Stairway To Shame

In the mid 1930's, Allentown, and especially its park system, was endowed with magnificent stone edifices, courtesy of the WPA; Works Progress Administration. This was a New Deal program designed to provide employment during the aftermath of the depression. Stone masons from all over the country converged on this city and built structures which are irreplaceable. The walls and step structures in Lehigh Parkway, as the Union Terrace amphitheater, are legacies which must be protected. Pictured above is the grand stairway from Lawrence Street (Martin Luther King Drive) up to Junction Street, built in 1936. The steps are in a state of disrepair. They lead to the great Junction/Union Street Retaining Wall, thirty feet high and two blocks long, which was completed in 1937. I call upon the Trexler Trust and Allentonians of memory, to insist these steps are re-pointed and preserved. The current Administration knows little of our past.  It's important to save the things in Allentown that matter.

The City of Allentown is embarking upon a $3.8 million dollar capital plan to change the nature of our parks, funded in large part by the Trexler Trust. Although a number of fads will be accommodated, not one dollar is earmarked to preserve the existing WPA treasures. General Trexler envisioned the parks as a reserve for the passive enjoyment of nature. Among the new Disney-World type plans are a wedding pavilion in the Rose Garden, and the largest playground in eastern Pennsylvania to be built in Cedar Park. The trail through Cedar Creek Park will have lights installed, and the picnic areas will be expanded. Anybody driving past Cedar Beach on a Monday morning sees the trash generated currently by only a few picnic tables. How many more park workers will be required to deal with the consequences of these new plans? The playground is being billed as a "Destination Playground", who will pay to keep that clean? Allentown should build and monitor numerous playgrounds throughout center city, within walking distance for children and parents. The Trexler Trust and The City of Allentown have a responsibility to first repair and maintain these iconic stone edifices which are unique to Allentown.

photo info: the dedication stone is on the Union Street wall. The steps shown in the photo here go through a tunnel in the wall and climb up to Spring Garden Street. They are in total disrepair. This posting is a combination of two previous posts, which appeared on this blog last September.

above reprinted from May of 2009

UPDATE APRIL 10, 2018: My campaign to save the WPA structures has been on going  for over a decade. About 10 years ago, I organized meetings at the library to bring attention to the neglect inflicted upon these structures. In the process I tutored Karen El-Chaar, from Friends Of The Parks, on the issues. She then was able to obtain a grant from the Trexler Trust,  and repoint the Fountain Park Steps. I opposed the more outlandish proposals cited above for Rose Garden area, and plans were scaled back.  I organized efforts to dig out and reveal the WPA Spring Pond and Boat Landing, both of which were discarded decades earlier. Because of the neglect, the Lehigh Parkway wall collapsed, but has since been partially rebuilt, to allow use of the entrance road into the park. In cooperation with Friends Of The Parks,  I conducted tours of Lehigh Parkway, featuring its history and WPA structures. During the Pawlowski regime I offered my advice to City Council on the traditional park system and WPA, but it was rejected.  I again make the same offer to Mayor O'Connell and the new administration.

UPDATE MARCH 3, 2020: Although O'Connell did invite me to a meeting about the parks, I am once again a persona non grata.  Karen El-Chaar is now director of parks.  It is my understanding that the Trexler Trust has commissioned a study of the Parkway Structures,  but declined to share any information with me.  It is my informed opinion that the immediate services of a stone mason are much more needed than that of their consultants. Time is the enemy of these structures.

UPDATE MARCH 23, 2022: Recently, I have been asked by several people if I will be conducing  another tour of the WPA structures in Lehigh Parkway? My current mission is to prevail upon the city to repair the landings on the Parkway's double stairway, and to remove the rubble around the Robin Hood Bridge piers. If the city does these most worthwhile projects, it would be my honor to lead another tour.

UPDATE JANUARY 23, 2023: With the departure of Karen El-Chaar as park director, I have lost an ally. Although she never fulfilled my wish list for WPA repairs, her door was open to me.  While the Parkway Entrance Wall is almost completely repointed, the landings on the double stairwell desperately  need to be repaired. The stonework at Union Terrace also needs attention. 

Those so interested can type in fountain park steps on this blog's search engine, for numerous posts on the WPA.

The Transformation Of Allentown

Transformational is Ed Pawlowski's word for the change taking place in Allentown. What's happening at the moment is demolition. There is an odor and dust in the air. One merchant told me he's fearful for his health walking around; Is the white soot asbestos? Thirty five, one hundred year old buildings, do that. I recall when the demolished rows of buildings were jewelers, shoe stores, opticians and tailors. None of the stores, even the ones on Hamilton Street, harked back to that era. The demolished stores apparently catered to a disposable clientele, whose votes matter more than their opinion. Those merchants, in vain, actually had gathered thousands of signatures pleading for their survival. The bulldozers, in one week, have established that Hamilton Street will never again aspire to be a shopping district. The only question now is will Allentown succeed as an entertainment and office venue? Will the taxpayers be able and willing to support a vision in which they had no input? The official answer will take years to determine. The true answer, even longer.

reprinted from January of 2012

ADDENDUM JANUARY 20, 2023: Back a decade ago, any scrutiny of what was going on was limited to this naysayer blogger.  Pawlowski and the Morning Call thought that he was a star, the only question was his future, Governor or Senator?  Behind the scene, he was trading city contracts for campaign contributions.  

The arena seems to have been a ploy for the NIZ, which has turned one millionaire into a billionaire, using our diverted state taxes to publicly finance a privately owned real estate empire.

Although years have now passed, center city is a zone now deader than ever.

I'm still basically the lone critic... my name banned from city hall and the Morning Call and assorted apologists.

I still produce this blog for those who stir reality into their morning coffee.

Lehigh Valley Transit Freight Service

Lehigh Valley Transit Company began their freight service in 1908, using converted passenger cars. By 1912, they were purchasing cars manufactured for commercial hauling. Various train/trolley websites specialize in the exact specifications of these trolley cars, and trace the history of specific cars. It was not uncommon for a car to be used by three or four different companies, and retrofitted for various uses. Throughout the formative years, Lehigh Valley Transit acquired smaller companies and absorbed their freight operations; The Quakertown Traction Company operated between Perkasie and Quakertown. Lehigh Valley's freight operation extended to the 72nd Street Freight House in Philadelphia.

