much deception.

In 2014 the Wildlands Conservancy approached the township commissioners with a proposal to demolish the dam at the Wildlands expense. Demolishing dams is one of their general goals, and they make an administrative fee from grants they find for such projects. Because the dam is so historical and unique, a grass roots effort began to defend the iconic structure. Nowhere else can you see water flow over a bridge and under a covered bridge in the same spot. The Wildlands is very connected to the township. At that time a son of one of Wildlands directors was park director of South Whitehall, and the Wildlands helped create the township park master plan, which called for the dam's removal. Because of the public outcry, the commissioners placed a referendum on the ballot in 2016 concerning the dam's future. Because they linked keeping the dam with a $600,000 loan and tax increase, they felt the voters would condemn the dam for them, with no political consequence. To their surprise, the beloved dam survived the referendum. With this unexpected obstacle, the Wildlands then presented the state DEP with a report claiming that the dam has much bigger structural defects than observed by state inspectors. By now the former park director, a son of a Wildlands director, had been promoted to head of the township public works. He and the township made no effort to defend the dam, and have accepted the Wildlands engineering recommendations without appeal or protest. Because of these shenanigans, the current price tag to repair the dam is now a $million, exceeding the amount approved by the voters in 2016.

It is apparently necessary for residents of South Whitehall to once again defend their history. When the referendum passed in 2016, they thought that the cherished dam was saved. They underestimated the arrogance in that township building, and perhaps overestimated the integrity there.

The Wildands Conservancy is a local sacred cow which is protected by the local press.  The Morning Call has been refusing to print my letters to the editor. The reporters have been declining to return my calls.  I have been pressing this issue for the last two weeks because I know how the Wildlands operates.  As soon as they get the green light from the commissioners, their hired excavator will breach the dam the next day.  Our history and that magic spot will be a pile of rubble within hours.

Lehigh Valley History, A Thing of Wonder Gone

The former greenhouse at the current Trexler Park was the pride of Harry and Mary Trexler. The General was very specific in his will about its future;

I, Harry C. Trexler declare this to be my last Will and Testament: ......into the Treasury of the City of Allentown, for the perpetual maintenance of said Park, (Trexler) as well as the Greenhouse thereon located. This bequest shall include all the plants and other contents of said Greenhouse (1929)

Although nobody in charge of Allentown remembers, the greenhouse was a thing of wonder. Full of banana trees and other tropical plants, it was a true escape from winter for all visitors. Its demolition was a project that the Wildlands Conservancy would have loved. The park director at the time touted all the money in maintenance to be saved. He then took that projected money and planted the southeast section of the park along Cedar Creek in natural species. Several years ago Allentown Park Department cut down all those plantings, and we now have nothing to show for our loss of the greenhouse.

Flash ahead thirty years, and South Whitehall Township will demolish another thing of wonder, if not stopped. The Wildlands Conservancy paid an engineering firm to compromise their credibility with an absurd report, on how expensive it would be to keep Wehr's Dam. I will not let the dam go quietly.

Paying For Pawlowski

When Ed Pawlowski won reelection in 2017, it pretty much summed up everything that can go bad in local government. A former prosperous city, whose population shifted to one which is essentially hand to mouth, actually elected someone charged with shaking down contractors to fund his own exit from the city.

I had opposed Pawlowski's scheme to sell the water department, which had been a positive cash flow for the town. Back in the day when Allentown had industry, its water production had been scaled up to meet those demands. Although the industries had faded, the city was positioned to sell its water and sewage overcapacity to surrounding municipalities. In a very short sighted scheme to avoid a tax hike, Pawlowski sold that golden goose to the county water authority. Although residents were assured that their water rates would be constained, that turned out to be one more broken promise. With this water authority now switching to monthly bills with a base charge, the waters rates are increasing exponentially,  especially for those who use the least water.

The hapless home owners who recently saw a huge tax increase, will now also be paying much more for their water. Pawlowski did move on from the city, but not in the way that he had hoped for.

