Allentown's NIZ Revealed

Although the office workers and their income taxes used for Reilly's mortgage debt service are real, this blog has always maintained that the so called demand for restaurants and high end stores is fakery. Worse, that fakery is hyped as reality by The Morning Call. Between the lines of the Shula's Bankruptcy, my contention is proved correct.  Shula's owed virtually every vendor they dealt with money. They were just another prop in Reilly's illusion show. Reilly operates the Dime and the Starbucks himself, and reportedly provided the liquor licenses to several of the other eating spots.  I also still contend that there are many ghost tenants in the Strata Flats, as indicated by dark windows and few people seen, coming or going. Although, none of this is a crime,  the paper printing the promotions as news, is disturbing.

photocredit:Harry Fisher/The Morning Call

Breakfast At Tiffany's With Pawlowski

On the morning of March 10th, the Chamber of Commerce is proudly,* no less, hosting breakfast with Mayor Ed Pawlowski, at the Renaissance. For a mere $99 dollars, $49 for members, you can learn about all the development news in Allentown's NIZ. The event is being sponsored by Alvin Butz and the other benefactors/beneficiaries of the Allentown regime. I'm sure that the defenders of this event will say that it was scheduled last year, like the Rotary's State of the City.  Instead of the sponsor's table, perhaps there will be the subpoena table.

* although the word proudly was used in previous years, for some reason it does not appear on the Chamber event news announcement this year.

Arena Steals From Taxpayers, Reichley or Wrongly

The Allentown School District has filed a lawsuit against the Arena for not paying property taxes,  yet containing retail businesses, which compete with taxpaying businesses.  Defense counsel for the arena claims that this is permitted by the NIZ state law, as enacted in Harrisburg.  Unfortunately, for the taxpayers, this case is being heard by Judge Douglas Reichley.  Reichley said "The curious thing is that none of those entities are here. None of those [businesses] appear to be complaining."  I find that statement very telling.  While you wouldn't expect to see the few small pre-NIZ surviving business owners at such a  court case, you might expect Reichley to make a relevant disclosure;  Reichley didn't mention that previously he was a state representative,  who passed the NIZ.

photo from the Chickie's & Pete's at the arena

Allentown's Arena District, A License To Steal

The owners of PPL Plaza, who are losing Talen Energy to Jaindl's waterfront NIZ, have sued the NIZ for the unfair playing field that the NIZ has created.  Attorneys for the NIZ say that the Plaza owners made a bad business decision in 2006, and overpaid for the building.  Of course the Plaza owners are correct,  an unlevel playing field is an understatement.  To add insult to actual injury, the NIZ board has decreed that Jaindl can apply a percentage of the taxes paid by the Talen workers for his debt service.   The Plaza owners were not the only owners hurt by the NIZ.  Among losses by other owners, Doug Frederick is losing Morgan Stanley, Boyertown lost Penn National, and the Masonic Temple lost Buckno Lisicky.

Although Pawlowski and The Morning Call like to say that Allentown has been revitalized,  in truth the revitalization has mostly centered on the wallets of J.B. Reilly, and a few other chosen individuals.  While the pre-opening arena hype spoke of 140 events a year, the white elephant stands idle, all but for a few dozen nights.

I have heard speculation that Pawlowski's overdue indictment might be related to pending charges against some principles involved in the NIZ,  but I don't believe that they are the fish to be fried.  Unfortunately, the NIZ was given a license to steal, from your elected midgets in Harrisburg.

Pawlowski Coming Home To Roost

The consequences of our ambitious mayor from Chicago are coming home to roost, shootings and bodies piling up. The national searches, like for the former police chief, came to naught. His campaign funds, first for governor, and then for United States Senator, are now being used for his defense fund. His refusal to resign, and a newspaper which confuses the press with promotion, has created a slow motion, suspended animation of reality. But, let me say that the reality is not so good anyway.

We have a poverty rate of about 60%, most of whom have no interest in local government. While we have a set of self serving phonies willing to replace our current elected officials, there are some sincere citizens devoting their energy for a better Allentown. You can see them at the City Council meetings asking questions, which are seldom, if ever answered.