Several years ago, Allentown lost an expert on our local train/trolley history, Gerhard Salomon. Mr. Salomon was a partner in the family jewelry store, one of few remaining gems from Hamilton Street's past.

UPDATE: This post heralds back to May of 2010, and was republished in May of 2013. Since that time we lost the few remaining gems on Hamilton Street.  Salomon's was torn down and replaced by another glass Reilly NIZ tower.  Tucker Yarn has recently closed, and will become the location for yet another tower of blandness.  This blog, with perhaps a unique combination of history and politics, will continue chronicling these transitions.

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

reprinted from November of 2019

Faith Baptist Church (Allentown)

There is a small church on the 200 block of N. 12th Street, which is served by a humble man, Pastor Robert Hargrove. Pastor Hargrove has been ministering to his flock at Faith Baptist Church for over 40 years. Years ago, when I managed buildings in the neighborhood, I had the privilege of meeting the pastor and seeing his concern for others. While his congregation was small, his outreach in the neighborhood was large. In addition to running a summer program for local kids, his church door was always open for those in distress.

While his formal congregation was mostly Black, it seemed that most of his outreach helped the poorer whites in the surrounding blocks.

Over the years he kindly allowed me to conduct a few community meetings at the church, on topics such as Fairview Cemetery and the removal of bus stops.

While the large churches with the politically astute leaders get most our attention,  many people in need often turn to the small neighborhood churches, such as Faith Baptist.

reprinted from December of 2019

A Hammer From 7th Street

The other day I noticed a ball peen hammer head for sale.  It was stamped 521 N 7  Allentown PA   Although I've seen machinist stamp their tools with their initials and even work ID numbers,  usually a stamping like this means that the hammer was made at 521, or at least sold there.  Allentown has a long tradition in iron, steel and hardware.  In the next block, C.F. Wolfertz, knife maker, was in business from 1862 to 1989.

Although I have yet to identify the hammer head,  521 has its own story.  Over the years many people lived in the apartments over the store. Although I won't mention people by name, there were births, deaths, accidents, robberies,  marriages and arrests.  Although the walls don't talk, the newspaper archives do.

Over the years many people worked in the storeroom, in many businesses.  In the mid 1940's, Clements Variety Store had about everything,  but I suspect the hammer is from before then. In 1958 a business called Niagara offered a good living to good salesman, but apparently you had to apply before learning what you sold.  I suppose not that many people applied, because the storeroom was for rent in 1959.  By 1961 Melody Organs gave the space a try.  However, by 1962 you could buy a whirlpool by Jacuzzi there. In 1963 a dry cleaner gave it a shot.  The 1960's must have been slow on 7th, because the space was again vacant in 1964.

In 1971 the building was offered for sale at $22,500.  Filmlab operated there throughout the decade and into the 80's, until they moved up to the corner on Liberty. Today that storeroom, at 445, is owned by Peter Lewnes,  current 7th Street Development Director.

Back at 521,  rough times were coming again. In 1991 Unique Treasures opened. Apparently, the merchandize wasn't unique enough, because by 1993 it was the People's Choice Store.  They were ahead of the times by about 25 years, and were dispensing marijuana, until the police thought better of it.  Years later, in 2012, a barber shop fronted for an after-hours club in the basement.

Peter Lewnes is doing a terrific job  managing the street. Over the decades I had many favorite eating spots on 7th Street.  I look forward to the continued development of the street,  and I will learn more about that hammer.

reprinted from May of 2020

Allentown Parking Authority 2023

Today I planned on running a reprinted Parking Authority post, with an addendum about increased enforcement in the west end.  However,  I came across an older facebook piece by community activist Julian Kern, he reported...

So I found out from a confidential source that the Allentown Parking Authority has instated a daily quota their officers must meet every day. They must now write 100 tickets per day. Not only will this affect the officers but it will affect the residents of the city because now officers will be pushed to write more tickets. Former executive director Tamara Dolan said at a city council meeting that the APA does not have a quota or push their officers to write tickets but that they push for compliance. Well now they have a quota so don't be surprised you see more tickets being issued. I certainly have no problem believing that there is a quota, regardless of what the Parking Authority may say. In the past I have documented them being less than honest about surveys they falsely claimed to have conducted. .Julian Kern May 8, 2018

The Parking Authority was created under less than meritorious circumstances. Old timers may remember when three meter maids, working for the police department, monitored the parking meters in golf carts. Downtown was still busy back then, and three people were enough for the shopping district. However, when the owners of Park & Shop decided the heydays were over, they prevailed upon the city to buy the lots...and the Allentown Parking Authority was born, to bail those influentials out from under those parking lots. Since then, they have grown into the beast that preys upon the citizens of Allentown. 

Shown above is the parking officer I used to call the Producer. I suppose by now he's probably retired, it's a photograph from 2009 or so. He's giving street cleaning tickets on 16th St., just off of Allen 

St.. Never mind that the city hadn't even plowed the snow yet! 

Over the past 15 years I have written many posts on the Parking Authority and their abuses. Those so interested can use the search engine on this blog's sidebar (web version) and type in Parking Authority. I often portrayed the Authority as Frankenstein's monster, preying on residents, people voting, and even parents picking up their school children.

So, in the meantime, don't forget to pay your tickets!

ADDENDUM:  Mr Kern's quote was actually from May of 2018. I modified the post to clarify that his quote isn't current. Nevertheless, the complaint about recent harassment by the Authority in the west end is current. Quotes and complaints about the Parking Authority can never really be out of date.

link to more Parking Authority posts

An Allentown School Primer

While Morning Call readers learned yesterday that Allentown School superintendent Russ Mayo would not be seeking another contract, molovinsky readers already knew that since early last week. However, today's post is a lesson in recent history. Before Mayo, the superintendent was John Zahorchak. The board that hired him thought very highly of themselves for that choice. Zahorchak was former Secretary of Education under Rendell. What the board didn't realize was that while the Rendell administration was a case study in cronyism, it was not concerned with expertise. Zahorchak came to town and turned the school system inside out, and upside down. He instituted every new concept ever written in the education magazines. Among one bad move after another, he transfered Allen High's very effective principal to desk job on Penn Street. In wake of the mess, the board was then glad to hire Mayo, who was familiar with the system before the chaotic changes.

