Allentown Soccer History

Guest Post by Rolf Oeler America has long been famously known as the Land of Opportunity for those born both here as well as abroad. And so, once upon a time in a blue collar, industrial city called Bethlehem, a local Hungarian immigrant businessman named WILLIE EHRLICH dared to pursue his own particular vision of American Exceptionalism. A feat many of his contemporary countrymen would have been inclined to believe impossible — to capture a championship in professional soccer using a good supply of homegrown players from right here in the Lehigh Valley. The upstart PENNSYLVANIA STONERS — employing a trio of products from the local high schools of Freedom and Liberty in Bethlehem as well as Louis E. Dieruff in Allentown — spectacularly made Ehrlich’s dream a reality in just two years’ time when the club captured the American Soccer League title in 1980. Professional soccer’s popularity in the United States had already peaked by the time the Pennsylvania Stoners contested their first league match and Ehrlich, who was named the A.S.L. Coach of the Year twice, would incur financial losses of almost a million dollars in only three short seasons. But the logo of ALPO, a local dog food manufacturer, delightfully decorated the team’s jerseys while a memorable bumper sticker — “Fifteen Games On One Tank Of Gas” — colorfully adorned the backs of many cars in the area to celebrate the shoe-string budget. And the team was triumphant on the pitch most of the time, as well; in short, it was a whole lot of fun while it lasted. There can be no question that Ehrlich’s long-gone creation left a lasting legacy which exists to this very day in the Lehigh Valley by fostering an affinity and appreciation for The Beautiful Game to an entire generation of fans in the region — including a certain, unnamed 11-year-old kid who would later play his high school soccer in the very same stadium where the Pennsylvania Stoners used to perform and then, many moons on down the line, get his hands on a blog. The memories are quite numerous and include a special, rain-soaked evening in April of 1980 on which a franchise record 8,300 people braved the elements at the since-remodeled as well as renamed Allentown School District Stadium (which had a capacity for 20,000 at that time) in the West End to witness the city’s own Polish cannon, ROMAN URBANCZUK, fire the game-winning goal in double overtime as the Pennsylvania Stoners dispatched the visiting Miami Americans 1-0 to open the A.S.L. title-winning campaign. The 21-year-old native of eastern Europe had been honored as a high school All-American at Dieruff on the East Side of town before signing his first pro contract to play the 1978/79 season with the Cleveland Force of the Major Indoor Soccer League. Urbanczuk, who also appeared with the Philadelphia Fever in the old M.I.S.L. during his playing days, would become the one and only player to play every season with the Pennsylvania Stoners during their four-year stay in the since-departed American Soccer League. Urbanczuk went on later that season to score the only goal of the game at ASD Stadium when the eventual A.S.L. champion shutout the incoming Golden Gate Gales in early August, but that would be another Stoners Story for some other day … Guest Post by Rolf Oeler

The above was a guest post by Rolf Oeler in January of 2012, and is reprinted today in his memory.

A Tailor From North Street

The Allentown Housing and Development Corp. recently purchased a home at 421 North St. That block of North Street was destroyed by fire, and the agency has built a block of new houses on the street's south side; it will next develop the other side of the street. The deed transfer caught my attention because Morris Wolf lived in the house in 1903. Wolf signed up with the Pennsylvania Volunteer Cavalry on July 18, 1861, in Philadelphia, when he was 22 years old. He was a private in Company A, of the 3rd Cavalry. This unit was also known as the 60th Regiment and was later called Young's Kentucky Light Cavalry.It defended Washington, D.C., until March 1862, then participated in many of the war's most famous battles: Williamsburg, Antietam, Fredericksburg and Gettysburg. Wolf had signed up for three years and was mustered out Aug. 24,1864.

Recently, to commemorate Memorial Day, the local veterans group placed more than 500 flags at Fairview Cemetery. If that wasn't enough of a good deed, the group also set upright more than 300 toppled grave markers. Visiting Fairview recently, I saw they had not overlooked the graves of either Mr. Wolf, or another veteran, Joseph Levine. I have concerned myself with Allentown's Fairview Cemetery for the last few years. I first became interested in the small Jewish section, called Mt. Sinai. This was the first organized Jewish cemetery in Allentown. Currently, all the synagogues have their own cemeteries, and Mt. Sinai has been mostly unused for many decades.

Mr. Wolf lies next to his wife, Julia, who died in 1907. Morris would live on for 30 more years, passing away in 1937, at age 98.
Mr. Levine, a World War II veteran, and his wife, Ethel, were the first and last people to be buried there after almost 25 years of inactivity. When Ethel died at age 93 in 2000, it was the first burial at Mt. Sinai since 1976. Joseph was 103 years old when he passed away in 2006.

The Housing and Development Corp. and North Street are now part of Allentown's new neighborhood initiative called Jordan Heights.Although soon there will be a new house at 421 North St., there is a history that will remain with the parcel. Once a tailor lived there who fought in the Battle of Gettysburg.

reprinted from 2010

The Lehigh Valley's Lost Morality

One of the headlines in today's paper is that the Allentown Planning Board approved J.B. Reilly's new apartments on the former parking lot next to Symphony Hall. Never mind that Symphony Hall expressed its displeasure at losing the convenience of an adjoining surface lot.  The Parking Authority, serving what is masquerading as progress in Allentown, cooperated with the sale.  Never mind that the Community Music School, primary tenant of Symphony Hall, said that it would relocate without that lot.  Allentown's commissions and authorities are mere bobbleheads.

Not only has the Parking Authority played ball with private developers using progress as an excuse, the Park Department compromised itself to cover Pawlowski's purchase of unnecessary land, at a greatly inflated price.  Isn't it wonderful to add a park or two when the department cannot afford to maintain what they already have.  While the collapsed portion of the wall was repaired so that Lehigh Parkway could reopen,  the rest of the wall was never repointed,  and the double stairwell is falling apart.

It's not just Allentown officials compromising themselves, it has become standard procedure in the valley.  The South Whitehall Commissioners inflated the price to repair Wehr's Dam by 1000%, to justify a referendum to accommodate the Wildlands Conservancy.   Call these things progress,  but it's really just excuses for corrupt agendas.

above reprinted from September of 2016 

ADDENDUM MAY 27, 2022: It's easy for corruption to masquerade as progress. By corruption, I don't necessarily mean illegal or indictable offenses, but rather the compromise of public assets...Let's call it soft corruption. Fifty years ago the Parking Authority was started to bail out the influential owners of the over the hill Park & Shop. The malls had opened on MacArthur Rd., and the demand for parking in downtown dwindled rapidly. However, the surface lots would provide convenient parking for the more tenants and their cars living in center city. There are dozens of possible posts about the shady deals of the Parking Authority over the ensuing decades, but we stay with this abridged version while I skip ahead forty five years to the NIZ. Those surface lots, although serving the public purpose of neighborhood parking, provided easy cheap building lots for the new generation of connected movers and shakers... No buildings to buy and demolish. The public is simply told that parking decks are progress. 