Wildlands Conservancy Reneges On Pledge

Chris Kocher's letter to the editor,  which appeared in The Morning Call on December 7, 2014, assured the public  that the Wildlands Conservancy will respect certainly whatever decision South Whitehall Township makes about the (Wehr's) dam's future.  It was of course just a public relations gesture, knowing full well how much influence his organization welded over the township.  In reality, the Wildlands have written the township's Master Park Plan, which called for the dam's demolition.

When the Commissioners were presented with over 7,600 signatures, actually collected at the dam itself, they felt publicly pressured not to give the Wildlands permission to proceed with the demolition.  However,  they declined to proclaim the dam saved, or grant it historical designation. Likewise,  despite Kochers gesture in his letter, he made no subsequent statement.

The Commissioners then decided to hold a public referendum on funding the dam's repair, believing that the public would never vote themselves a tax increase to save the dam.  Once again they underestimated the public's regard for the beautiful historic structure.

Although Chris Kocher publicly stated that the Wildlands would back away from the dam's demolition if the Commissioners voted to save it, he never has afforded the residents of South Whitehall the same respect.  On the contrary, the Wildlands has written the state, claiming that the dam is in poorer condition than the state inspection indicated. It is now morally incumbent upon the Wildlands Conservancy to respect the wishes of the public, as affirmed through the referendum.  After writing his letter to the editor back in 2014,  hopefully Kocher has the integrity to now publicly repeat his commitment to the residents of the township.

reprinted from January of 2018

photocredit: K Mary Hess

Crimes By The Wildlands Conservancy

photo by Tami Quigley

The top photo shows the Robin Hood Bridge, before the Wildlands Conservancy demolished the little Robin Hood Dam, just downstream beyond the bridge. The dam was only about 10 inches high, and was built as a visual effect to accompany the bridge in 1941. It was the last WPA project in Allentown, and considered the final touch for Lehigh Parkway. Several years ago, the Wildlands told the Allentown Park Director and City Council that it wanted to demolish the dam. The only thing that stood between their bulldozer and the dam was yours truly. I managed to hold up the demolition for a couple weeks, during which time I tried to educate city council about the park, but to no avail. If demolishing the dam wasn't bad enough, The Wildlands Conservancy piled the broken dam rubble around the stone bridge piers, as seen in the bottom photo. I'm sad to report that the situation is now even worse. All that rubble collected silt, and now weeds and brush is growing around the stone bridge piers. I suppose the Wildlands Conservancy considers it an extension of its riparian buffers.

The Wildlands Conservancy is now going to demolish Wehr's Dam at Covered Bridge Park in South Whitehall. The township commissioners are cooperating, by having a grossly inflated price associated with repairing the dam, to justify a disingenuous referendum. Sadly, by next spring I will be showing you before and after pictures of that crime.

top photo by Tami Quigley

above reprinted from August 2016

UPDATE: To everyone's surprise, especially the Wildlands Conservancy and the South Whitehall Commissioners, the referendum to save the dam was approved by the voters in November of 2016. The Wildlands Conservancy and the South Whitehall Commissioners are now conspiring to have the dam demolished anyway, by exaggerating its problems with the Pa. DEP...I have documented the communication between the Wildlands, State and township,  As for Lehigh Parkway, the Wildlands Conservancy should be made to remove the former dam rubble that is despoiling the vista of the Robin Hood Bridge piers.  I have been trying to interest the Morning Call about the voter suppression in regard to the Wehr's Dam referendum.  In today's paper there is an article about the danger high hazard rated dams pose to residents downstream.  I hope the paper's article today is a coincidence, and not intended to serve the Wildlands conspiracy about Wehr's Dam.  BTW,  Wehr's Dam is rated low hazard, because it poses no danger to residents.

Wehr's Dam Conspiracy Against Voters

The South Whitehall Commissioners never expected the voters to approve the referendum in November of 2016 to retain Wehr's Dam, especially when they had associated it with a possible tax increase. They thought that they could accommodate the Wildlands Conservancy in demolishing the dam, with no political consequence to themselves.