Allentown School System has been suffering from the same problems which affect all urban systems with high poverty rates.  Why the board thinks that a new superintendent will change the parameters of that reality escapes me.  The district just announced that there will be another year with no tax increase, which would be considered welcome news in most communities.

Now some older history;  Shown above is Dorothy Taliaferro, as pictured in the 1920 Allentown High School yearbook.  Dorothy was a vocal supporter for woman suffrage, and hoped to become a doctor. She was the first Black girl to graduate from Allentown.  Although Dorothy did not fulfill that career ambition,  she had two younger brothers who did become physicians.  The family lived at 450 Union Street, which was later demolished in one of Allentown's misguided urban renew projects.

Thanks to Dan Doyle for loan of the 1920 Comus.  

reprinted from 2016

ADDENDUM JANUARY 12, 2023: While Dorothy above was the first Black to graduate Allentown, Russ Mayo may well have been the last white superintendent. As I reported in previous posts, the current school board seems obsessed with race. Recently, the NAACP accused a white board member of "sporting" a Hispanic married name, to deceive the voters. Two white members have just resigned from the board, although not for racial reasons. However, race may well become an issue with their replacements.  As a former delinquent myself at Allentown High, I can assure the board that we never knew or cared who the superintendent was....he didn't have to look like us. Furthermore, we never even knew that there was a school board.

Allentown's First Black Bar

In a neighborhood that no longer exists, Allentown's first legal Black liquor establishment had a short tortured run.

McLaughlin's Cafe was on the corner of Wire and Lehigh, at the bottom of the hill. Wire was the street that ran along the Wire Mill, another long forgotten part of Allentown's industrial history. By the mid 1950's, things were getting rough in the old bar. Police became a regular referee as fights and prostitution frequented the establishment. Finally the state liquor board decided to pull their license. 

The neighborhood had two complexions. There were the white descendants of the factory workers, and it also was the center of Allentown's small Black population.

Hamp Webb was a popular figure in the Black community. Just outside the straight and narrow, he was courted by the white officials for his influence with his community. Hamp operated unlicensed speakeasies with some success.

In the final days of McLaughlin's, they featured black entertainers from Philadelphia, and even referred to it as the Black & White Club. As McLaughlin's license was being revoked, he negotiated a sale to Hamp Webb.

The Morning Call reported that he fought to secure a license to provide a drinking establishment for his fellow Negroes, where they could congregate without being molested. After a court hearing, he was finally given the license in 1957, and Ham Webb Bar&Grill opened.

Hamp Webb was killed the following year in an automobile accident. While operation of the bar was taken over by his sons, they apparently didn't have local connections to deflect legal citations that came with operating a rough bar in a tough neighborhood. The property and license were liquidated at a tax sale in 1960.

reprinted from April of 2020

Boxing Eggs

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

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

reprinted from July 2011

Stephen Colbert School Of Journalism

The marriage between news and entertainment isn't new, but it's now polygamous, with opinion and politics. With the Stephen Colberts and Jon Stewarts, pundits are comedians, and comedians are pundits.  Both parties, left and right, are the brunt of the other sides' jokes.

This merging of politics, humor and ridicule did the country no good. People have become so polarized that they think that the other side deserves the derision.

I have no delusions that we will revert back to more separation between news and entertainment... That paste isn't going back into the tube.  There is no longer any separation between news and opinion. On the contrary, down the road today's broadcasts might look scholarly. Instead of beautiful blondes, perhaps the news will be delivered by a dummy and ventriloquist...and we won't know the difference.

Zooming In On Allentown's Past

Today I assigned our aging staff photographer to document the demolition of the 1st National Bank building. He only took two photographs, complaining that there was no water spray to control the dust. For a building supposedly encumbered with asbestos, one would think that the pedestrians of Allentown deserved better treatment, but of course the upscale people have yet to arrive. Regular readers have been hearing about Lehigh Structural Steel on this blog. If you click on and enlarge this closeup, you can clearly see Lehigh Structural Steel Allentown is stenciled on this main beam. Imagine a time when an Allentown centered bank used steel beams made in Allentown for its headquarters in center square. We will be lucky if the beams used in the new building are made in the U.S.A.

UPDATE: A Morning Call video shows water being sprayed during the demolition. The spray person may have been on lunch break yesterday when I visited the site. 

reprinted from October of 2012

Images Of Allentown Past

Tillie's Bakery, on the narrow 900 block of Liberty Street, was actually a family factory outlet store. Behind the house, whose living room served as the store, facing an alley called Fountain Street, was Long's Bakery. Long's produced small plastic wrapped shoefly pies and breakfast cakes, which were distributed in local grocery stores throughout Allentown. Tillie Long would open the bakery store several hours each day, and the small selection of wrapped bake goods would quickly be snatched up by knowledgeable neighbors. Peter and Tillie operated the factory and bakery front for the better part of a century. Afterwards, the business was operated by their son, William. The bakery building on Fountain Street is now apartments.

reprinted from May of 2013

ADDENDUM JANUARY 5, 2023:After a week of bashing Allentown's current administration and newspaper, I'm drawn to the serenity of a historical post. Nowadays, such posts tend to be reprints, because so little of Allentown's past remains. Furthermore, I'm drawn to write about that which I knew and experienced, such as Tillie's Bakery. Sometimes, I even have the pleasure of using my own photography from back in those days.

I'm aware that new places are making new memories, for Allentown's new residents. In the future, some young man who has grown older in Allentown will print his images of Allentown's past.