The wall in the Parkway was finally finished, but the landings on the double stairway remain to be fixed. The Community Music School is losing their parking once again at their new location.  If the Parking Authority still owns any lots, it's only because no developer has yet expressed an interest in it.  South Whitehall, only because of a completely new dais of commissioners, will finally repair Wehr's Dam.

On another note, new mayor Tuerk seems to be a populist. Yesterday someone mentioned his open office door policy to me. However, I seemingly have turned into a persona-non-grata, rather quickly even for me, with this new administration.

Mapping Allentown's Past

The map, partially shown above, was produced by the Nathan Nirenstein Company of Springfield, Massachusetts in 1929. His firm specialized in engineering maps of various center cities on the eastern seacoast. The map is 22X30, and expands out from 7th and Hamilton for 2 1/2 blocks east and west,  2 blocks north and south. The map includes names of both the owner of the building, and the merchant/tenant occupying the space, if different.

While numerous small banks are shown on both Hamilton and the side streets, the coming Depression surely culled that herd. Allentown City Hall and police station are still on Linden Street, while the post office is at 6th and Turner. Two large hardware stores, Young and Hersh, are on Hamilton Street.

The buildings are owned by hundreds of different people.  What will future generations think when they see a 2016 map, and all the buildings are owned by just a few people?

above reprinted from September of 2016

ADDENDUM MAY 26, 2022: Although I celebrate neither my birthday nor holidays, this is an anniversary announcement of sorts. This blog started fifteen years ago today, I have produced it every weekday since. I have chronicled the commercial history of the city, recent (2005-2015) corruption and loose ethics at city hall, and the subsequent federal investigation thereof. I have also chronicled the unique Allentown specific NIZ, and the transfer of the business district into the hands of essentially one person. I have chronicled the Morning Call's complicity and silence on this unique situation. 

On a calmer note, I have championed for the traditional park system, its waterways with dams included, and the WPA structures from the 1930's. 

Although this is no format for popularity or invitations,  I like to think that it is nevertheless a contribution.

When Allentown Worked

Regular readers of this blog know that I often visit Allentown's better days of the past. I even belong to a nostalgia group, where someone recently asked where everyone's parents worked. Many group members are in their 50's and 60's. Here was the question; When we grew up the best jobs for our dad's was the Bethlehem steel and mack trucks unless they were lawyers or doctors or had another profession occupation I know my my mom worked in a factory all her life and I think most of them have closed. Where did you mom and dad work and are the companies are open? Over 90 people responded, actually constituting a survey. In current Allentown, this would be a study, which taxpayers would have to pay for; Here, it's on the house, no charge. Fourteen of the fathers worked at Bethlehem Steel, while five worked at Mack Trucks, and five worked retail on Hamilton Street. The others worked at Allentown's many other industries, one or two here and there. Only two respondents said that their fathers weren't much for working. Twenty mothers were stay at home, while eight worked in various sewing factories. The remainder worked as teachers, nurses, factory workers and various other jobs. One person wrote, "My parents sound like the scene you described. My dad worked at Beth Steel and my mom at Penn State Mills on a sewing machine. They owned their own home and sent me to college where I graduated without the burden of a loan. Thanks, Mom and Dad." Shown above was the General Electric plant on S. 12th Street, just beyond the old Mack 5C.

reprinted from November of 2013.

ADDENDUM October 21, 2016: There is a current proposal to convert the enormous Adelaide Mill into apartments. Although, we hear catch words like loft and middle class, that won't happen; The size and location of the building,  dictate more young, single mothers and children, living in a former factory now broken up into an urban motel. There is something ironic about a former place of production now being a warehouse for people. 

ADDENDUM MAY 25, 2022: The original post was written in 2013. The above update hails from 2016, and here we are again in 2022. In addition to this blog, I now administer the facebook group  Allentown Chronicles. It's another local history group, but I also allow non-partisan politics and social commentary, which in these polarized times occasionally results in somewhat of a commotion. Sometimes people threatened to quit, or even start their own group.

Tonight Allentown City Council is meeting to decide what to do with $39 Million in unspent stimulus funds. Imagine with this happening all over the country, how many $Billions were squandered? Anyway, the public is invited to attend the meeting and speak their two cents. My input would be to amortize it over a number of years and freeze the city tax rate. However, tonight's reality will be a parade of do-gooders, presenting one cause after another...affordable housing, alternatives to police, gender identity equality and any/all other flavors of current social engineering. 

Yesterday's profound tragedy in Texas will put a local violence reduction program front and center, but my preference remains with traditional law enforcement support, moderate gun reform* and enhanced security for our schools.

*Giffords Law Center

The Dinosaurs Of Sumner Avenue

Up to the early 1950's, Allentown was heated by coal, and much of it came from Sumner Avenue. Sumner was a unique street, because it was served by the West End Branch of the Lehigh Valley Railroad. The spur route ran along Sumner, until it crossed Tilghman at 17th Street, and then looped back East along Liberty Street, ending at 12th. Coal trucks would elevate up, and the coal would be pushed down chutes into the basement coal bins, usually under the front porches of the row houses. Several times a day coal would need to be shoveled into the boiler or furnace. By the early 1970's, although most of the coal yards were closed for over a decade, the machines of that industry still stood on Sumner Avenue. Eventually, they took a short trip to one of the scrap yards, which are still on the same avenue, but not before I photographed them.

reprinted from 2011

photocredit:molovinsky

Observations From An Old Allentown Meat Market

Card carrying members of this blog know that in addition to being a son of a bitch, i'm also the son of a butcher. Because my father had a meat market, I was impressed when Wegmans opened about 15 years ago. They raised the bar for local supermarket chains. Getting on their parking lot the day before Thanksgiving was a fool's errand, until this year. On Wednesday there were plenty of spaces, I couldn't even describe the store as very crowded. What happen? The simple answer would be more competition, with Hamilton Crossings and their new offerings. I actually think that  something else was also in play.

For the last several years, Wegmans had indulged in one remodeling project after another. Although new, changing and different might appeal to their clientele in upstate New York, I don't think that they understood local Pennsylvania Dutch thinking. Make it do, wear it out, use it up, do without has been the mentality here for generations. I found the continuous remodeling annoying, and with each improvement there seemed to be less customers.

This blog has received some complaints, mostly from my distressed Democratic readers, about straying too far from the valley with my recent election posts. I wouldn't expect to hear that beef about this entry.  

above reprinted from November of 2016

ADDENDUM MAY 23, 2022: Perhaps the biggest change yet at Wegmans occurred this year, moving the wine and beer department into the store's center. The real disruption of this change was rearranging the food into five less aisles. A growing complaint seems to be less selection as the store keeps pushing more and more of their own store brand.

Politically, this was one of the most interesting primary elections in my memory. Did the Republicans nominate someone for governor who is too far to the right to take advantage of the dissatisfaction with Harrisburg to win? Did they also jeopardize their chance to keep the Senate seat Republican? Back in the family meat market days, I might have worked something in about a ring bologna toss and the election, but now-a-days such references would not be understood.

