Closing The Monument Building

One morning in early July of 2008, code enforcement descended upon the Monument Building like a swat team. Every officer, in every department in the city entered the building at the same time, and spread out looking for every possible violation. Under the previous owner, the same conditions with the same tenants, were lauded as a rebirth. Whatever motivated Pawlowski to pull the plug on the new owner, the tenants were lightweights, of no consequence. At that time myself and few other malcontents, like Lou Hershman, would gather very early in the morning for coffee at Jerry's Cafe, located on the first floor. The building had begun it's life as the 1st National Bank. After being closed for many years, it reopened as Corporate Center. The new buyer renamed it Monument Building. 645 Hamilton Street will now be torn down, to be replaced by J.B. Reilly's Two City Center. This series tells the story of the little people, who were disposed of along the way. Below reprinted from July 2008
The current issue of Lehigh Valley Latino Magazine contains greetings and congratulations from Mayor Ed Pawlowski, complete with his official photograph and the City Seal. The Magazine, along with 5 other minority businesses are being forced out of 645 Hamilton Street, with the city now telling the Morning Call they're just unlicensed nobody's. In April, Pawlowski wrote "I want to thank Valley Latino TV Show and Magazine for keeping the Latino community informed. Your dedicated effort shows a deep commitment...congratulations... I wish you great success!" This week the mobile cords from the Latino TV Show stage lighting were misrepresented as extension cords by the city. Along with the magazine and television studio, a graphic art designer, a festival promoter, and a security company were displaced. You won't hear them complain, they're being assisted and relocated by city hall. reprinted from July 2008

7th & Hamilton, The Real Story

The Morning Call has a feature story today about the former 1st National Bank, on the northeast corner of 7th and Hamilton. Arena development magnate J.B. Reilly will demolish the building and turn it into Two City Center, which was originally proposed for the parking lot behind the southwest corner; Different corner, same NIZ taxpayer paid loan. Let me present the real history of the building's past. Read about about little people who used their own money, being bullied about, before Pawlowski dreamt of the arena. Part 1, from the archives of molovinsky on allentown.
                                                   below from July 10, 2008

 
A couple years ago the website for the Lehigh Valley Economic Development Corporation described 645 Hamilton St. as "a monument to growth."* Today's edition of The Morning Call, reporting on violations from the City of Allentown, describes the building as unsafe.** It's the same building, with the same tenants, in the same condition. Unlike the city inspectors, or the well meaning reporter, I'm there every day for coffee at Jerry's Cafe. Jerry's was not one of the upstart businesses blessed with a grant. He had to pay for everything, and everything had to be inspected inside out. His plans had to be approved, his electric and plumbing had to be approved, his grill and hood system had to be approved. City inspectors in and out of the building during this process included no less than plumbing, electrical and health. Although the recent violation report issued to the building in general, lists extension cords, it fails to note those cords are attached to a movable lighting grid for the Latino Television production studio and are cords by design. Although the city citation reports cites unlicensed businesses, it omits the fact that the lower level was occupied by Sassi which performs drug testing for the Lehigh County, and the City's action recently caused Melendez Reality and Madison Mortgage to vacate. Unfortunately for this current hapless owner, the City was looking for violations. Last month Pawlowski promoted a building across the street which has not been occupied or improved in decades, although there is no running water there, breakfast was served to invited realtors. It's easy to beat the drums against the greedy absentee landlords, and surely the apologists will applaud Pawlowski for enforcing codes, but private money is running from this town. There is no work currently being done on any project on Hamilton Street without a grant. It's good politics, but bad business.
reprinted from July 10, 2008

Queen City Magic Show

With the molovinsky on allentown disclosure of long standing plans to build the new fire training facility in Lehigh Parkway, we must now speculate on the sale of the former fire training tower. Since the Lehigh Valley Hospital gave The Morning Call a "no comment" on this topic, speculation is not inappropriate. How convenient that the hospital needs to buy something that we no longer want. How convenient that the sale involves breaking the restriction on selling land at Queen City, a long standing objective of this administration. How convenient that a United States Senator can respectfully use his influence, because it involves a large local employer in the public health field.

The FireTower Caper

A molovinsky on allentown exclusive. The residents of Allentown are being told that if we do not sell the fire training tower to the Lehigh Valley Hospital Laboratory for expansion, we're in danger of losing a large employer. It appears much more likely that it's the back end of a long standing plan, and that the hospital is accommodating us. There have been plans for at least two years for a new fire training facility, and the city has been soliciting grants for such. The multi-story, multi-million dollar training facility is to be built adjoining the police academy in Lehigh Parkway. The location is the road and hill currently used as the temporary exit road for the park,  and also used as the exit during the Lights In Parkway. In the past this area served the public as park land, used for many years by model plane enthusiasts. The new training center would bring all the heavy fire equipment from nearby counties, necessitating a wider road, moved further east of the current single lane exit road. This would be in line with the new park tradition of spreading more macadam. molovinsky on allentown has also learned that with new adjoining police and fire training facilities, there is discussion of a new position, Public Safety Director. The Director would oversee Police, Fire and EMS. The new position would require appropriate assistants and secretaries, in The City Without Limits.

Living Here In Allentown

In 1982, when Billy Joel wrote Allentown, they were still serving strawberry pie in the basement at Hess's. Mayor Pawlowski has hired an Australian, from Macungie, to rewrite the iconic song. I don't think that toothpaste is going back in the tube. Perhaps, it would be better if Pawlowski concentrated on improving the city, instead of the song. There's even a delusion that perhaps Billy will come back to Allentown, and perform the new version. A comment to The Morning Call said that in retrospect, 1982 were the good old days.

Rumors From The Gristmill

The Fegley Family Brew Works is reportedly in jeopardy of losing it's golf course concession, because they dared speak against the Trash to Energy Plant. This plant uses technology not used anywhere else in the country, and was opposed by a broad spectrum of those involved in the environmental and green movements. Fran Dougherty, Allentown's Managing Director, told the Lehigh County Commissioners that a new $multi-million dollar training center will be built in Lehigh Parkway, to replace the fire tower facility being sold to Lehigh Valley Health Network, to expand their laboratory at Lehigh and Vultee Streets. Dougherty discounts the FAA prohibition of the sale as a temporary misunderstanding. In 1928 this city reached a population of 100,000 people. Although we are only slightly larger now, we are being operated with the shenanigans of multi-million person city.