Newspaper Hubris

I watched a panel discussion on mainstream news, which placed the blame for George Santos on the declining size of the press.  The panel did note that a small weekly paper on Long Island had investigated Santos' fabrications, but the story was never picked up by larger venues. Their premise was if the current larger papers still had larger staffs, Santos would have been exposed before the primary elections.

As a longstanding observer of the Morning Call, third largest paper in important Pennsylvania, I take issue with that panel's conclusions.  I saw a corrupt mayor evade Morning Call scrutiny for over a decade. I see a very questionable development plan (NIZ) not only not scrutinized, but even promoted! The Morning Call has always ridden with the local establishment, never upsetting the local sacred cows. Just like the larger papers in New York didn't acknowledge the small weekly that reported Santos' misrepresentations, the Morning Call has no use for local bloggers and the stories we break.

While the Morning Call is much smaller than years ago, their ego remains large.

former Morning Call building shown above

19th Street Theater District Goes Loud

Last night Allentown city council decreed that the noise complaints against the Maingate were actually racially based against the changing demographics in the city. That distorted logic played well with the hundred or so supporters that the Maingate owner brought with him. Candida Affa testified that her gay bar had experienced the same intolerance years ago.

Residents of St. George, 18th, Liberty and Allen Streets might be surprised to learn that hardly anybody will be adversely effected by the Noise Exemption District. These are the invisible people who conduct neighborhood cleanups and hold street fairs on 19th Street. There was no polling of the residents, and some only found out about the proposal yesterday. Many others do not yet even know that City Hall just arbitrarily compromised the quality of their lives.

Conspicuously missing from the contorted map of the new district is the Wert's Cafe complex. Although Police Chief Granitz stated that he will abide by council's decision, his concerns about equal enforcement of law were apparent.

Allentown doesn't belong in the bar business, especially choosing winners and losers. It's always interesting and disappointing to see the new council members trade their ideals for a seat on that dais.

 above reprinted from February 20, 2020 

ADDENDUM JANUARY 3, 2023:Despite Allentown creating a special district to allow the MainGate to avoid Pa. Liquor Board loud noise scrunity, their license was suspended July 20, 2022. I do not know their current status, nor do I care. Although I went to bat for that neighborhood on that absurd city favoritism to the Maingate, I stood there alone in front of council that night... Blatant case of municipal corruption and neighborhood apathy.

Urban Safari

Exclusive to molovinskyonallentown; this blogger has learned that along with the golf course concession, the Allentown BrewWorks has received the first franchise to conduct urban safaris in Allentown. The evening excursions will begin and end from the safety of the municipal golf course parking lot, in the deep west end. Although still in the planning stages, sites on the tour will include 9th and Chew, gunfire epicenter of the new Allentown, and a drive-by of Trinkles Cafe. Within the safety of the armored Hummer, guests will visit an actual forensic site, and watch police officers search for shell casings. The guides will tastefully point out probable ladies of the night and merchants of recreational pharmaceuticals. The tour will include stopping in front of the home of an urban pioneer, where actual members of OAPA will wave from behind their windows. With special permission from Lanta, the excursion will drive through the bus yard, showing real passengers waiting on cold steel benches, eating stale donuts. For a VIP tour, actually driven by Mayor Pawlowski himself, contact the special events coordinator at Allentown City Hall or the Allentown BrewWorks. Jarrett Renshaw of The Morning Call did not contribute to this story. 

above reprinted from December 28, 2008 

ADDENDUM JANUARY 2, 2023: After ending the year beating up current city officials, it was my intention to start this year nice. Although I'm not creative enough to find something currently nice to write about, I have an extensive archive, stretching back a decade and a half. 

However, waking up to the news that four youths were shot by the East Side Youth Center took the nice out of me. Over the weekend, both the mayor and newspaper editor wrote about good news and hope. Those of you who need to dose on those delusions might find comfort with their greeting card type writing. Since neither of those gentlemen have any use for me, I will provide no links to their nonsense. 

Maybe next year, I can start off nicer.

I Dreamt I Was Invited To The Pat Browne Lovefest

In the dream not only was I invited, I got to sit with all the guest speakers. J. B. Reilly thanked Browne for making him a $Billionaire, and he did somehow seem taller than those $Millionaires in attendance. Alan Jennings thanked Browne for whatever peanuts were thrown the way of his organization.

Also in attendance, but at a separate table, was Ed Pawlowski, who was furloughed from prison for the occasion. Pawlowski was seated with Satan himself, who was the featured speaker.

The Devil, and all the lessor speakers, all pretty much said the same thing... Thank you Pat for bringing the NIZ to town, and making Allentown at least appear prosperous.  Mayor Tuerk said that the NIZ has attracted over $1 billion in new development investment in the city of Allentown. Let us hope that he really understands that the attraction is that diverted state taxes are used for the mortgage debt service, on privately owned buildings no less. Besides that, not one private or other red cent has been invested in Allentown. He then explained that Allentown plans to dress up a Gateway down Hamilton from the west. Only those coming in from the north, east or south will realize what a sham the NIZ actually is.

When I woke up from the dream,  I was grateful that it was just a dream, and that I wasn't really at that table with those delusions about Allentown.

above rendering of new gateway from west Hamilton Street

Defending George Santos

Congressman elect George Santos has ignited a storm of criticism by having embellished his resume, including misrepresenting his Jewish heritage.  Among the offended includes the Jewish Republican Coalition, which will not invite him to future events. The Democrat he defeated wants a rematch!

I am one Jew who is not offended. In two short years Santos will be up for re-election. If the voters of his NYC district are not satisfied with his performance, or cannot forgive his exaggerations from this past election cycle, they simply need not continue his employment as their representative. 

As a local pundit I have seen numerous elected officials misrepresent in office. I have seen them exaggerate their accomplishments for constituents, and pander for re-election. I have seen them praised, despite what I consider unethical behavior. This baptism by fire might actually make incoming representative Santos more responsive to truth than his colleagues, when he actually serves. 

It's no surprise that this pre-inauguration protest is coming from more Democrats (Santos is Republican), and that the Democrats are also criticizing the Republican Party for not proposing harsher punishments for Santos. I think that all Santos' critics should be put under the same microscope.  