Using A Bad Lesson Well Taught In Philadelphia

Back on May 4th, before the death in police custody in Minneapolis, I wrote about Philadelphia Police Commissioner Danielle Outlaw.  She instructed the police force not to arrest for minor infractions, like theft and prostitution, during the virus crisis. Large groups of young people were running amok in center city Philadelphia convenience stores,  scooping up everything their backpacks could hold. Meanwhile at City Hall, woke mayor Jim Kenney stayed silent about this decline in civilization. Only after a couple weeks, after a merchant and citizen backlash, did Outlaw and Kenney finally reverse policy.

Philadelphia inner city kids were taught a bad lesson by their police commissioner and mayor. 

Perhaps with that lesson fresh in their mind, some of them may have graduated to the looting this past weekend.

My first reaction to the looting on Walnut and Chestnut Streets was that the police must have stood down. How could looters smash windows and enter a Wells Fargo Bank without being stopped? How could all that theft and destruction only result in 13 arrests Saturday night?

I realize that there are a limited number of police and that Philadelphia is a large city. While I can't pass judgement on the police response, I will on the looters shown above. I do not believe that their thinking centered on George Floyd and institutional racism, but rather about what they could steal.

Here in the Lehigh Valley, the mayors and police chiefs conveyed their commitment to social justice.  But more importantly,  the local protestors expressed their hopes and solidarity in a lawful manner.

photocredit:Steven Falk/Philadelphia Inquirer 

above reprinted from May of 2020

ADDENDUM MAY 20, 2022: I expect that between now and November we will hear about the feuds between Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner and Attorney General Josh Shapiro, implying that Shapiro wants to be tougher on crime. While Krasner might actually be more progressive than Shapiro, that's saying little to nothing to those of us wanting more real security on streets across Pennsylvania. Last month Shapiro told Al Dia that “We simply do not do enough to address systemic poverty,”  While Shapiro's commitment to direct more funding into poverty programs will sell well in center city Philadelphia, my vote will go to a candidate advocating for more law and order.

Molovinsky On Philadelphia

Molovinsky On Allentown has rented temporary space in Philadelphia to help in predicting Allentown's future.  I use my father's old meat truck route all the way down Broad Street to get to the new office,  which is high over the city near Rittenhouse Square.  Although J. B. Reilly hopes for a taste of the sophistication which surrounds Rittenhouse,  I think that he better not hold his breath.  The area between Broad and Rittenhouse is full of beautiful classic buildings,  unlike Allentown, where the older buildings have been demolished to make way for new plain mid-rises of architectural meagerness.

However, lets get back to the meat truck route. North Broad Street is a litter filled desolation of urban decay.  Apparently gentrification doesn't spread like wildfire.  I'm afraid that J. B. will have to learn how to clone the few millennials he supposedly attracted to the Stratas.

In conclusion, I give Reillyville a slight chance of success in terms of any energy resembling the Rittenhouse area of Philadelphia. Fortunately for him it's our tax money funding his NIZ.  For Allentown beyond Linden and Walnut Streets, my best recommendation would be a trash can every ten feet.  Maybe some of the litter will accidentally land in them. 

photocredit:molovinsky

above reprinted from July of 2018

ADDENDUM MAY 19, 2022: The office was on the 43rd floor, and as you can see from my photo above, the view was quite spectacular. I'm revisiting these Philadelphia posts because of Tuesday's primary election. I was forced to give up the office because of a crime spree in center city Philadelphia, which I believe will factor in the upcoming election for governor...at least with my vote.

Neuweiler Attracts Interlopers

Allentown's NIZ was a boutique legislation that allows private property to be publicly financed.  On the up side, for the most part, the beneficiaries have been local boys. That is about to change. 

The Morning Call had an excellent report on a New Jersey firm muscling in on our tax dollar giveaway. They learned their lesson well from the first interloper, Ruckus Brewery.  Ruckus was set up with the Neuweiler Brewery by Mike Fleck, before he went to the pokey with Pawlowski.  Ruckus managed to raise money from their NIZ approval and get possession of the brewery without actually spending any of their own money. For that fund raising, they changed their name to Brewers Hill.  Previously they never even had experience with actual brewing or real estate...Never underestimate the value of a political connection.

Like Ruckus/Brewers Hill, the new player promises to relocate their office here to Allentown. Sprinkle in a promise of affordable housing, and the Allentown welcome mat is out.  They have agreements now with Brewers Hill, and options on neighborhood properties. 

Personally, I preferred my tax dollars benefiting the local boys, like Reilly and Jaindl.

photocredit: Robert Walker

above reprinted from February of 2021

UPDATE MAY 18, 2022: With the recent news about Neuweilers, I decided to revisit the brewery posts. The post above is just one of dozens I have written on the brewery since 2008. I may have somewhat more knowledge about the topic than the Morning Call's changing cast of reporters, because I had actually sat down with the last private owner. In 2007 Pawlowski said that "We have to get it out of the hands of this guy," It was also the last time that any property taxes were paid on the property. While the city took procession supposedly because no improvements were made, likewise nothing has been done since, fifteen years later. Actually, the property now is in considerably worse condition. But in addition to no taxes being paid in all these years, we have been paying the salaries of the bureaucrats in the various controlling agencies since the property was confiscated.

Whether demolished or restored, or a combination of both, we all want to see change at the property. But understand that we as taxpayers will be paying for that change with our diverted state income taxes. Understand that although the project will be publicly financed, it will be privately owned.

Those interested in an account of the situation from 2007 until now, can use the search engine of this blog's sidebar... simply type in Neuweiler brewery.

Lehigh County Controller Problem

The Morning Call headline says that Lehigh County has an eviction problem. Actually, what Lehigh County has is a controller problem, a county government problem and a newspaper problem.

Eviction should be of no concern to the county, and I fault the commissioners for allotting funds for tenant legal costs.  These funds were recommended by Controller Mark Pinsley, who has now recommended that they be increased ten fold.  Pinsley is a perpetual candidate for higher office.  Tenants do not pay county real estate taxes, but their landlords do. However, meeting their debt service, which includes real estate taxes, is dependent upon a cash flow...which means having tenants who pay rent. 

Just as it is irresponsible for the county commissioners to be facilitating Pinsley's campaign strategy, it is likewise partisan of the newspaper to be reporting this scheme as proper government.  The reporter doesn't have the institutional knowledge to see Pinsley as the opportunist he has always been,* but the editors and commissioners** should know better.

*new reporter from out of town, only on job one month

** with three Republicans,  the majority Democratic commissioners seem to be dancing to Pinsley's political tune

Morning Call Blues

On Friday afternoon the Morning Call staff held a walkout and rally at the Arts Park, not to be confused with the Arts Walk or the perp walk. In attendance were regional elected officials and hopefuls to express their solidarity.  Allentown Mayor Tuerk expressed dismay that the Morning Call no longer has a newsroom. 