ADDENDUM: In 2005, when i ran as an independent for mayor, although shut-out by the Morning Call, i warned about the poverty magnet;  A number of competing programs were actually inducing the poor to move to allentown, in droves.  Pawlowski  contributed to this situation in a number of ways,  funding such organizations with community block funds.  Ten years later,  he thinks that we can build our way out of this situation with a hockey arena,  apparently not.

photocredit:The Morning Call

The Farr Tract; Political Correctness vs. Property Rights

Harvey Farr and his widow left LVHN a 50plus acre tract of land, which they want permission to subdivide, to maximize its value. They are faced off against the Wildlands Conservancy, which claims that it wants to buy the land to preserve it, and Ron Beitler, who is confusing his personal land preservation preferences with his commissioner duties. Although Chris Kocher and his Wildlands Company states that they want to apply for a grant to purchase the land, here's a molovinsky on allentown exclusive; The Wildlands have told other parties over the years that they want their land for preservation, but needs grants. They eventually end up with some of these parcels through donation, but seldom actually ever purchase any of them. They tried to tie up one such parcel on South Mountain for over a decade, hoping that the Wildlands would eventually inherit the property. But here's the real crux of the situation; I knew Harvey Farr, and if it was his desire that the land be preserved by the Wildlands, he would have given it to them.  He didn't give it to them,  and now they're trying to steal it.

ADDENDUM: I believe that Lower Macgunie has already abused the property rights of LVHN on at least on two occasions, by not responding to plans for age restricted housing. Furthermore, I would think that attorneys for the hospital should insist that Ron Beitler recuse himself from any deliberations concerning that parcel, which is already zoned for residential development.

giant flag hung from the Farr Building in 1917

The Morning Call Cheesesteak Sunday

For those of you who thought that The Morning Call couldn't get any more cheesy, wait until tomorrow. The Sunday feature will be on guess what, Vince's Cheesesteaks.  A reporter was offended last fall when I stated that the paper is in the bag for Reilly's NIZ. He thought that I was insulting the journalistic integrity of his associates. My apology, certainly the paper should be concentrating on cheesesteaks.  The promotion shown above was on page 2 of Friday's paper.  Under The Morning Call, in the right hand corner, it reads, The Lehigh Valley's First Source for News.  It's becoming the first source for cheesiness.

Allentown, Cheesesteaks and Murder

Allentown's news yesterday was dominated by cheesesteaks and murder. The cheesesteak story was a contrived Morning Call promotion for their beloved NIZ. While one of J.B. Reilly's props, Tony Lukes, was folding, the paper was promoting the failure as success. They even immediately sponsored a cheesesteak contest, to promote Vinces, the replacement for Tony Lukes. If all that promotion wasn't enough, cheerleader and columnist Bill White did a blog on the cheesesteaks.

Meanwhile, back in the real Allentown, a woman's body was found discarded in a trash bin. If that wasn't urban crime enough, a detective got shot pursuing a suspect in the case. What's our suburban NIZ patron to think about all this? Is that cheesesteak worth getting shot over? I write this with some hesitation. I know that the Morning Call won't stop promoting the NIZ, but they might stop reporting the news.

Morning Call Spins Hard For Reilly's NIZ

When Tony Lukes opened up last year, I was amazed at the hoopla bestowed upon them by The Morning Call. While Zandys' spends their money advertising in the paper every week, the Call wrote promotion after promoting for the cheesesteak competitor. Shown above was but one picture of Pawlowski and Peter Schweyer at the opening.  I was going to write today about the paper's recent promotion of Reilly's Strata 2 loft building, however, I never seem to catch up with their sellout journalism.  Now, that Tony Lukes have decided to turn off the grill, the paper spins that the failure is actually success, because another sandwich vendor is going to take over the space.

 I understand growing pains, and yes, Vinces will do better with a $6 steak sandwich than Tony Lukes did with a $10 sandwich, but to spin closings as growth, strains credibility.  Of course, when it comes to NIZ and The Morning Call, there never was any.

ADDENDUM:  The Morning Call has now started a name your favorite cheesesteak place contest. I  sent the following message to the the owners of Vince's;   i wish vince's success at the new location, but must say that if you guys were opening up on union blvd, there wouldn't be a word written by the morning call, nor a "favorite steak shop" contest. it's reilly's face their trying to save, not yours.   m molovinsky aka political blogger

Democracy of Sorts Sprouting in Allentown

City Council is apparently the hot ticket; I'm pleasantly surprised to learn that sixteen people applied for the open seat. Four of them have been deemed ineligible, because they were not Democrats for a least 30 days prior to their application. Although, I'm not going to list them or comment on them individually, you can find their names in an excellent  Morning Call article by Emily Opilo.  It's a positive sign for democracy in Allentown, that so many people still have more faith in council than I do.  I would think that the volume of candidates will also have a rejuvenating effect of existing council members.  Although, we will remain a one party town for the foreseeable future, candidates are adjusting to that reality.  At least one member of council was a former Republican, who adapted to the current climate.  At some point within the next year,  I expect Pawlowski to resign,  and council will eventually shed those that wore the scarlet P.