We don't condemn exiting politicians from becoming lobbyists, which is at the bottom of the ethical barrel.

*****Five Star Post: Occasionally I have the pleasure of writing a post that I know will be appreciated by no one.  I suppose it's a result from being an independent. While I'm politically a non-partisan independent, I'm also socially independent. The last group I belonged to was the Cub Scouts, over seventy years ago.  Specifically, in regard to this post, so many of your elected officials(both R & D) are lying sacks, who you have elected over and over again. If I have offended you, you may request a subscription refund.

ADDENDUM: I wrote this post several days ago. Since then both the number of investigations of Mr. Santos, and the public outcry, have been steadily growing... That growth and/or scapegoating, allows both you and your elected officials to feel better about the myriad of ongoing deceptions in your district.

Back To The Future With Wehr's Dam

Future students of local history will only find revisionism about saving Wehr's Dam...except for this blog. Last year, the Morning Call wrote a whitewash of the story. I label it a whitewash, because the reporter knew the truth. I had given her the true sequence of events, and the supporting documents, yet she reported the version given her by those who plotted against the dam for years. Although the Morning Call supported the plotters' position* all along, I was still surprised by that final compromise of journalistic integrity.

What brings me back to the dam today is a new story on the reconstruction by Lehigh Valley News. com. Their reporter inadvertently rehabilitated one of the plotters... Matt Mobilio is quoted in the new piece saying I appreciate it, and I think it's beautiful... In reality, he fought against honoring the voters' referendum to save the dam, and wondered out loud how they could get out from under the obligation to keep the dam.

Back in the beginning, when the Wildlands Conservancy was planning to demolish the dam,* the Morning Call's Bill White joined their effort and wrote that he took his dog there every day, but wouldn't allow him to swim in that dirty water. He was referring to the silt filled pond behind the dam. Bill never explained why he went there everyday, when he lives next to Allentown's Trexler Park. Bill went there to enjoy the unique beauty of the spot... The only place that you can see water flowing over a dam and under a covered bridge at one vista. Bill is correct that the pond is full of silt.

The Wildlands Conservancy spent over $200 thousand on studies trying to strongarm the township into demolition. That money could have been constructively used to dredge out the silt.

Although I no longer attend public meetings, or even venture out much any more, I hope to attend a township meeting by spring. I will express my gratitude to the new commissioners for honoring the voters' referendum to save the dam, and request that they consider having the silt removed from behind the dam.

* Those interested in the complete story of saving Wehr's Dam can use the search engine on this blog's sidebar. Type in Wehr's Dam, and numerous posts will appear.

photocredit:molovinsky/Wehr's Covered Bridge

Allentown Black, White and Pale

I was surprised when the president of the local NAACP recently accused the Allentown school board of racism. The last two superintendents were Black, as is the newly hired interim one. 

However outlandish as that accusation seemed to me, the women of the local NAACP (W.I.N) go further, and complain that a white board woman is masquerading as Hispanic, by using her husband's name.  Further yet, they complain that black children are oppressed by the board, because a committee is composed of only white members. 

ALLENTOWN NAACP: Jennifer Lynn Ortiz (AKA) Jennifer-Hartnett-Ortiz is an Allentown School District Board Member. And we, the Women in the NAACP Allentown Branch (W.I.N.), believe she intentionally allowed the community of the Allentown School District to think that she was a person of color through the use of her married name in a recent Allentown School District Board election.

On Thursday, December 1, 2022, at the Allentown School District Board meeting election, ASD Board members voted 5 to 4 against Lisa Conover continuing her role as VP of the Allentown School District Board. The white members voted for Nancy Wilt to step down from the board's presidential position to take the VP position away from a Black woman. It’s a diverse school district. Now the executive committee has no Black member. Why wouldn’t they want a diverse executive committee? We have received numerous phone calls complaining about Lisa Conover’s being voted out of office by the rest of the board, who happen to be all white, believing that Ortiz’s vote, as a Latino, would most likely have been cast in Conover’s favor. The public is demoralized because they credited Jennifer Ortiz as Latino, who actually voted for an all-white ASD Executive Board that has oppressed our Black and Brown children. The high volume of complaints caused by Jennifer Ortiz’s misleading identity must be publicly expressed. Jennifer Hartnett-Ortiz is not a Latino. Jennifer Ortiz is a white woman who married a Latino male and is sporting his last name, “Ortiz.” We believe Jennifer Hartnett-Ortiz won her seat on the board largely because the community thought she was Latino and anticipated a diverse board because of that. Jennifer Hartnett-Ortiz (AKA) Jennifer Ortiz joined the board in 2021 and has Brown children in the district. She claimed she ran for the board to make ASD a better place for everyone. Our children do not benefit from her votes. They are actually harmed by them. For instance, she voted against Dr. Stanford without providing any reason. She voted against a diverse board, turning it into an all-white executive board, and is in the process of voting against a 30-year forensic audit, which could have helped the school system identify problem areas. Jennifer Ortiz also sits on several committees which have not been beneficial to our children. At the same Allentown School Board meeting, Jennifer confessed that she has been, and continues to be, coached under the leadership of Audrey Mathison, the third-time elected ASD Board president. This is the same Audrey Mathison, an Allentown resident who ignored the opportunity to teach in the Allentown School District, which had and still has, a shortage of teachers, to teach privileged Parkland School District students for 40 years before retiring. Throughout those 40 years, we are not aware of Parkland experiencing a similar shortage of teachers. For the last six years, Mathison has retreated to Allentown's underprivileged district to make decisions that resumed the oppression of our children. The Allentown School District, Mathison's home district, wasn’t acceptable for her to educate our children, so why is Mathison here now making decisions for our Black and Brown children? She fought like hell for the Parkland School teachers’ union. Why is she not fighting like hell for a 30-year forensic audit to position the Allentown district in a more positive direction? The Women in the NAACP (W.I.N.) want to know the rationale behind the board members’ votes. They seem to make a great effort to avoid explaining. The Women in the NAACP (W.I.N.)