In July of 2014, the Commissioners gave the Conservancy permission to conduct a study of the dam, which was intended to justify its demolition. The engineering firm for the Conservancy then claimed that the dam was leaking under itself, at one small spot. On February 13, 2015, the DEP wrote the township; "The Wildlands Conservancy has recently brought to our attention that there is some confusion relating to the current condition of the Wehr's Dam..." For the Commissioners to have granted the Wildlands Conservancy permission to interface with the state was improper. The dam is the historic property of the township residents, not an outside party.

A subsequent study of the dam by another engineering firm could not confirm the above referenced leak. It is now necessary for the Commissioners to put aside their agenda of accommodating the Wildlands Conservancy, and honor the results of the referendum. They must change their Park Master Plan, which still calls for the dam's demolition. They must now advocate for the dam with the state DEP, and correct any misconceptions about its condition.  The reality is that the dam is a overbuilt massive concrete wedge, sitting on an enormous concrete platform, which would stand for another 100 years with no repair.

Although its been over three years since the referendum, the township hasn't applied one dab of cement to the dam. On the contrary, they have been rebidding the repairs trying to actually get a higher price, to exceed the amount authorized by the voter's referendum. They are trying to undue the will of the voters. The dam sits in a state of benign neglect, waiting for the state to accommodate the Wildlands Conservancy and condemn it.

photo by K Mary Hess

Lehigh County's Blue Wave

On Tuesday I ran into Lisa Scheller, who has announced for the 7th district, now held by Susan Wild. If I were her, I wouldn't have been a happy camper Wednesday morning.  I was somewhat surprised by the local blue wave. I figured that the new paper ballot was a good step away from straight party voting. Although there was still an oval for that straight party vote, at least every available candidate could be seen at one time. Supposedly this was the last year for the thoughtless straight party voting option.

Mark Pinsley for controller was hawking himself as a check and balance against the Republican county commissioners. With the solid Democratic victory, both by him and the commissioner candidates, who will watch them now?

The massacre of the Republicans even included Bob Smith on the school board. While Republican Tim Ramos lost for Allentown mayor, I think that under the circumstances, he did surprisingly well. The Republicans did prevail in South Whitehall, 2 out of 3, for commissioner.  However,  that is the county epicenter for informed turnout. I don't mean that in a partisan way, but rather they tend not to ride the waves so much there. But even there, the voters get snookered... More about that and Wehr's Dam in an upcoming post.

photo of Tulsi Gabbard

Voting Machine Madness In Lehigh County

The old voting machines were 800 pound monsters. They resembled old time photo booths found in arcades. In Lehigh County, these heavy steel booths would be trucked and placed in the various polling locations by prisoners of the county jail. When the county was mandated to replace them with  electronic machines for the 2006 election, I felt it was unnecessary. When they immediately disposed of the old machines, I knew that was a mistake. Those old monsters were reliable, foolproof and verifiable.

Governor Wolf has decreed that votes must now have a physical receipt. Although, Tim Benyo, Chief Clerk of Elections, claims that the new paper ballots are not going back in time, it sure seems that way. Some of the old mechanical machines, in addition to tallying the votes, also had a adding machine type of paper verification. Of course the expense of replacing those old mechanical wonders would now be prohibitive. So the new plan is paper ballots, which will then be electronically scanned.

The old mechanical machines were hack-roof.  The current electronic machines are also hack-roof, not being connected to the internet.  Their replacement and disposal will be another knee-jerk reaction.

reprinted from March of 2019

UPDATE NOVEMBER 6, 2019: When you pulled the lever on the old mechanical machine shown above, you knew something was happening,  like pulling the lever on a slot machine. Even when you tapped the screen on the recent previous machine,  it showed your choices, before you tapped it again to count your ballot. With the new scanner supposedly counting your penned in ovals, it's like putting your vote into a paper shredder... There is no feedback or even an allusion of confirmation.  The poll worked did hand me a I voted sticker, but I still wondered if I really did.

