WPA, A Work In Progress

On Labor Day in 2011, The Morning Call ran a story about my efforts in regard to the neglected WPA structures, and announced my upcoming meeting at the Allentown Library. Among those in attendance at that meeting was Karen El-Chaar, director of Friends Of The Allentown Parks. Later that year, I took El-Chaar on a tour of the WPA structures throughout the park system. In 2013, I conducted my first tour of the WPA in Lehigh Parkway, in conjunction with Friends Of The Parks. This year, El-Chaar successfully secured a grant from The Trexler Trust, which is currently being used to restore the steps at Fountain Park. The grant is being supervised by Lindsay Taylor, Allentown Park Director. The work is being done by Dietrich Stonemasonry, and managed by parks supervisor, Rick Holtzman.

Although much work remains to be done, it's my sense that all the decision makers mentioned above, are developing a greater appreciation of the unique gift that the WPA bestowed upon the Allentown park system.  I'm hoping that both that interest and work continues this coming spring and summer, especially in preserving the remaining portion of the wall in Lehigh Parkway.

reprinted from October of 2015

molovinsky on allentown is published weekdays Monday thru Friday.  Comments are accepted using your name or by establishing a pseudonym. Pseudonym identities remain unknown to both myself and other readers. Your readership is appreciated.

UPDATE DECEMBER 1, 2020: Karen El-Chaar is now director of parks. Because she has an appreciation of the WPA, it is my hope that the next mayor has the insight to retain her in that position. Work finally began on the double stairway in Lehigh Parkway.  While the vertical surfaces have been restored, the flat landings at the top and on the stair landings remain to be done.  

UPDATE JANUARY 21, 2022: Although restoring and preserving the WPA structures has been a mission of mine for well over a decade, as a blogger I paid a price.  My criticism of local government and the local press has not helped either with publicity or funds for the WPA projects.  Nevertheless, l will continue advocating for the iconic stone structures throughout our park system, and opining about our local government...There remains a need for both.

General Trexler's Bridge

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

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

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

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

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

reprinted from July of 2016

ADDENDUM JANUARY 20, 2022: The second iconic concrete bridge, the Tilghman Street Bridge, is now undergoing a similar reconstruction process. That project is considerably behind schedule, penalizing both residents and businesses on Union Blvd. Although I have done some photo recon, I have not interviewed workers as I did on the 8th Street project. 

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

Allentown's Real Estate Market

If you sold your house in the last two years, the current real estate market is a wonderful thing.  However, this post is about the future, and what I can only forecast as buyer's remorse.  The amount of remorse will be regulated by the neighborhood.  

With row houses in Old Allentown going for north of $250,000, the remorse will be painful. For those in West Park and farther west, time will heal your wound sooner.

This blog post will offend both current buyers and sellers, and the middle men in between. However, offending people is not outside of this blog's wheelhouse.  There are numerous feel good publications to soothe you on numerous topics, but I have neither the disposition or time for such things.

The street shown above is not meant to reference any particular street, and certainly not any particular property.

Pip The Mouse Assaulted

Pip the mouse was victimized over the weekend by a car highjacking and possible sexual assault.  Although Allentown police chief Charles Roca confirmed the carjacking, he declined to comment on the assault. Mayor Tuerk said that he/she and his/her administration wish Pip a speedy recovery.

City council-person Ce-Ce Gerlach told this blog that she expects to be called about it by the Morning Call today (Tuesday), because the paper no longer works over the weekend. Ce-Ce is a Morning Call Go-To person.  Council-person Joshua Siegel said that he still favors defunding the police, and diverting money to Hasshan Batts, who promises better neighborhoods. 

It has been a rough week for Pip.  His home at Zion Church is up for sale.  Apparently, none of the thousands of new residents of the Strata complexes have joined the congregation, which can no longer afford to maintain their historic church.  Plans are under way to relocate Allentown's Liberty Bell to the former Shula's Steakhouse on the Arts Walk.  Building owner J.B. Reilly said that although the restaurant operator changes frequently, the bell should be secure there.

photo of people watching Pip perform in more innocent times

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

Time Moves Slowly In Easton

Reprinted From November 23, 2009: Business, in the center cities of the Lehigh Valley, is a fragile thing at best. Even Bethlehem, considered the most successful, is more charm than dollars. Essentially, these prior centers of commerce have been reduced to three separate economies. The upscale restaurants serve a clientele, mostly in the evening, that has absolutely no interaction with the surroundings. The tourist venues, fixed or seasonal, also provide little revenue for the surrounding shops. Last, but not least, you have an urban population and the bus people. Bethlehem has managed to maintain an upscale demographic living in it's center city, but this post is about Easton. (Allentown only has one such person living on Hamilton Street, she is the Community Development Director)

The Morning Call has published three stories about the High School Sports Hall of Fame, which will occupy part of the new parking deck and Lanta Terminal, several blocks south of Center Square in Easton. Easton Mayor Sal Panto, perhaps hoping to once again see his high school picture, has been cheerleading this effort. Although there is no question that this is a moronic idea doomed to failure, grants are available, and Panto can't resist a grant. The pending failure of the Sports Museum is the good news; the destruction of the bus people economy is the real consequence. Allentown should have taught Panto an expensive lesson. (Lanta doesn't care about lessons or merchants) People waiting to transfer buses, as they do now at Easton's Center Square, will shop if the store is very close and convenient. They will not walk. They will not make an additional stop and wait for another bus. They don't buy much, but there's many of them. Now, they will sit on benches at the Easton Lanta Transfer Terminal and watch school children come to the Al Bundy Museum on field trips. Panto will wonder why business died on Northampton Street.
reprinted from November 23, 2009, then titled Selling Easton's Soul

UPDATE: Over four years later, Al Bundy and Sal Panto have announced that they're canceling their long planned date. The parking garage and Lanta Terminal will now house Easton City Hall.  I first started writing about Easton's planned parking deck when it was scheduled to be behind the Wolf Building, going back to last century. I understand now why Panto supports Pawlowski for governor, time and projects move very slowly in Easton.

 

above reprinted from 2009 and 2013 

UPDATE JANUARY 14, 2022: Time really does move slowly in Easton. Panto is still mayor, and still talking about parking decks and grants. Mayor Pawlowski has been in the big house for several years already, so he won't be much help to Sal after-all. However, there is a new opportunity from Allentown for Easton...Pip The Mouse is looking for a new home. Allentown's privately owned, publicly financed NIZ favors new construction, and there's no appetite for old or historical. If Sal plays his cards right, Allentown will throw a replica of the Liberty Bell in with Pip. I hope to update this post in 2032, and let you know how Mayor Sal is doing with his parking deck project.