Their current statement led a reader on facebook to think that the board had no minority members, when in fact four members are Black. The NAACP women (W.I.N) apparently only see color, not one word about student success or failure. 

Perhaps they feel that the school district will improve when the board is purged of all pale faces. What is really necessary for the school district's improvement is an obsession with success, not race.

You will not find many, if any, articles elsewhere critical of the local NAACP. Between living in the Valley of Sacred Cows, and the growing Minority Majority population, such articles would be deemed off limits by other publications. However, this blog is not monetized, but rather a labor of compulsion, by an independent, graying and outspoken blogger.

Hope and Promise For Allentown

Hasshan Batts years ago augmented his social services salary by dealing drugs, now he deals Democrats... And it's much more lucrative.  

Newly re-elected Congressman Susan Wild just delivered the goods for Batts, over $1.5mil!!!.  Batts is the new Hope and Promise for Allentown. We're putting our faith in his mentors, rather than our police department. 

In this era of victims and sympathizers, Batts and Company Inc., offers one stop shoppers a place to feel good about themselves. Fortunately for Batts, Wild and Tuerk, in this valley local government delusions are only reported upon by a couple of bloggers.

Wild's gift is the fruit of the just passed federal budget of $1.7 Trillion!!! Add that to the Stimulus money, and we have a new generation of non-profit goldbrickers.

For those of you who came here today looking for the hope and promise, I apologize for the post's title. I further apologize for such reality bombs during the season of joy.

A Reflection On Christmas Lights

When I was a child, when it came to Christmas lights, more seemed better. I recall my father taking us to see a house out on Union Street, beyond Union Terrace, which decorated lawn, house and roof. The home owner continued that tradition for many years, until he became too old to perform that labor of love. 

When I became older and more visual, I found less decorations more tasteful. Not only was I drawn to less, but also older. Over the years my camera would turn to the retro decorations, especially those faded and shopworn. The film elmusion has held up better than my memory...I can only guess where the photo above was taken. 

Today's inflatables are not, in my opinion, camera worthy.

reprinted from previous years

ADDENDUM DECEMBER 23, 2022: This is the second reprinted post this week that mentions the big light show of my youth, just west of Union Terrace on Union St. I also again complain about the inflatable decorations. Originally, these posts weren't presented the same year, much alone the same week. 

My distain for the inflatables has only deepened. The gentleman on Union Street had to work...Lights, ladders, muscle power and storage. Today, the pile of inflatables is spread around, and the pump turned on. Even complaining about it takes more effort and creativity than required for those displays of vinyl future litter. 

Nevertheless, even if you put up an inflatable, I wish you a Happy Holiday! 

Fotografia

In 1969 I bought my first 35mm camera, a Mamiya Sekor 500. The 500 referred to the top shutter speed. My new digital camera's top electronic shutter speed is 32,000. Although I have been doing photography for over fifty years, I have no idea what use I would have for any speed over 1/2000 of a second. Truth be told, I have no idea or use for 98% of the function choices on the new camera, nor in the editing programs.

After grade 16, and a short stint doing audiovisual for a school system, I worked in a camera store in Nashua, N.H.. Photography was popular then, and Massachusetts' residents saved the sales tax by crossing the state border.

I returned to Allentown, and operated a small custom darkroom on 8th Street for a few more years. Although I stopped doing my own darkroom work, I continued taking pictures. I reluctantly gave up film emulsion for digital about twenty years ago. 

I have the pleasure of using my own photography in many of my blog posts. For social media size purposes, today's cell phone cameras can duplicate the quality of my old Mamiya Sekor 500, but they don't command the same commitment to the image. 

photocredit:molovinsky/Nashua,N.H./1974

Molovinsky Christmas Tour

Yesterday I posted about Bill White's recommended Christmas Light tours.  I hope that caravans of  new SUV's are taking White's tours, because he publishes his recommendations every year.  Bill, after all these years,  has his job down almost on autopilot;  Christmas light tours,  Eating his way through Musikfest,  Cake contest at fair, Grammar columns,  Hall of Shame, Worst sentence writer. etc., etc.

Anyway, I recommend that nobody take my light tour,  it's in the hood in center city Allentown. Actually, the block shown has had its share of crime in recent years. The alley is narrow,  so there is no passing another car.  The double parkers get very annoyed if you beep your horn.  Best to stick with White's tours out in suburbia, with the inflated decorations that are flaccid during the day.  Personally,  I prefer the center city house decorations.  There is something so much more inspiring about decorating a low income house, many of which are rentals.  It makes me feel better and more hopeful about downtown.

reprinted from December of 2017

Bill White's Christmas Lights

I was never on Bill White's Christmas Lights tour, but all I could think of was Chevy Chase, putting together the plug in his Christmas Lampoon Movie. I imagined that in Bill's mind, the more the better, aesthetics beside. Yesterday the newspaper showed photographs of some of the houses; Yep, I was right. Now, I understand the appeal of wattage, especially for children. As a child, my father would drive us by a house on Union Street, just beyond Union Terrace. It was a ranch house with easy access to the roof. This man did the whole shebang; roof outline in lights, Santa sled and reindeer on roof, and lots of lawn ornaments. As the gentleman and his display aged, less would appear each year. Fortunately for children, Santa, although no spring chicken and fat, never gets too old to deliver. Blogger's Note: Christmas lights are enjoyed by people of all ages and faiths. Bill White and his crew have spent many hours locating those houses which best give what he calls the gift of WOW. Pictures and directions for the light tour can be found on The Morning Call Website.

reprinted from December of 2010

Christmas Time In Allentown

The other day Kenneth Heffentrager announced that he was interested in being appointed to the Redevelopment Authority. Ken has a dilemma; Such appointments are made by the mayor, and Ken is a grass roots street level organizer. Pawlowski historically has appointed certified yes men to his boards. It is for that reason that often one person will serve on several boards in Allentown. Although Ken is a founding member of the Allentown Tenant Association, he has also been somewhat of a thorn in Pawlowski's side, advocating for more housing inspectors. Although he is completely qualified for the position he seeks, this blog post isn't really about him.