This blogger has long expressed dismay from the beginning of the NIZ, that the Morning Call building, although across the street from the rest of NIZ zone map, was included in the zone anyway. So, it was of no surprise to this blogger when Reilly's City Center Realty gobbled up the Morning Call building. Although the politicians present at the rally praised the need for the public to have a hardy Fourth Estate, coverage of corruption wasn't mentioned. Long before the current Alden Global ownership of the Morning Call, there was no scrutiny by the newspaper of a former mayor's decade long corruption. Long before Alden, and since, there is little scrutiny of the NIZ. 

I'm grateful that we still have our local paper. I wish the individual Morning Call staff members well, and care about their continued employment security.  As to their demands for gender parity and diversity, my concern is for the lack of probing in local journalism. For that shortfall I blame the local management, rather than the reporters per se. Their management has always seemed reluctant to disturb the status quo of the local establishment. For example, I wanted them to report on why Wehr's Dam languished? I wanted them to report on how a decaying brewery building already has had two different subsidized owners under the NIZ? 

photocredit: By an aging blogger, who nevertheless manages to report on the rot in the little apple called Allentown every weekday for the last fifteen years.

Fairview Cemetery, An Allentown Dilemma

The condition of Fairview Cemetery has been in decline for decades.  It first caught my attention in 1997, when I began hunting for the grave of a young woman who died in 1918. 

By 1900, Fairview was Lehigh Valley's most prestigious cemetery.  It would become the final resting place of Allentown's most prominent citizens, including Harry Trexler, John Leh, Jack Mack and numerous others.  Despite my status as a dissident chronicler of local government and a critic of the local press,  my postings caught the attention of a previous editor at the Morning Call, whose own grandmother is buried at Fairview.  While the paper did a story on my efforts in 2008,  and I did manage to coordinate a meeting between management and some concerned citizens,  any benefit to the cemetery's condition was short lived.

Internet search engines have long arms. In the following years I would receive messages from various people upset about conditions at the cemetery.  A few years ago, Tyler Fatzinger became interested in the cemetery, and took it upon himself to start cleaning up certain areas. I suggested to Taylor that he start a facebook page, so that concerned citizens and distressed relatives might connect.  Once again the situation caught the paper's attention, and another story appeared in 2019.  Tyler Fatzinger was recently informed by the cemetery operator that he was trespassing, and must cease from his efforts to improve the cemetery.

Why would both the cemetery and city establishments reject help, and discourage shining a light on this situation? Orphan cemeteries are a problem across the country. An orphan cemetery is an old cemetery no longer affiliated with an active congregation or a funded organization.  These cemeteries are often large, with no concerned descendants or remaining funds.  While perpetual care may have been paid by family decades earlier,  those funds in current dollars are woefully short.

In Fairview's case, the current management operates a crematorium and also conducts new burials on the grounds. Funds from the previous management were supposedly not passed forward.  While the Trexler Trust maintains Harry Trexler's grave, and a few other plots are privately maintained,  there understandably is no desire to take responsibility for the entire sixty acre cemetery. The current operator provides minimal care to the cemetery,  with even less for those sections toward the back.  While the cemetery grass may only be cut twice a season,  that's still more care than a true "orphan cemetery" would receive.  Some of the new burials appear to be on old plots, owned by other families, but unused for many, many decades, and on former areas designated as pathways between those plots. There seems to be no regulatory oversight. Recently, both state senator Pat Browne and the Orloski Law firm have acted in behalf of the cemetery operator.

While family members may be exasperated by the neglect,  local government does not seem eager to adopt either the problem or the expense of Fairview Cemetery.

reprinted from June of 2021

ADDENDUM MAY 13, 2022: Tyler Fatzinger reminds us of Flag Day and other updates and news at his group page- Revive Fairview Cemetery

Weeping For The Allentown Park System

When Harry Trexler commissioned Frank Meehan of Philadelphia to design the Allentown parks, Meehan was considered the leading landscape architect in America.  It was because of Meehan that Allentown was shovel ready when the WPA started in the mid 1930's.  It was because of Meehan that our park system became the envy of cities everywhere.  

Throughout the park system he planted Weeping Willows thirty feet apart along the creeks. Their shallow, spreading root system provided the Little Lehigh, Cedar and Jordan Creeks erosion protection for almost a century. It provided both fish and fisherman beauty and shade along the creek banks.

Move ahead seventy five years, and in 2006 the from out of town new mayor Pawlowski combined the park and recreation departments, and hired a recreation major for department head. The new director turned over many park management decisions to the Wildlands Conservancy. The Wildlands introduced riparian buffers, even though the storm sewer system is piped directly into the creeks. As the Willows neared their lifespan and started dying out, they were not replaced. Rather, other trees were planted, back from the creeks, doubling down on the buffer concept.

We now realize that the creek banks are eroding, and that the buffers are incubators for invasive species. It is now the department's intention to seek outside consultants for recommendations. Rather than go outside again for advice, they should go back in history...Weeping Willows should be again planted along the banks. HOWEVER, the department REJECTS this suggestion, because willows are not indigenous. 

When I was a boy I lived above Lehigh Parkway in Little Lehigh Manor. My father's uncle worked for the park department cutting the grass along the creek. I'm saddened by the state of the creek banks, and the stubbornness of the city to not see the best solution.

Many of the original Willow trees have died, and the remaining ones are on their last legs.

Allentown Speak Out

                                    REPRINTED FROM 2012

In the best use, molovinsky on allentown chronicles my efforts in the community, in addition to being an alternative news source for local issues. Last week a small victory resulted from such efforts. Our local dignitaries broke ground for a new garage at Lanta. Several years ago, when the garage plans were first announced, it was to be built on the parking lot of Bicentennial Park. Allentown needed money, and Lanta had a grant to build a new garage. Lanta claimed that the ball park property was the only feasible location, and the City claimed that Bicentennial Park had outlived it's usefulness.

Bicentennial Park is virtually the history of baseball in Allentown. First opened in 1939 as Fairview Field, it was home to the minor league team of the Boston Braves; The Allentown Dukes played there through 1948, when Breadon Field was built in Whitehall, site now of the Lehigh Valley Mall. Over the years thousands of Allentown kids had the yearly thrill of playing "Under The Lights". In addition to hosting the Allentown Ambassadors, it currently serves women's fast pitch softball. In addition to the outrage in our park system, I will be adding the ballfield as a topic in my upcoming SPEAK OUT ALLENTOWN MEETING. from Lanta Mugs City, May 14,2009  

I conducted a meeting at a small local church, which attracted a couple members of City Council and the Hunsicker Family, who led the drive to build the park, decades ago. City Council went on to pass a resolution recommending that the park not be sold, and Lanta did eventually figure out an alternative space for the garage. Needless to say, I wasn't one of the dignitaries invited to the ground breaking, nor were my efforts even mentioned in the newspaper article, but a small victory, never the less.