The People's Candidate

In the late 1970's, neighbors would gather in the market on 9th Street to complain and receive consolation from the woman behind the cash register. Emma was a neighborhood institution. A native Allentonian, she had gone through school with Mayor For Life Joe Dadonna, and knew everybody at City Hall. More important, she wasn't shy about speaking out. What concerned the long time neighbors back then was a plan to create a Historical District, by a few newcomers.

What concerned Emma wasn't so much the concept, but the proposed size of the district, sixteen square blocks. The planners unfortunately all wanted their homes included, and they lived in an area spread out from Hall Street to 12th, Linden to Liberty.* Shoving property restrictions down the throats of thousands of people who lived in the neighborhood for generations didn't seem right to Emma. As the battle to establish the district became more pitched, Emma began referring to it as the Hysterical District.
Emma eventually lost the battle, but won the hearts of thousands of Allentonians. Emma Tropiano would be elected to City Council beginning in 1986, and would serve four terms. In 1993 she lost the Democratic Primary for Mayor by ONE (1) vote.

Her common sense votes and positions became easy fodder for ridicule. Bashed for opposing fluoridation, our clean water advocates now question the wisdom of that additive. Although every founding member of the Historical District moved away over the years, Emma continued to live on 9th Street, one block up from the store. In the mid 1990's, disgusted by the deterioration of the streetscape, she proposed banning household furniture from front porches. Her proposal was labeled as racist against those who could not afford proper lawn furniture. Today, SWEEP officers issue tickets for sofas on the porch.

Being blunt in the era of political correctness cost Emma. Although a tireless advocate for thousands of Allentown residents of all color, many people who never knew her, now read that she was a bigot. They don't know who called on her for help. They don't know who knocked on her door everyday for assistance. They don't know who approached her at diners and luncheonettes all over Allentown for decades. We who knew her remember, and we remember the truth about a caring woman.

* Because the designated Historical District was so large, it has struggled to create the atmosphere envisioned by the long gone founders. Perhaps had they listened to, instead of ridiculing, the plain spoken shopkeeper, they would have created a smaller critical mass of like thinking homeowners.

reprinted yearly since 2010

UPDATE NOVEMBER 5, 2019:Although it has been almost two decades since Emma passed, she still incites controversy. A Republican supporter of Heydt still resents her opposition to the Rental Inspection law. Some Hispanics wrongly still believe that she was a racist. I could tell both of them that Emma was a Democrat, Allentown was still a two party town, and that voters were much more engaged then than they are now. So, regardless of your party, get out and vote today.

Tomorrow's Election

I'm never enthusiastic about making political endorsements. I'm not even comfortable with the word endorsement. A number of years ago another local blogger was annoyed with me when I suggested a person I know not vote in certain races. This person had called me for recommendations, because he was completely unfamiliar with all the local candidates.  I never vote straight party, or for any race that I'm not familiar with the candidates. I often only cast a few votes, regardless of the number of races.  I believe that if you're not informed, don't vote blindly.

If I was voting in Allentown tomorrow, I would cast two votes for sure... Joe Hoffman for city council and Robert Smith for school board. Joe brings the hope of some new sorely needed thinking in Allentown city hall. He has no connections, direct or indirect, with the Pawlowski mentality, which unfortunately still resides at 5th & Hamilton. Bob Smith's dedication to the Allentown School Board is as documented as it gets. Reelecting him to the school board is the least this community can do for him.

In South Whitehall I will vote for Joe Setton for commissioner. He is one of few candidates not already associated with some position in the township. He recognizes that the current zoning ordinances need an update, but he hasn't been grandstanding at the recent contested development hearings.

If you're an informed voter and don't agree with my choices, but know why your vote goes to someone else, good for you...That's better than anyone's recommendations.

There are other local candidates for whom I will be voting, however my enthusiasm for them does not rise to the level of an endorsement.

