My Grandfather's Horse

My grandfather lived on the corner of Chew and Jordan Streets. He butchered in a barn behind the house. For the sake of the vegans I'll spare the details, but suffice to say it wasn't for sissies. The house is still there, 301 Jordan, the barn is gone. He would deliver the meat with a horse and wagon. On the weekends, when the family wanted to visit friends, the horse insisted on doing the meat market route first. Only after he stopped in front of the last market on the route, would he permit my grandfather to direct him.
I managed rental properties between 4th and 12th Streets. Collecting rents or throwing people out is not for sissies. I developed a route between the buildings, utilizing many alleys because of the one way streets. While on my route, I got to know many people living in Allentown, and the circumstances of the different neighborhoods. I would often take pictures of people and things I considered photographic. Although I no longer have the managing job, like my grandfather's horse, I continue on the route. But things have changed, I now keep my car door locked. Not only don't I take photographs anymore, even making eye contact is uncomfortable. The streets are mean and the people are hard. Don't blame me, as an agent I always put the neighbor's comfort ahead of finding tenants. Don't blame me, as a citizen I ran for office and bluntly said what needed to be done.

reprinted from May 13, 2008

City Without Limits

Yesterday, somebody called me a naysayer on this blog. My critic said we need administrators to promote Hamilton Street. Yesterday at Symphony Hall, Mayor Pawlowski presented our new slogan and marketing plan to the bureaucrats who earn a living implementing such promotions. Everybody there in attendance earns their living, directly or indirectly, keeping the hot air in the inflatable woman. Years ago such machinations were not necessary. We really were designated the All American City, and it took not one bureaucrat to achieve that, much less a hall full.

The reputation and economic engine of our city was provided by entrepreneurs and conscientious citizens. City Hall administered the public services; police, fire, street and parks. We were known as the city of Mack Truck and Hess Brothers.

Promoting ourselves with paid slogans I believe will have little return on investment. Years ago the advertisement said the public wanted tuna that tasted good, not dressed well.




Will the public buy a slogan when a different reality stares them in the face? I suppose that's why I'm a naysayer.



Photogallery: The Morning Call/Harry Fisher

Target Market

The other week, when I was writing about the success of 7th Street, I said that Walmart and Brooks Brothers were not looking for the same market segment. All successful shopping centers know their target market. 7th Street has evolved into a successful low income Hispanic business district. The Promenade Shops in Saucon Valley is a successful high end purveyor.

Unfortunately, for Allentown's traditional Hamilton Street, its market has been manipulated away. The market share there was the bus transferees in the 700 Block. Twenty merchants, with well stocked stores, provided a shopping venue for the twenty or thirty minutes between buses. The Administration, The Parking Authority and Lanta, to harvest a grant for a parking deck, killed that goose.

In the 900 block, a few remnants of Allentown's better days hung on. Last year Freeman Jewelry finally closed. Although unsaid, they had more chance of being robbed than selling something. Tucker Yarn, an institution profiled on this blog, continues on, despite being constantly agitated by city policy and a Parking Authority that preys on his customers. A successful fitness center, also on that block, was forced out of business by the Parking Authority's hunger. About ten years ago, a very attractive eye care center also opened on this block. First a tenant, now the building owner, this couple gambled their time, energy and resources on Hamilton Street. Their current frustrations can be read on Bernie O'Hare's Ramblings.

Since the bus people were not high end enough for this Administration, and millions of public dollars have gone into a couple of restaurants designed to attract deeper pockets, this Mayor better resolve to provide the proper police protection. This past Wednesday evening, the City claimed that the police department supports the expanded Trailnet Plan in and between the parks. Is this the same police department that fails to instill confidence in the merchants? I don't think those spandex bike suits have a pocket for a wallet. We need a Hamilton Street where fat, middle age people with wallets, can park automobiles and shop, safe from the Parking Authority and predators.

Kids of The Parkway

There were hundreds of us, we were the baby boomers. The neighborhood was built for returning GI's, and the streets were named after the planes of WW2; Liberator, Catalina, and Coronado. The twin homes were wedged between Jefferson Street and the southern ridge above Lehigh Parkway. Now called Little Lehigh Manor, we knew it simply as Lehigh Parkway, and we had our own school.