Baseball Memoirs, June 3, 2009

above reprinted from 2012
UPDATE DECEMBER 2016: The meetings mentioned above, in 2008 and 2009, I conducted at Faith Baptist Church on N.12th St.  Among the topics were parking meter increases, Lanta,  Bicentennial Park, and Fairview Cemetery.  They provided an informal public venue for citizens and council to interact.  Years later, I would conduct more meetings at the library on preserving the WPA structures.  Unfortunately,  Allentown and South Whitehall have demonstrated little regard for our historic structures.  The mission continues.

Design considerations on this blog are chosen for desktop viewing.

above reprinted from December of 2016

UPDATE MAY 11, 2022: Although I no longer conduct public meetings, and remain a persona non grata at the Morning Call,  I continue to advocate through this blog and Allentown Chronicles, a facebook group. I started the effort to save Wehr's Dam, and was gratified to see South Whitehall reaffirm its commitment to that structure. I appreciated an email from a SWT official thanking me for my diligence on that project. Likewise, I started the effort to appreciate and repair the WPA structures in the Allentown park system. I made a public offer to give a tour of the structures, subject to the overdue repair of two sites. So far new mayor Matt Tuerk has not responded.

A Family Story

This post is unusually personal for this blog.  My grandfather came to Allentown from Russian Lithuania  in 1891.  In the next few years he was joined by his parents, and five siblings.   The family settled on 2nd Street, along with many other Jewish immigrants of that period.  He worked in various jobs, including a cigar factory, until he could establish himself as a butcher, as in the old country.  Because we were here for over a hundred years,  I consider myself somewhat of a local historian.

As a boy growing up in Little Lehigh Manor, on the ridge above Lehigh Parkway, I explored the WPA structures when they were still comparatively new.  Because of that background, I was able to uncover the Boat Landing, and advocate for our  traditional park system.  One of my father's uncles worked for the park system, caring for Lehigh Parkway.

What brought me to this post is my great grandmother's tombstone in Fountain Hill, which I recently visited.  She is buried in an old Jewish cemetery that is no longer in use. Although, her tombstone is very old, it replaced an even older one , that then laid behind the former Wentz's tombstone factory at 20th and Hamilton, for many decades.  I am the last Molovinsky in Allentown.

photo taken behind Wentz's before recent demolition of that facility.

This blog is designed for desktop. 

reprinted from December of 2016

Stealing Allentown's Treasures

                                                   click photograph to enlarge

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

UPDATE 2015:  The post above, reprinted from May of 2013, was then titled Stealing Allentown's Treasures. This past weekend, a member of Old Allentown Preservation Association, and an active local Democrat, bragged on facebook about how he had recycled an old second floor office door from the demolished buildings in the arena zone. In truth, Old Allentown also turned a self serving, callous eye to the destruction noted in the above post. Although I'm glad the door was recycled, allow this post to note the irony and hypocrisy of the Association.

UPDATE MAY 9, 2022:This isn't a new post- over the years, it has had different titles- but, unfortunately, its message remains more pertinent than ever. In addition to losing the mercantile architecture of Hamilton Street, we lost the Elk's Club on 8th Street. Currently, the magnificent art deco post office is in danger. More astoundingly, Zion Church, refuge of the Liberty Bell itself, is for sale. If these icons were being replaced by the building gems of the future, it would be more tolerable; but, frankly, the new buildings are architectural garbage. Allentown is in transition in so many ways. People who know better are afraid to speak out and be labeled in these woke times. Even our institutions and societies of history and culture stand down...but not this blog.

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 an 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 undo 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.

photocredit: Jason Fink

above reprinted from February 2017

ADDENDUM FEBRUARY 2020: Since this letter to the editor was written in 2017, things have gotten worse for Wehr's Dam. The former South Whitehall park director, Randy Cope, is now in charge of Public Works for the township. His father is the former CFO of the Wildlands Conservancy.

 1. Randy Cope now states that it will cost $1million to repair the dam, but he doesn't reveal that the cost increase is because of the communications between the Wildlands Conservancy and the state DEP. Those communications were intended to drive the repair cost above the amount approved by the voters in the referendum.  Even though the dam is rated low hazard, the township made no attempt to defend the dam against the Wildlands' allegations.  The Pennsylvania DEP is fine with the Wildlands' scheme,  and boasts about more dam removals than any other state in the country.

 2. The Wildlands Conservancy has campaigned to demolish the Dam since 2014, and now is in charge of the Township's multi $million dollar Greenway Project through the park.

 3. Another main supporter of the Wildlands in South Whitehall is commissioner Tori Morgan, who has been appointed President of the new township board of commissioners.

 4. Although the Morning Call has rejected and ignored the above letter since 2017,  I'm hopeful that new leadership at the paper will investigate these violations against both the voters and local history.

ADDENDUM APRIL 12, 2021: Former S.W. Commissioner Brad Osborne on L.V. Ramblings asks for examples of betrayed trust in South Whitehall... perhaps nothing illustrates this problem more than the insincerity of the board in regard to Wehr's Dam.  Recently resigned commissioner Matt Mobilio wondered out loud how the board could get out from under the obligation of repairing Wehr's.  Commissioner president Tori Morgan has been aligned with the Wildlands Conservancy's obsession to demolish the dam since day one in 2014. 

ADDENDUM DECEMBER 3, 2021:  A link to Jason Fink's Wehr's Dam photography

UPDATE MAY 6, 2022: Yesterday the Morning Call reported that the Wehr's Dam project, after languishing all these years, is set to move ahead to the repair stage. Of course it didn't simply languish, but instead was a victim of the conspiracy outlined above. The Morning Call also reports that the price tag has now crept up, but here again they don't explain that the price increase was also part of the conspiracy, to undo the will of the people through their referendum's price limitation. If that's not shoddy enough, the Morning Call has written a series of whitewashes over the years, and refused to print my exposes on how the public was being cheated.

Morning Call Still Spinning For Reilly

The Morning Call today continues its long time tradition of distorting the news about the NIZ and its main beneficiary, J. B. Reilly. We're told that tax revenues rebounded, and that Butz and Jaindl both got some tax money for their debt service, but that the lion's share, $44million, went to City Center Allentown. 

Don't confuse city center with center city, as you're meant to. City Center is a private company, owned by one man, J.B. Reilly. Don't confuse rebound with a thriving downtown. I use the services of two large tenants, in two of the largest new buildings, and visit their offices on a regular basis. Downtown remains a dead zone. So, where did the increased revenue come from? From the BIG OMISSION from the Morning Call. The NIZ law was amended to allow the state cigarette tax to be used by Reilly. The former Morning Call building itself is being used as a cigarette warehouse. All this deception is the most wholesome part of the story. Previously, before the amendment, the cigarette tax was used for CHIP, children's health insurance program. 

Although I have lowered my public profile and reprint many of my historical pieces, I will still take local government and press to task as necessary.