Allentown's Vanishing History

Years ago a reader sent me the above image.  It looks down the hill from 7th and Hamilton, north, toward Linden Street. He had been attempting to locate the old Lafayette Radio store on 7th street, because of a pleasant memory from his childhood. By my day the store had moved onto the southern side of the 700 block of Hamilton Street. History is quickly succumbing to the wreaking ball in Allentown. All the buildings shown above, on the unit block of 7th Street, have been knocked down for the arena and Reilly's Strata complexes.  When Salomon Jewelry departed,  Tucker Yarn remained one of Hamilton Street's last remaining businesses from the glory days.

Phil and Rose Tucker opened their first yarn store on N. 7th St. in 1949. That first store can be seen on the left side of the above photo. The Tucker Yarn Company had been at its current location at 950 Hamilton Street for over 50 years. For knitting enthusiasts the endless inventory was legendary. Phil told me years ago how even in May, traditionally a slow month for the industry, Hess's annual flower show kept Hamilton Street and his store busy. A busy Hamilton Street is a memory now, shared only by a couple of surviving merchants. Although many of Tucker's customers were elderly, the business was much more than a time capsule. His daughter Mae, nationally known in the trade, gave classes and operates a large mail order web site, tuckeryarns.com

Tucker Yarn has closed.  In the near future you will see the building replaced by one more new office building.  This blogger will continue his downtown recons, but I will no longer be sitting in a familiar place with familiar faces.

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

History and Politics

In 2012,  then county executive Don Cunningham and his public works director went about demolishing and replacing several historic bridges. When they got ready to demolish the Reading Road Bridge, this blogger went on the offensive to defend the bridge.

The bridge was built in 1824 and totally rehabilitated in 1980. At that time a separate walking bridge was built next to it for pedestrian safety.  Because the bridge was documented to be in excellent condition, I decided that Don would have to smile and cut his next ribbon somewhere else...I succeeded in convincing the commissioners to save the bridge.

A couple years later residents in South Whitehall would organize to save the historic King George Inn.  I would then play a part in saving Wehr's Dam.  None of these structures would exist today if advocates for history were afraid to do battle with elected officials.  Often these battles even have to be refought against persistent bureaucrats, and other vested interests.

Yesterday on facebook a group member complained about me mixing politics with the history. I only wish that they were as separate and protected as they should be.

photo/molovinsky/Reading Road Bridge, view from north side

South Whitehall's Contested Election

Recently, when I was asked why I don't write more about South Whitehall, I replied because politically it is hopeless. Although that is still my overall assessment, because for the first time in 900 years they're having a contested election, a post or two is not inappropriate.

What's stirring the pot over in the affluent township is two looming large developments. The gentleman farm on the northeast corner of CedarCrest and Walbert Aves. is proposing houses, while the motel at Rt.22 and Rt.309 is proposing apartments. In between these two proposals sit the comfortable Westfield and Deerfield neighborhoods. Although they themselves were developed from the original Jaindl turkey farms about 45 years ago, the folks there now decided that they're preservationists.

Three of the five commissioner seats are up for grab. It would be better if it was five of five, because the two remaining commissioners are also flawed. Although I attended almost every township meeting for two years between 2014 and 2016,  I don't recall any of the six candidates next Tuesday ever present.

South Whitehall has much more money than interest in local politics. They didn't notice that their taxes doubled in the last five years, but they are noticing these new building proposals. While turnout for Allentown's council race will be sparse next week, South Whitehall polls will be busy.

photocredit: Wehr's Dam by Y Tree

Lunch At Allen

Up to the mid 60's, students at Allen High could leave the building for lunch. Scattered in alley's around the the school, garages had been converted into lunch shops and hangouts. The Hutch was in the alley between 17th and West Streets, in the unit block between Hamilton and Linden. Suzy's was behind the Nurse's Dormitory, between Chew and Turner. Another was across Linden from the Annex. They all had the same basic decor, a few pinball machines, a few tables and a small lunch counter. Most of the business was during lunch period, and before and after school. It's my understanding that occasionally a kid or two would skip school and hangout all day. Today these garages, turned into luncheonettes, have long ago reverted back to garages. Most of the current residents of West Park probably don't even know about this commercial history right behind their houses. I missed photo day at Allen for my yearbook, but if anybody has a picture of the gang from the Hutch, I'd appreciate a copy.