Historical Fact:
The original part of the school building contained four classrooms, a teacher's room, and a health room. It replaced the Catalina Avenue School which existed in a home near the present site. Lehigh Parkway received national publicity because it was being build as a result of the new neighborhood. Thus, the "Neighborhood School Concept" was born.








Because of the school and the park, the neighborhood was really self contained. The Lehigh SuperMarket on Lehigh Street was within walking distance. Soon, FoodFair would build their first large Supermarket, also on Lehigh Street, which was even closer. Today it has developed into The Parkway Shopping Center. We kids enjoyed our own Halloween Parade and Easter Egg hunt.






Because there were so many of us, Parkway Elementary only went through 2nd. grade. We would take the bus to Jefferson Elementary for grades 3 through 6.

Historical Fact:
Jefferson Elementary used to be a high school, and for years, it had separate girls' and boys' entrances. These entrances were turned into windows at some point, but the exterior of the building still has the two entrances marked.

These were some of my friends from 3th grade. They all lived in the Parkway. Not only were they all boys, only yesterday, 56 years later, I learned the name of the girl I'm holding hands with in the May Day picture above.

Historical Facts from Allentown School District Website

ADDENDUM: other Parkway Neighborhood Posts,
Time Capsule
Allentown On My Mind

The $6Million Dollar Caulk Job

When President Obama was in town last month he visited a real business. The metal fabricator in the old Mack Plant produces large scale machined pieces. The owner talked about the difficulty of obtaining loans for expansion and to remain competitive. Obama talked about weatherization at the community college, as if caulking row houses was an industry. Well, you will pleased to know that although the banks are still not extending credit, The Community Action Committee of Lehigh Valley received $6 mil to make mini insulation contractors, although there are dozens of such real contractors in the Yellow Pages. Grant money can be used for "handholding for the participant...assessing,..training..even help with such personal-life obstacles as childcare and transportation." Transportation is an entitlement speak for buying them a car.

Although I support the SmileTrain, I'm not much for the PovertyTrain. I don't believe in buying people fish markets instead of giving them a fishing pole. We have a public educational system which includes vocational-technical training. If the bailout money was being used as expedited loans to established businesses, we would be investing in a real recovery and be creating lasting jobs.

So far, one house in the Lehigh Valley has been insulated.

Flight To NoWhere

If you want a good laugh, go to the Lehigh Valley International Airport and watch the expression on the first time Continental passengers as they are loaded on a bus to Newark; this is after they check in at the flight counter! Today the constantly expanding and remodeling airport has less destinations than ever, about nine, including Philadelphia and Newark. Years ago, the Authority members hired what they mistook as a hot shot, George Doughty, to make the new terminal and airport something to match its new name. The old ABE Airport terminal was built as a WPA project, and like the rest of the valley back then, teemed at its seams. About ten years ago the hotshot talked the Authority members into expanding the departure terminal. Looking for a large under used space for arena football, I think I know a place. Recently, a judge awarded an adjacent landowner many more millions than he ever wanted, for land the airport took for its never needed, never built new runway. Rendell has designated $3.5 million in modernization grants to help the airport keep up with its declining use? Although there are not many places one can fly directly to from the airport, parking fee's are big city. There is a recorded tape loop which keeps reminding the few passengers that unattended cars will be towed for security reasons, i'd prefer water-boarding at Guantanamo.

The postcard depicts the first hanger and terminal, before the former one built by the WPA. The hanger still exists, as does the lettering on it's roof.



Postcard of former terminal built by WPA, added Jan. 16, 2010 for this reprinted version

Reprinted from Feb. 12, 2009. In less than a year, this has become a hot topic for County Executive Cunningham, and Mayor Pawlowski has just been appointed to their Board. I rejected a comment the other day claiming this was a negative blog, and I should look at things in a more positive light. This is a reality based blog, which often points things out before our officials are ready to concede that there is a problem.


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