108-110 Union Street

When the illustrated map of Allentown shown above was marketed in 1879, 108-110 Union Street were already long standing twin houses. Behind the houses was the western channel of the Lehigh River, which went around Jeter's Island. Years later the island would be called Kline's, and become the city sewage plant. In the mid 1960's, that portion of the river would be filled in and no longer exists. While maps now indicate that the Little Lehigh joins the Lehigh at the southern end of the former island, previously it joined the channel on the western side of the island.

When the map was produced, 108 was owned by William Goetz, and 110 was owned by the Remaley family. Over the years the two sides appear to have been occupied by a number of families,  as both owners and tenants.

In 1921, both houses were purchased by H.H. Steinmetz, a former meat manager for Swift Packing. Steinmetz built a modern 10,000 ft. addition, opening his meat packing plant in 1922. Steinmetz Meat Packing supplied the chain of Economy corner markets with meat and provisions.

In 1941, the packing house was purchased by the Molovinsky family, and renamed Allentown Packing Company. While wholesale operations ceased in 1949, the business continued as a retail meat market until 1970. The plant was demolished several years later to provide parking for A&B Meats. The vacant parcel was then purchased by the neighboring commercial property.

reprinted from April of 2020

Back To The Future With Emma

Although the Progressives, who campaigned against the waste to energy plant and the water lease this year, didn't like Emma Tropiano back in the day, or now, here's a history lesson they may find interesting. Shown above is Emma camping out by the entrance to Kline's Island on October 13, 1989. Her statement to the press. "The deal with the Lehigh County Authority to open Kline's Island to outside sewage sources has promoted massive development in western Lehigh County, drawing potential commercial and industrial development away from Allentown and resulting in higher taxes for city property owners." She was running against The First Mayor For Life Joe Daddona's fourth term. His reply. "It's obvious once again that Emma, because of her lack of knowledge and understanding of a problem, is shooting from the hip and hitting herself in the foot." She was also outspoken about the direction the city was heading in: Is Allentown in an ugly decline, with drugs, crime, filth and mismanagement rotting away the core of the Queen City, as challenger Emma D. Tropiano insists? Or is it squarely facing its problems and coming up with sound, creative solutions, as Mayor Joseph S. Daddona says?" The Morning Call, Nov. 5, 1989.

reprinted from November of 2013

ADDENDUM: On Tuesday Bill White repeated his quote about Emma from 2001; I like Emma, but she wouldn't know fresh ideas and positive leadership if they were driving down Hamilton Street in a blue Cadillac. Bill has made Emma one of the symbols of his Hall Of Shame. Bill White protests against this designation, coined by yours truly years ago, and cites the philanthropic Cipko Brothers as proof that the Hall isn't limited to shame. However, I remember back when, and the gag about them was their ridiculous toupees, which White featured in photographs. Philanthropic or not, their toupees put them in the Hall, not their charity. Anyway, I digress. Bill White has been wrong about Emma for over 40 years.  The problem is that now a whole generation of people disparage her, based on Morning Call distortions.

reprinted from May of 2017 and Nov. of 2020

photocredit:The Morning Call

Visiting Easton

Being one of the last warm days of the year, I thought we would visit Easton. I thought perhaps it would be more interesting to do the trip circa 1948. Lehigh Valley Transit had a trolley that went from 8th and Hamilton, through Bethlehem, to the circle in Easton. In the photo above, we're coming down Northampton Street, just entering the Circle. The Transit Company was using both trolleys and buses, until they discontinued trolleys completely, in 1953. At this time, Hamilton, Broad and Northampton Streets were the shopping malls of the era, and public transportation serviced the customers. The Transit Company, now Lanta, currently serves the Allentown population from a prison like facility at 6th and Linden Streets; It just needs a fence. Easton mayor Sal Panto is now also abandoning the merchants for a remote transportation/correction facility, which will entertain the inmates with the Al Bundy High School Dropout Museum. Hope you enjoyed the trip.
reprinted from November of 2011

UPDATE March 9, 2015: The above post was written in 2011, but it's taken Sal Panto longer than expected to build the Lanta Transfer/Parking Deck. The planned Al Bundy Museum is now being replaced instead by Easton City Hall, where Sal is expected to wear his high school football uniform. As it turns out, Sal and I have something in common, we both worked at our fathers' meat markets in Easton. My father's market was called Melbern, and was on S. 4th Street, catty corner the Mohican Market. During the early 1960's, on my way to lunch in the circle, I would stop and visit a friend who worked at Iannelli's chicken and coldcut counter in the 5&10 on Northampton Street. The meat markets and commerce on Northampton Street are long gone, but Easton's Center Square is having a revival as the place to dine.

ADDENDUM MAY 2, 2022: When I first wrote this post in 2011, I never imagined that Panto would still be mayor 100 years later. I suppose that here in Kentuckvania, unless you get picked up by the FBI for blatant behavior, you're elected for life and beyond. Some cities become charming by accident...at some point the lack of development looks historic. I still visit Easton on a regular basis. Even stopped in once to meet Panto, but supposedly he wasn't in.

It's Like A Postcard

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

reprinted from August of 2013

ADDENDUM APRIL 29, 2022:The above post was from my unsuccessful battle in 2013 to save the small, melodic dam built to accompany the Robin Hood Bridge in 1941. At that time I noted the overgrown creek banks. In addition to dam and history destruction, the Wildlands Conservancy also potty trained the Allentown Park System to grow riparian buffers. They're not really riparian buffers because here in Allentown the storm runoff system is piped under them, directly into the streams. However, the faux buffers do cut down the grass mowing a bit, and the park system satisfies its masters. But because of invasive species, the buffers still must be cut at least twice a year, so the poison hemlock and other invasives don't take hold...here lies another victim of the buffers, the baby ducks. The duckling nests are destroyed with the first cutting. The west side of Cedar Park by the rose gardens failed again to produce any ducklings. One bewildered couple looks like they may try again. I have been on this save the ducks mission now for three years. In addition to this blog, I have unsuccessfully lobbied city personnel. Their supposed plan of looking for nests before the first cutting simply doesn't work in the field.

Barbarians At Allentown Post Office Gate

In the 1930's, the "New Deal" was good to Allentown.  Our park system was enriched by monumental stone construction under the WPA. We also received one of the architectural gems of our area, the magnificent art deco post office. Constructed during 1933-34, no detail was spared in making the lobby an ageless classic. The floor is adorned with handmade Mercer tiles from Doylestown. Muralist Gifford Reynolds Beal worked thru 1939 portraying the Valley's cultural and industrial history.

Unfortunately for history and culture, this architectural gem is now being targeted for NIZ private/public enrichment.  Several architectural treasures were demolished for the arena, along with Allentown's mercantile history. The Postal Service has signed off on the building, and the developer is chomping at the bit. The real tragedy is that the other new buildings are not even full, but with private construction being funded by taxpayers, there is no need to worry about such details as occupancy rates.  Efforts to save this irreplaceable building may start and end on this blog.  The Morning Call, itself a partner in the NIZ,  has taken a back seat on such matters.