Photo of City Council in 2010

King Of The Gypsies

According to my mother, a Gypsy prince was buried in Allentown in around 1970, she knew about such things. She was born in Galgo, Hungary, an area of Transylvania, now part of Romania, near present day Gilgau. In Galgo, the Jews and Gypsies lived on the edge of town. In the early 20's, my grandparents, along with their Gypsy neighbors, came to Bethlehem to work at the Steel. On weekends, to make extra money, my grandparents would open their house and show Hungarian movies. None of their relatives, Jew or Gypsy, save one cousin, survived the nazi's; even the cemeteries were desecrated. As you can see from the document above, my grandfather earned his citizenship the hard way.

REPRINTED FROM DEC. 23, 2007

UPDATE: The Morning Call has the story about the Gypsies coming to Allentown.

Not Feeling Allentown's Renaissance.

Every couple of years, as a fund raiser, the Allentown Art Museum features a renovated house tour. A headline on Sunday's society page read, SOTA 2016 Show House reflects Allentown renaissance. I understand that the word renaissance should be in play with a $billion dollars of new development, but you know what, I don't feel it. Understand, that I'm downtown every week. I've been in all the new buildings, I even ate at most of the new restaurants, but I still don't feel it. Actually, nobody does, except the headline editor at The Morning Call, and I'm not sure that he feels it either, but perhaps if it's repeated enough? The Morning Call building is for sale, and although it's across the street from the rest of the NIZ, it's included in the beneficial zone. The Morning Call, despite all the articles promoting the NIZ, has never justified why their building was included. Besides the second zone area by the waterfront, the only other outside parcel included was the Sacred Heart Hospital. Considering all the community benefit that institution has provided the poor of center city, its inclusion was well justified. How about some self-reflection by the paper on their inclusion, now that would be a worthwhile column for Bill White.

No Humility in Allentown

When Pawlowski gave the State Of The City address last month, he was very gentle on both himself and John Felch, Director of The Lehigh  Conference of Churches.  That's the organization that cast the homeless out into the storm.  Felch placed an editorial in the paper on Friday, and painted  the incident as a learning experience.  Mr. Felch, allow me to expand your lesson plan.  Mrs. Pawlowski started a Commission On The  Homeless in 2006.  In 2014, they were still sleeping on the basement floor of St. Paul's Church. Last year,  they moved to the floor at Alliance Hall. This winter, nine years later, they started the warming station at the Fountain Park Pool House.

From the City Website: In January of 2006, representatives of the City of Allentown and the Lehigh County Conference of Churches met to discuss the city’s unsheltered homeless. During this meeting the homeless persons living underneath the city’s Eighth Street Bridge where of particular concern due to the unsanitary conditions found in this location. In order to address these concerns, Allentown Mayor Ed Pawlowski appointed a Commission to End Chronic Homelessness charged with developing a ten-year plan to end chronic homelessness in the City.

In the ten years the Pawlowski's certainly didn't end homelessness in Allentown, but it appears that they did manage to add to the corruption in the city.

If the Pope can wash the feet of the homeless, you would think that Felch, after endangering their lives, could be a little more contrite.

Nestlé and The Wildlands Conservancy

In the Nestlé corporate office they must snicker about the Lehigh Valley. While communities across America fight to defend their water, Don Cunningham actually wooed them when he was County Executive. If that wasn't enough, the Wildlands Conservancy legitimizes them with contrived Nestlé children's days and other acts of prostitution. Nestlé returns the favor with substantial contributions to that corrupted organization.

Elsewhere, from Monroe County in the Poconos, to Casade Lords in Oregon, communities are fighting back against Nestlé, the biggest producer of bottled water in the world. Understand,  that the water they extract is free, and they sell it for over a buck a bottle. Their business is worth hundreds of millions in Pennsylvania alone, billions across the country. With the corrupt Pennsylvania Department of Environment Protection's blessings, they are sucking Pennsylvania dry from seven different sites across the state, taking over 200,000 gallons from each location each day. They, like their local shill and student, The Wildlands Conservancy, feign concern for the environment.

Steering Allentown's Titanic

I was told that Pawlowski mentioned the demolition of the two Parkway Dams and the repair of the WPA wall as an accomplishment of his administration, at yesterdays meeting on sustainability. The reality of course is that he depreciated the iconic park system, along with Allentown's reputation. The administration has been compared to the Titanic recently by a number of people. But, imagine boarding the Titanic in England, with the foreknowledge that it's going to sink. That's the tough position new hires face at City Hall. There has been some speculation that Pawlowski is a powerless lame duck. Unfortunately, that's not entirely true. He still has the power to hire and fire. City Council has decided to re-evaluate the tax collection contract that it readily previously approved, along with dozens of other yes votes.