Ken made his pitch for appointment on facebook. One of the readers wished him well, but then commented that she did not want to concern herself with such matters during the Christmas season. Politicians count on such reactions. Add in those that concentrate on Thanksgiving, Easter and their summer vocation, and you can end up electing an indicted mayor.  Another reader, who herself was appointed by Pawlowski to another commission, wondered if Ken would be able to function objectively,  considering his past tensions with the mayor.  I think that citizens should wonder if someone who is an avid supporter of Pawlowski could function fairly in such a position?

While my interest in local politics isn't reduced by holidays, the recent election results were very discouraging. Perhaps that is why this blog has been concentrating on its other component, local history. On that note,  I have used this old A-Treat Seasons Greetings as today's illustration. The A-Treat Company, after closing several years ago,  has been purchased and restarted by the Jaindl family.

above reprinted from December of 2017

ADDENDUM DECEMBER 19, 2022: Readers of this blog lately have seen more reprints of my history based posts. When it comes to the political component, I'm becoming more and more subdued. With a corrupt mayor like Pawlowski, I had one abuse after another to expose. Tuerk, although not corrupt, is more of a pied piper.  Playing his flute, his followers are so flattered by the cultural tune, they're willing to overlook litter, crime and a declining quality of life. Council now would rather fund and empower hope and promises, rather than hire more policemen for more enforcement. 

In this blog's earlier years, I would attend city council meetings and speak out against such shortcomings. Now, it seems that both council, and enough residents to re-elect them, are satisfied with the status quo. 

There are those of us who still remember when Allentown had different values.

Markets Of Allentown's Past

When I was growing up my parents lived on two ends of Allentown, first the south side and then the west end.  I was fortunate to have experienced two great independent markets of Allentown's past.

The Lehigh Super Market had a great section of small inexpensive toys for a small boy.  An easy walk from Little Lehigh Manor,  I could keep my Hopalong Casidy six shooter in caps, and replace my lost water pistol each summer.  The ice cream fountain featured hand dipped Breyers.  While the kids took a cone, the parents would have a quart or gallon scooped and weighed to take home.

Before  Food Fair was built farther west on Lehigh Street,  my mother would do all her shopping, except for meat,  at Lehigh Market.  Although I didn't pay too much attention, I do remember the cookie selection.

In the late 1950's my parents moved to the west end, and my times at Deiley's West Gate Market began.  Although too old to notice the toy selection,  the soda fountain became a hangout.

In addition to numerous corner markets, every section of Allentown had a popular larger independent, like Lehigh or Deiley's.   A few like Hersh's Market, have survived to this day.

photo of Deiley's Market in 1938

reprinted from April of 2020

The Butchers Of Allentown

photograph by Bob Wilt

A&B (Arbogast&Bastian), dominated the local meat packing industry for almost 100 years. At it's peak, they employed 700 people and could process 4,000 hogs a day. The huge plant was at the foot of Hamilton Street, at the Lehigh River. All that remains is their free standing office building, which has been incorporated into America on Wheels. Front and Hamilton was Allentown's meatpacking district. Within one block, two national Chicago meatpackers, Swift and Wilson, had distribution centers. Also in the area were several small independents, among them M. Feder and Allentown Meat Packing Company.

Allentown Meat Packing was owned by my father and uncle. The area was criss-crossed with tracks, owned by both LVRR and Jersey Central. All the plants had their own sidings. This is an era when commerce was measured in factories and production, not just relocated office workers.

Molovinsky On Allentown occasionally takes a break from the local political discourse to present local history.  My grandfather came to Allentown in 1891 and lived in the Ward on 2nd Street. By the time my father was born in 1917, they lived on the corner of Chew and Jordan Streets.

reprinted from previous years

Two Butchers From Allentown's Past

Those coming here today looking for a story about sloppy civic leadership will be disappointed. This post is literally about butchers, more specifically, some butchers at Allentown Packing Company.

A few days ago, while at the Fairground's Farmers Market, I learned that Bobby had passed away. Bobby was the "kid" who worked at my father's meat market on Union Street. Bobby grew up in an orphanage, a hardship which my father respected. One meat cutter that I knew nothing about was Lamont, other than he lived at the West End Hotel. He was a bear of a man, who could carry a beef quarter from the cooler with no effort. I never saw Lamont in the market portion of the shop, he always remained in the back, either in the large cooler or the adjoining cutting room. While my father insisted that people working on the counter change their meat coat and apron several times during the day, no such rule was imposed upon Lamont. Although he would look over the trays of meat before being taken out to the display cases, he never spoke.

Last time I spoke to Bobby, he told me that he appreciated that my father had taught him a trade, which he used throughout his life.

reprinted from previous years

Rittersville To Be Renamed Reillyville

When I was a kid growing up, the area of the State Hospital was called Rittersville.  Ritter had been a large landowner, and towns named after such were plentiful in Pennsylvania.

Paul Muschick, columnist for the Morning Call, has an article in the paper that the State Hospital won't be forgotten, because they're erecting a plaque about it. Paul must take those plaques much more seriously than the rest of us. 

What they should do is rename that area Reillyville, and erect a plaque about how J.B. Reilly got the parcel for a fraction of its value, in a swan song move by Pat Browne.

Allentown's Race For The Drain

Allentown will be funding a mentor program for the tune of $1.5 Million, that pairs former bad boys with current bad boys, hoping to make them good boys. In former days, Allentown would instead invest such money in a few more police officers. However, we are now progressive enough to try the programs that have failed in the larger urban centers. This year the city will use its American Rescue Plan dollars, while Ce-Ce Gerlach hopes that in the future years, it will a routine item. 

The Credible Messengers Program will be administered through a division of Promise Neighborhoods.  That organization and administrator represent the Defund The Police mentality.  For this mentality to be endorsed by the mayor, and condoned by the police chief, is a sad indicator of Allentown's future.  In my opinion, both of them might themselves need mentors.