The 83 year old photograph, part of my private collection,  is the contractor's documentation of the project's progress. The back of the photo states; Taken Sept 1 - 34 showing lobby, floor, screens, desks, completed & fixtures hung

photograph will enlarge when clicked

reprinted from previous years 

ADDENDUM APRIL 28, 2022:I first published this photo and blog about the post office history in 2008. By 2018, I added the copy about the threat to the building and the NIZ. Although my posts at that time did generate some historical pangs, to my knowledge the fate of this gem remains in limbo.

The Honest Broker, Missing From The Lehigh Valley

In a previous post, I told how South Whitehall's Christina Morgan would be coming forward suggesting a referendum on Wehr's Dam. Last night, as if on cue, she made her backdoor suggestion, hoping to help the Wildlands still demolish the icon. Also in a previous post, I mentioned that the Allentown Parking Authority presents contrived surveys, to justify their rate hikes. Also on cue, that claim was made last night, to justify doubling the meter rate in Allentown. We were also told that tickets are only reluctantly given, to enforce rules which benefit everybody. As one who has often seen street sweeping tickets give out en masse, with no meaningful sweeping, I know better than that. We live in an area where bureaucrats can say and do as they please, with no scrutiny from the press. The bureaucrats are imbued with arrogance, thinking they know best, certainly much better than the dirty masses. The press is nine to five, satisfied to report what is said, with no need to know the real motives. The public, for the most part, is content with this diet of abridged news. On the national level, they're so conditioned to spin and attitude, that facts no longer count. Who cares if you have to pay $2 an hour to park on empty Hamilton Street on a Tuesday afternoon? 

above reprinted from April 16, 2015 

ADDENDUM APRIL 27, 2022:Although seven years have passed, I'm afraid reform is just an empty word used by some new faces in local governments. The Wildlands Conservancy still runs South Whitehall township. Allentown has a new administration on city hall's top floor, but the city is still run by the same Pawlowski entrenched goons on the lower floors. The Morning Call no longer has any floors, and uses the same opiners from yesteryear, rewriting their old insights. The city is populated by a shifting tide of immigrants from the New(s), that be Jersey and York...to them it does seem new, exciting and reformed.

Abuse Of Power At The Monument Building

The building had begun its life as the 1st National Bank. The second owner renamed it Corporate Center. The third owner renamed it Monument Building.

One morning in early July of 2008, code enforcement descended upon the Monument Building like a swat team.  Every officer, in every department , entered the building at the same time, and spread out looking for every possible violation. Under the previous owner, the same conditions, with the same tenants, were lauded as a rebirth.

Whatever motivated Pawlowski to pull the plug on the new owner, the tenants were lightweights, of no consequence to him. At that time, myself and few other malcontents, like Lou Hershman, would gather early in the morning for coffee at Jerry's Cafe, located on the first floor.

Jerry's was not one of the upstart businesses blessed with a Pawlowski grant at the time. He had to pay for everything, and everything had been inspected, inside and out. His plans had been approved, his electric and plumbing had been approved,  and his expensive grill and hood system had been approved.  While all the tenants were put out of business that day,  Jerry was also financially ruined. 

During this sorry Pawlowski era, he used the code department as a weapon.  Although Pawlowski is gone, some of that same mentality apparently still lurks with some of the code officers.  I wrote about Pawlowski's tactics back then in 2008, and I will continue to defend those currently victimized by such abuse.

The Monument Building would be torn down years later by J.B. Reilly, and replaced by one of his Corporate Towers.

I photographed the code cars that morning lined up for the raid   

reprinted from previous years

ADDENDUM APRIL 26, 2022: In 2008, when the above abuse was occuring, this blogger was there documenting the incident. I documented numerous incidents in that period. As Pawlowski became bolder in his aggression and attracted the attention of the FBI, they used this and O'Hare's blog as a source for tips. Unfortunately those Pawlowski storm troopers are still at city hall. Some have ascended into positions of power. Just two years ago I documented on this blog a homeowner being harassed, as a personal favor to a friend of a code director. I have slowed down with such direct involvement, that was the last court hearing I attended. Thirty years of fighting city hall takes its toll. I can tell you that Pawlowski supporters thought that he could walk on water, he couldn't...that should be a lesson for current supporters of current politicans.

Bill White's Confusion

I had to shake my head reading Bill White's column yesterday. While I often criticize Bill for wasting his bully pulpit on grammar and his reoccurring themes, it's actually better than the revisionism he bestowed upon the Morning Call yesterday.  He wrote, "The Morning Call has focused attention over the years on practices that hinted at pay to play, but those revelations never generated enough heat to trigger legislation or internal reforms." That's news to me Bill, although I realize that the paper has now ended its eight year  honeymoon with Pawlowski, that only occurred after the recent FBI raid.  By my scorecard, you would have to cite examples of these revelations about pay to play you claim the paper made. Up to recent events, the paper took everything from the Pawlowski Administration at face value.  In reality, the paper, and pardon me for saying, you in particular, were cheerleaders, especially for the NIZ.  You even called me misguided for suggesting that the NIZ was a plan based on layers of inequity: Inequitable to most of the existing businesses in the valley, and segregating against the residents of center city. Although you now write that "Time is running out for politics as usual,"  most of the few local political mavericks have ended up in your Hall Of Shame.  If your memory lapses continue,  you might want to see your physician.

above reprinted from August 28, 2015 

ADDENDUM APRIL 25, 2022:Over the years numerous personnel at the Morning Call took a buyout, including Bill White. About a year ago, he persuaded the editor/publisher(Mike Miorelli) to give him back two columns a month. Although he's still certainly no Bernstein/Woodward, he has recently written a couple of pieces beyond his previous MO of chocolate cake contests and Christmas lights. Perhaps my insults inspired him. However, I still will allow no former Morning Call reporter to claim that the newspaper ever broke anything critical of any level of local government. On the contrary, they still turn their back on controversy.

Pawlowski And The Little People

Lately, I noticed on facebook, that Ed Pawlowski has started attending littier events, such as a small hispanic church picnic. Understand that if Mayor Ed had his choice, he still would be a candidate for the United States Senate, and not the object of an FBI investigation. He still might had,  under the prior scenario, attended a mega congregation picnic, but previously he didn't have interest in the small fry stuff. Why now is Ed showing up at the munchkin events? Does he want to say he got religion as part of his future defense? Naw, he always had big church religion. Beyond the obvious, that his personal cache has depreciated, he might be trying to cultivate a Marion Barry constituency. When the Washington mayor got popped for cocaine, his followers still elected him. I think that the taint from the Raid On City Hall has made bigger office, or big appointments, on the state or federal level, a goal no longer attainable. Perhaps Ed sees being Mayor For Life now as his best shot, supported by the little people, more tolerant of legal scrapes.

above reprinted from September 7, 2015

ADDENDUM APRIL 22, 2022: My hunch above about Pawlowski turned out to be correct, as did many of my previous hunches about him.  He did cobble together enough different minority votes to win a fourth term after being convicted. He favorite vehicle of ascension was the Human Relations Council. One of his anointed stayed in Grace until last week, when her husband misspoke in their Foundation office.  Unfortunately for Allentown, those Councils* tend to still be used for the same purpose. Worse for Allentown, many of Pawlowski's lackeys remained in City Hall, with some actually being promoted.