Pawlowski will be indicted by the FBI at some point in the future. They could do Allentown a large favor, and expedite the charges.

The Re-use of Allentown's Factories

A few years ago, Allentown changed its zoning to allow the adaptive re-use of its factories for apartments, with less variances required. One gentleman converted a number of former industrial buildings along the Jordan Creek. Of course, all these specific proposals used words like loft and upscale to help persuade city planning and zoning. For the most part, those new units are not high end, nor do they attract a different clientele than the thousands of other intercity apartments. I have mixed feelings about the conversions. One on end, I tend to be a property rights guy, who supports the owner's decision regarding best use of his property. On the other side, I realize that these units are adding to the density issues in Allentown, and problems facing the school district.

Planners are concerned about the lack of available parking for a current proposal to convert the building at 10th and Turner (shown above) into apartments. Ironically, to help facilitate the NIZ, Allentown Parking Authority was willing to sell off many its surface lots to connected developers. Nothing is applied very evenly in Allentown, if it's parking, zoning or any other right.

Sacred Cows

Yesterday's post(in 2008) questioning the expanded mission of a popular local charity drew only one reaction from a indignant reader, I thought there would be more. Alfonso Todd, local activist, actually complimented the concept of applying diligence to our giving. About twenty years ago I formally opposed a Habitat For Humanity Project. Their plan for three new houses would have blocked the side window in a property I managed, denying my dwelling both light and air. Habitat's plan was endorsed by the City, The Redevelopment Authority and defended by the city solicitor. After the hearing, at which I prevailed, Habitats Regional Director came up to apologize to me. Seems they went with their standard straight wall plan to save time and money, even though everyone knew blocking a neighbors window was improper. He told me they were such a sacred cow that nobody had ever opposed them before.
reprinted from May of 2008 

ADDENDUM February 2016: People and corporations love sacred cows and united funds, it makes our charity giving so much easier, and makes us feel better about ourselves. Three recipients of the United Way of Lehigh Valley are CACLV, Lehigh Council of Churches and Wildlands Conservancy. All three are well established sacred cows in their own right, and receive many direct contributions. So, if you're inclined to tear down a picturesque dam, or put a homeless person out into a snowstorm, now you know how to fund it.

The Lehigh Parkway Entrance Wall

When the Lehigh Parkway wall collapsed last summer, it was no surprise to me. The city already had barricades along the leaning wall for three years. During that time the city had two chief engineers and three park directors, none of whom made the wall a priority. During those years I spoke with all five of them, and got five different stories. We are now informed that the missing section will be replaced by May. The new wall section is to be poured concrete, faced in stone along the Parkway entrance. I have received several inquires as to my opinion of this plan. As the main advocate for the WPA, I have no problem with this method of replacement construction. In addition to being a barrier along the road, the wall is primarily a retaining wall, holding up the roadway. Concrete will satisfy the engineering requirements, and the visible portion will be faced in the original stone. This method was utilized at Union Terrace, when the Union Street bridge was replaced last year. So, while I approve of the planned method, some other observations and criticism are also in order.

The wall was a victim of neglect, as is most of the WPA structures throughout the park system. The wall was in dire need of mortar repointing, especially on the top. That particular entrance was built with a concrete drainage swale along the road, to keep rainwater from pushing against the wall itself. At some point the swale was paved over, extending the macadam right to the wall. I suspect that vehicle weight exerted enormous pressure through the macadam now against the wall, especially being on a curve. For a number of years now, since the closing of the park depot by the stadium, heavy trucks  have added to the exerted pressure. Last, but not least, in heavy storms, the manhole covers blow off at the top of the hill, resulting in enormous amounts of water rushing against the wall. I hope that the city addresses these issues, so that more sections of the original wall are not endangered.

In addition to replacing the missing section of the wall, they will also repoint just a small portion of the remaining wall. For a city that just spent $1.4 Million dollars to buy unneeded, distressed land from a Pawlowski campaign contributor, it is a crime to have neglected these WPA structures. 

surveying the fallen wall day of collapse

Before Corruption Tainted Allentown

It's becoming apparent that Chicago native Ed Pawlowski introduced a new level of corruption to Allentown. Going back to the Daddona and Heydt years there was certainly cronyism, but these native Allentonians always put the city first. Neither they or their predecessors had ambitions beyond being mayor of Allentown. Pawlowski, on the other hand, thought that he was a political sophisticate in a land of local yokels. He imported out of town subordinates, and tried to cultivate connections with outside king makers. One example of those ambitions was the ill fated Delta Thermo plant proposal. When he allowed council chambers to be overwhelmed with out of town union workers, he was showing his contempt for local opinion.