Years ago such youth were helped by Big Brothers. Now everyone, instead of volunteering, wants to be paid through supposed non-profits. Bad behavior has become a growth industry.

With posts like these I won't be invited to the Community Pat On The Back Fests.  But, someone has to wave the Caution Flag.

ADDENDUM DECEMBER13,2022: Bernie O'Hare visits mentor program.

Allentown's $10 Million Dollar Joke

Allentown is embarrassed about the Gateway appearance entering downtown Hamilton Street from the west.  Allentown has a lot to be embarrassed about, but the condition of the sidewalk is the least of its problems.  People are concerned about the lack of people on Hamilton Street, and more so, the character of the ones that are there!

Our city leaders and planners are taking about a new sidewalk and new trees. Over the years I have seen them reconfigure that sidewalk at least half a dozen times. Add trees, cut down trees, wrong trees, right trees, add bricks, remove bricks, and never have those things mattered.  

What's sad is these planners know that it doesn't matter, that it's a joke, yet they still do it.

If the new buildings in the above rendering of the new Gateway sidewalk/tree project look lifeless and nondescript, it is because those new buildings are lifeless and nondescript. If I have offended any of the planners, then we're even.

The Night Hamilton Street Died

What was once a thriving block of Hamilton Street will now be turned into a ghost down. Even now, although not the golden age shown above, the block between 7th and 8th does business. Still hosting three chain stores, the block had survived, despite one arrogant mayor after another. The Family Dollar Store is one of their most successful branches. Rainbow (jeans) and Rite Aid also anchor the block, along with successful independents. In a night of shame, one of the most shameful acts was Julio Guridy, interrupting the merchants so that Mayor Pawlowski could educate them. Pawlowski said that the arena could attract up to 1.5 million people a year, and that everyone will benefit, even relocated merchants. Considering that the hockey team only actually attracts 3,000 people to 40 home games, Pawlowski is off by about 1.4 million. In reality, the stores that remain on the south side of the street will now face an empty arena and much less foot traffic. The upscale restaurants, such as Sangria and Cosmopolitan, will suffer, because their patrons will avoid the nighttime traffic congestion. Lou Belletieri told Council that he operated a restaurant across from the Wilkes-Barre Arena, and did no business, what so ever, from it. Councilman Michael Donovan said that although he feels for the merchants, he owes the other 118,000 citizens The Pawlowski Palace of Sport.* He actually owed them the courage to say no to this ill conceived plan.* 

*Palace of Sport is a borrowed term coined by a blog reader. Donovan was joined by five other councilmen in his yes vote. 

above reprinted from May 11, 2011 

ADDENDUM DECEMBER 8, 2022: As it turned out, the arena was a pretense for the Browne/Reilly NIZ. Although there is now a $Billion dollars of new construction (owned by one man), Hamilton Street is deader than ever. The arena sits empty almost all year, and the hockey games draw only a fraction of the 2011 estimate. Although, as an advocate for the former merchants, the 2011 post above is very tough on Guridy and Donovan... Allentown benefited from both of them, and their service as councilmen.  

Opposition to the NIZ scheme, and a continuing chronicle of it, were/are limited almost exclusively to this blog.

Sign Of The Times

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

ADDENDUM JUNE 17, 2022: The Cosmopolitan proved to be too cosmopolitan for Allentown. While the owner's deep pockets kept it open for a few years, even the next more modest reincarnation couldn't complete with the new NIZ subsidized competitors. 

A recent article in the Morning Call heralds the $Billion dollars invested by J.B. Reilly's City Center Realty on Hamilton and adjoining Streets...That money of course is diverted state income tax, and is our investment, not his, but he gets to own it. Although this blog was hoping to restrict itself to history for a spell, the Morning Call's omission on this and other matters compels me to retain this blog's political bureau.

ADDENDUM DECEMBER 7, 2022: I have learned from local photographer Christopher Elston that in addition to the Sal's sign, the Colonial Theater sign also was salvaged. Both signs are apparently in the city warehouse on S. 10th St.. Elston recently rescued the Beachhead Comics sign.

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

ADDENDUM DECEMBER 5, 2022: My photo above is from August of 2008. Today's reprint is based on correcting the historical record. The Morning Call's premise of Sal's being rebuilt was used on Wikipedia, and yesterday that misinformation was recycled on Allentown Chronicles, a facebook group that I administer...There was nothing rebuilt about the Cosmopolitan, it was a completely new building, including the foundation.

Morning Call Fog

Those of us who still subscribe to the Morning Call are used to seeing the same stories, over and over. They even use the same opinion writers, over and over.  While I think that it would be fair to call me a critic of the paper, even I was surprised by a recent article on a restaurant closing.

The article went into what the menu had been, and where they had sourced the ingredients. They clearly took the article about the opening, and did some reverse writing, like reverse engineering on some electronic product. 

Defenders of the paper, if there are any, might say but you too use reprinted posts. But please remember that this blog is the very early morning musings of an aging troublemaker. And, last time I checked my mailbox, nobody is being charged for a subscription here.

My addendum on yesterday's reprinted post, about the abuse the former merchants suffered under the Pawlowski administration, takes us back to the recycled Opinion Writers at the Morning Call. Alan Jennings took great exception to my description of his recent editorial, opening and closing his comment by calling me a liar. He insisted that he wants market priced housing, not affordable housing (he used the term low-cost housing in his editorial), after sections of Allentown are cleared of the current obsolete substandard housing.  He doesn't detail who would pay for the acquisition of those buildings and their demolition. Currently, converted row houses are selling for about $125K per apartment, so a three unit row costs $375k...A block of them would easily cost $5million dollars. 

In addition to Alan Jennings, the Morning Call Opinion stable includes Don Cunningham. Although Cunningham himself was a former General Services Director in Harrisburg, he hasn't said or written one word about the State Hospital outrage. That is where the state spent $20million to tear down buildings, so that Reilly could purchase the parcel for $5.5million.  I suppose in Jennings' world, the taxpayer would pay untold $millions to clear away the downtown Allentown tenements, so that ?market rate/low-cost? housing could be built.