Reprinted from Sept. 24, 2008

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 very professional  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?

above reprinted from October of 2018

Parkway's Keystone Deteriorating

When the wall along the entrance road to Lehigh Parkway collapsed, the entrance had to be closed, until they could construct a new wall. The closure wasn't because of the missing upper portion acting as a guard rail, it was because of the lower portion, which was a retaining wall holding up the roadway itself. In the mid 1930's, the road was built by the WPA, by cutting into the side of a steep ravine leading down to the Little Lehigh Creek. It was essential to shore up the exposed side of the road with a wall.

Halfway down the road is the centerpiece we call the Double Stairway. Steps from two sides lead down from the road, to the bridle path and creek below. Although very architectural, it too is an elaborate retaining structure for the road. This architectural masterpiece is in structural jeopardy. Although the vertical walls are in decent shape, the problem is the landings, both at the top and down each set of stairs. These flats surfaces have degraded, and water is seeping down into the steps below, undermining the structure from within.

The Double Stairway was designed in 1928 by one of the leading landscape architects in the United States. He was commissioned to design this masterpiece by General Harry Trexler. The stock crash of 1929 and the Great Depression put off the construction until Roosevelt's New Deal in 1935, when the WPA utilized the blueprints.

Allentown could never afford to create such an icon now, nor can we afford to lose it from neglect.

reprinted periodically since 2010

UPDATE OCTOBER 25, 2019: Although the years have passed, and now I even have a good rapport with the current mayor and park director,  the stair landings still have not been repaired and continue to deteriorate.  Worse yet, it is my understanding that there is money in the budget for the repair, but it is being delayed to study the problem. The previous administration studied the entrance wall, until it collapsed. What these stairs need is less study and some immediate attention from a masonry contractor.

photocredit:molovinsky

Allentown's Hole

Allentown doesn't have much of a political memory. The Morning Call changes out its reporters about every 6 months, and most political activists eventually have lobotomies out of frustration. Never the less, some of you may remember Heydt's hole. After he torn down Hess's, the hole sat there for 18 months while a group of investors failed to find financing for a amateur hockey arena. (The one built later in Bethlehem folded and now is for sale) Now, eight years later, Pawlowski has a hole. Announced with great fanfare, a local developer would build the Cosmopolitan on the site of Sal's Spaghetti House. It makes me nervous when they name a restaurant before they built it. Anyway, Pawlowski bought Sal's, and the city paid for the demolition.(Through one of its Authorities) Then the city gave the Cosmopolitan a $50,000 restaurant grant. Yes, we gave a brick-less name $50,000. I think some of the city puff bloggers were even making reservations for dinner. Back to the hole; as a sidewalk supervisor I was surprised to see the excavators dig under the adjoining Sovereign Building and pour pylons under its footers. Perhaps they were mining, mining for grants. Those pylons have enabled the developer to remove his equipment. and let that hole sit there now for over two months, with no danger to the adjoining building. I'd say about $50,000 worth of work has been done. Last month the city applied for a low cost Liquor License for the Cosmopolitan. Last week, after the Pawlowski Administration had an embarrassing "no comment" in regard to Johnny Manana's, a backhoe was moved back to outside the Cosmopolitan site. Is that backhoe a Pawlowski Prop? Does the developer sense the time is ripe for renewed grants? Does Pawlowski need a new ribbon to cut? *

* There could be legitimate reasons why construction has halted on the Cosmopolitan. However, last month the developer's attorney declined to comment on an explanation.

reprinted from August of 2008 

UPDATE March 7, 2017 The developer(s) would go on to build the high end restaurant with their own capital. It was built pre-NIZ, and represented more faith in Allentown than many others shared at that time, including this blogger.