* this post is not intended to disparage any current member of any council or commission

Morning Call Catches Up To Molovinsky On Neuweiler

On Sunday, The Morning Call had an article that Ruckus Brewing was much less than previously presented, but they didn't mention their previous puffing.  Over two years ago, I reported that they were in reality a couple of young guys, with a rented office in NYC, who had purchased the former Reading Brewery Label, and contracted out the limited beer production. Recently, columnist Bill White defended the paper's reporting, and tried to marginalize this blog by not even referring to it by name. Although Ruckus had no actual brewing experience, and no real estate experience, they were given the option on the Neuweiler property, and a $34 million dollar plan in taxpayer NIZ funding,  to renovate the parcel. Although they had no experience,  they did have a local business agent named Mike Fleck. The paper previously gushed about the coming brewery and pub, regurgitating press releases like they were news. Recently, I reprinted one of my Ruckus/Neuweiler posts, and low and behold, The Morning Call now had a Sunday feature. But even fellow blogger Bernie O'Hare said,  But they had more details.  I reported two months ago that in fact they were  mickey mouse, with only a single distributor in Pennsylvania.  Bernie was impressed because the Morning Call printed the name of the distributor, which I had chose not to.  In reality, there wasn't one more pertinent detail in the paper's story than mine, written two months earlier.

I'll leave the regurgitated press releases to the paper.  I'll leave Bernie worshipping those details which pad out articles into longer features.  I will continue to distill reality from promotion in Allentown, and give the news in small shots, to discriminating readers. Comments will remain moderated, restricted to additional insights.  molovinsky on allentown will remain a craft blog,  in an ever more crass environment. 

above reprinted from September 30, 2015

ADDENDUM APRIL 21, 2022: I have a knack for pissing off many people at the same time. Unfortunately, that hurts many of my causes, such as the WPA in Allentown...This is one of those posts.  

The brewery has been neglected for so long that it isn't worthwhile restoring. However, because the work on the now privately owned building will be financed with diverted state taxes, nobody feels the pain directly, and nobody cares. The previous owner was actually arrested for not improving space now allowed to be rented in the same as is condition, by the new approved owners. Because the building is now connected to the existing power structure in Allentown,  the revitalization will continue. Influence in both the ANIZDA and AEDC overlap. That overlapping now extends into the city's new administration. Back to my piss off abilities. I'm a seasoned veteran of such conflict. There's little point in me pecking away at this typewriter this early in the morning if I'm going to be acquiescing to the newspaper, city hall or even popular opinion.

General Trexler's Bridge

The 8th Street Bridge is one of the marvels of Allentown.  It was built to facilitate the Liberty Trolley run, from 8th and Hamilton to Philadelphia.  I posted about it before, with its impressive statistics. At the time it was the largest concrete bridge in the world.  It involved two business interests of Harry Trexler,  both the transit company and the local cement industry.

Harrisburg and The Morning Call have been braying about the bridges scheduled for improvement and replacement in the area.  Although, I virtually stopped attending municipal meetings,  I still partake in field trips to the local construction sites.  I don't announce myself, and try to be quick and quiet on these unauthorized inspections.  I would prefer not to vanish like Jimmy Hoffa.  I want to inspect the bridge, not end up in the bridge.

On first glance the work on the bridge looks very impressive. The bridge walls have been replaced with new concrete walls, almost identical to the original, even including the lighting pillars. My question is that the roadbed has been raised about 18 inches, but is still supported by the same arches. Eighteen inches of additional concrete on the roadbed and sidewalk is an enormous additional weight load. Furthermore, I have learned that there was bonding issues between the older base and new concrete. Only the approaches, on both ends of the bridge, have been replaced.  This was done because they are the lowest part of the bridge, and the most feasible parts to replace.  However, they were replaced with pre-stressed concrete beams, and the new arches are only decorative panels.  The original approach bases were massive constructions, which probably would have stood another 1000 years.

Only now is the part of the project which I knew to be necessary beginning.  The massive bridge arches has been showing spalling damage over the last decades.  That is the process where old concrete lets loose from the steel re-bar used as the construction frame.

When the project is completed, I do not expect to be invited to the ribbon cutting. 

reprinted from July of 2016

ADDENDUM: The second iconic concrete bridge, the Tilghman Street Bridge, is now undergoing a similar reconstruction process. That project is considerably behind schedule, penalizing both residents and businesses on Union Blvd. Although I have done some photo recon, I have not interviewed workers as I did on the 8th Street project. 

The reason for this reprint is my doubts about the huge Infrastructure Spending Bill that our local politicans are patting themselves on the back about. In slower times the taxpayer money is seldom put to the best use. With all this money there is no project to widen Rt. 22, sorely needed now for two decades. Instead, our portion will build a new road along the Lehigh, only duplicating Front Street a block parallel. Another ribbon cutting I won't be invited to.

Bridge reopening now scheduled for May,  extending the closure for 52 months.

Allentown's WPA Watchman

Being a self appointed watchman over Allentown's WPA structures is an act in frustration. Since I started posting about the neglect of the structures in 2008, I have seen nothing of substance done. Actually, besides the steps at Irving Park being rebuilt, I have seen nothing done at all. While rebuilding that small staircase was positive, many negatives occurred in the meantime. The meantime has been over seven years. Also in the meantime, another set of steps were removed from Irving Park. The staircase at Union Terrace is deteriorating to the point where that structure is in jeopardy. The repair to a remaining staircase at Irving was done with a $25,000 grant from the Trexler Trust. In the last seven years, the park department's budget has been over $25 million dollars. The playground at Cedar Beach cost $1 million. Pawlowski has rejected my offer to be a liaison on behalf of the WPA structures. I'm pictured above standing over the former WPA wall, after it collapsed this summer, closing Lehigh Parkway's classic entrance. This city's history and future are tied to our park system and other quality of life issues, not just some private/public new buildings. I know there's no big money or national attention to be gained in fixing an old wall, but we have a responsibility to the things which made this city unique.

photo courtesy of Michael Adams
 

above reprinted from October of 2015

UPDATE APRIL 19, 2022: In the photo above, I'm standing over the collapsed entrance wall in Lehigh Parkway, after spending the previous seven years urging the city to repair it. The O'Connell administration likewise declined my offer to be a liaison for the WPA. I have yet to hear from the Tuerk administration on my offer to conduct a WPA tour, if the city repairs the landing on the Parkway staircase, and removes the rubble despoiling the Robin Hood bridge piers.