I have watched Allentown's iconic park system be abused and depreciated by outside priorities. Others have noticed mismanagement in other departments. Now is the time for those who have been silent to speak up. Now is the time for those of us who have spoken out, to do so much louder.

A Vacancy In Allentown's Democracy

When I ran for office in 2014, I asked Michael Donovan to serve on my vacancy committee, an obscure requirement for independents. He kindly accepted. Michael knew of such things, because he had run the year before as an independent for mayor. Michael and I became acquainted about a decade ago, both as advocates for a better city. Although Michael was a liberal democrat, and I am anything but, we found many common denominators.

While Michael became somewhat critical of the NIZ this past year, as a former city councilman he never regretted voting for it. He believed that it still has the potential for community benefit, to help Allentown's underclass. Until just a few weeks ago, we would often discuss local current events over coffee in the morning. Although he was fighting a progressively aggressive illness, this past summer he made a cross country motor trip to visit his sons.

Michael was a dedicated college professor and a proud father. His optimism and energy, even while fighting cancer, spoke volumes about his character. His passing leaves a void in Allentown's democracy.

photographed at The Epicenter

The Photography and Politics of Lehigh Valley

K Mary Hess is an extraordinarily gifted landscape photographer, whose soft, sensitive use of color gives her images a painterly quality. Her page on Facebook, Photos Of Lehigh Valley, receives thousands of views each week.

The criminal investigation of Allentown City Hall has now spread to both the Parking Authority and Lehigh County.  The private tax collecting agencies used are so lucrative that they pay our local government for the contract. They made their money on the fines and fees, levied on the backs of the citizen voters.  The Parking Authority charges more per hour than resort cities.

Fortunately, we have local gifted artists,  to give us some pause and respite from the corruption surrounding us.

Photography Page of K Mary Hess

The Art and Politics of Lehigh Valley

Usually, when you meet a good artist who is prolific, they are also so versatile it's hard to define their work.  Among many other descriptions, it can be said that Alison Bessesdotter makes tranquil paintings and watercolors that resemble fabric.  She also makes fabrics which resemble paintings. Her tools, paint, brush and sewing machine are used interchangeably, sometimes all on one piece. If that merging isn't enough, she also puts her art on wearables, such as jackets and wristbands. Bessesdotter's studio is located at the Banana Factory in South Bethlehem.

A line on her page says slow art made here.  While her high quality art is made painstakingly slow, our local politics are fast and sloppy.

Allentown City Council appointed one of their own to the controller position, Jeff Glazier.  He was originally appointed to city council, and only managed to get elected with assist from the Pawlowski PAC.  Although his latest appointment is a disappointment,  he creates an opportunity for council to finally rise above its tainted reputation.  Once again council will have to appoint another new council member,  and therein lies its chance for redemption.

editor's note: I have wanted to feature some good artists and history, however, our bad government hasn't provided an opening.  Perhaps some good images will sweeten the bad taste from our elected officials.

Artist's Website

Jennings Remains True To His Mission

Over the years, Alan Jennings and I have become friendly. That's pretty amazing, considering that in 2005, if I succeeded with my long shot run for mayor as an independent, I would have locked him up in the basement at city hall. During that period I started proclaiming that Allentown was becoming a poverty magnet, which was a very politically incorrect thing to say. But as a landlord, I knew how many organizations were fixing up hardcore non-workers with move-in money, and what the long term consequence to Allentown would be. Of course, I was profoundly correct, and the consequences are now very obvious.

Yesterday, Alan had an editorial in The Morning Call, which called on Allentown to increase* and improve its affordable housing. Alan stays true to his mission, and I must likewise stay true to my observations. It is self evident that there is no shortage of affordable housing in Allentown, or we simply wouldn't have such a high poverty level. Jennings suggests that people report both deficient landlords and tenants. Systems are already in place for the landlord problem, and what would you do with the problem tenants? Because I remain politically incorrect, I suggest we need only observe the endless litter in the area north of Linden Street, to appreciate our problem is much more than a few bad apples.

Allentown has become a place with the urban problems of usually much larger cities. That toothpaste is not going back into the tube. While these larger cities have spent decades and $billions looking for corrective programs, solutions remain evasive. I commend Alan for his advocacy, but don't look for a fix, much less a quick one.

*ADDENDUM: Alan Jennings has pointed out to me that no where in his editorial did he call for additional affordable housing,  only that existing substandard units be improved.

photocredit: The Morning Call