ADDENDUM OCTOBER 24, 2019: This will be my final post of a three part series about the former short lived Cosmopolitan Restaurant.  In 2008 and 2017 this post was titled Pawlowski's Hole.  I have changed the title to address a downside of the NIZ...modern buildings, such as the PPL Plaza and the Cosmopolitan,  cannot compete against the tax subsidized NIZ and are vacant.  Of course the real problem is that the NIZ is not just tax subsidized, but rather paid for completely with our state taxes.  So, while the NIZ has created a real estate empire for one man,  despite a $billion dollars of new buildings,  Allentown residents still had a 27% tax increase.... That is one bad joke on the taxpayers.

photo/molovinsky

Molovinsky, The Morning Call and News

The article about Hooks Seafood restaurant closing states that this type of failure isn't unusual in an urban renewal area, according to experts. So says the Morning Call.  The article also states that The $6 million renovation of the long-closed Sal's Spaghetti House included a crystal chandelier from Hess's department store.... As you can see from my photograph above, Sal's wasn't renovated. The long closed former spaghetti house was demolished, and a new building was constructed in its place.  Now, I can understand the paper not knowing this, after all, the building is over a quarter block away from the newspaper building.  Assuming that people at the Morning Call read the paper, apparently nobody caught the error, twice. This was the second time in about a week that this misinformation was printed. However, this post is about the important part of the story, not covered by the paper.

The restaurant was built pre-NIZ. Save for a $50,000 city grant, the entire cost was borne by the owner. It happens that the owner and his wife were retired from a very lucrative business, and always wanted to own a high end restaurant. Opened as the Cosmopolitan, it was high end indeed.  When that failed to attract enough well heeled, it was transformed into the more price friendly Hook Seafood. However, with the NIZ and Reilly's hospitality group of eateries, the market was now over-saturated.

The owner of the restaurant when asked about lack of foot traffic downtown stated, "I'm not going to get judgmental or say anything negative." Those are traits that nobody accuses this blogger of having.

photocredit:molovinsky- site of the former Sal's Spaghetti House being prepared for new foundation

reprinted from March of 2017

Sign Of The Time

As Allentown eagerly awaits the opening of the Cosmopolitan Restaurant and banquet facility on 6th Street, lets go back in time. Before the former Sal's Spaghetti House was demolished on that parcel, preservationists from Bucks County saved the historic sign. Had the couple been somewhat more familiar with Allentown's history, they may have realized that the sign was neither very historic or iconic.

Before Hamilton Street was bi-sected architecturally by the now gone canopy, the street was lined with large neon signs, many of which were much more elaborate than Sal's; That sign became historic by default. Interestingly, the Sal's sign for most of it's


business days, said Pat's. Pat's and the sign go back to the mid 1950's. In the late 70's, the business was taken over by Sal, and the P and T were simply changed to an S and L. But time goes on; Sal's family is now in the sauce business and have a most interesting website.

1963 Pat's advertisement courtesy of Larry P
Hamilton Steet watercolor by Karoline Schaub-Peeler
photo of Sal's sign by molovinsky                                                 

reprinted from 2010

A Meat Market In Easton

When I was in high school, on weekends and summers I would work at my father's meat market on 4th Street in Easton. Taking those curves on Rt. 22 at high speed was just an extra high school thrill, while getting and going from the job. The Market has long been replaced by an insurance agency. At that time my uncle owned the Mohican Market across the street.  Now, 55 years later,  I still occasionally take the trip, but much, much, much slower on the curves.

While I'm in the neighborhood, it's nice to park along the convergence of the Lehigh and Delaware.  The dam there gives me great pleasure, especially since Easton told the Wildlands Conservancy to take a hike when they proposed tearing it down.  Allentown would have said sure, like they did in Lehigh Parkway.

Yesterday Larry Holmes Drive was closed to host a food truck festival. I felt bad for the vendors...  between the rain and the cold,  the visitors were sparse.  When I told an Easton policeman that I came for the river view, he encouraged me to patronize the food trucks while I was there.  I thought that it was nice that he was concerned for the vendors.  I almost asked him if he remembered the Melbern Meat Market,  but then realized that he wouldn't yet be born for another 25 years.

photocredit:The Morning Call