The Butchers Of Allentown

photograph by Bob Wilt

A&B (Abogast&Bastian), dominated the local meat packing industry for almost 100 years. At its 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, Becker Brothers and Allentown Meat Packing Company.

reprinted from February 2013

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 Meat 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 2014

Hasshan Batts' Luck Machine

If you're into good luck, I suggest rubbing up to Hasshan Batts, director of Promise Neighborhoods.  Pa. Lt. Governor Austin Davis thinks that Batts and his mentors are the answer to Pennsylvania's crime, and has already steered over $2 million Batts' way, with more to come.  Davis wants Batts to have the funding to expand his program state wide, and he is in the position to make that happen.

Never mind that so far Allentown shootings this year exceed the total last year. When it comes to solutions, wokeness won't allow Pennsylvania to let results get in the way.

Photo* above shows Davis at Promise headquarters on Union Street. 

*photo by Kurt Bresswein/lehighvalleylive.com

Morning Call Keeps Spinning Reilly's NIZ

The Morning Call has spun Reilly's NIZ since before it began. The newspaper, whose building was included in the NIZ map even though it was on the wrong side of Linden Street, has acted as a virtual press agent for Reilly's NIZ, aka City Center Real Estate.  A half dozen reporters, who have come and gone, have written a hundred articles promoting every new building in Reilly's empire. 

Yesterday's article concedes that the vendors have turned over in the Market place, but reports that now it's a hopping success.  It's nice for Reilly that he never had to hire a publicist. He in turn bought the Morning Call building for a cigarette warehouse.  As if the state taxes diverted for his debt service wasn't enough, Pat Browne sweetened Reilly's pot with the state cigarette tax.

While this blog covered the story of the displaced former merchants of downtown, the newspaper never had a word to say about their plight. You may not be able to read about Reilly's Art Walk Market place, that article is a treat for Morning Call subscribers only.

ADDENDUM: The previous Morning Call Reilly promotion on Wednesday told us that Allentown developers poured millions of dollars into office space. The article did refer to a unique tax plan, but didn't elaborate on how unique it is. There has always been tax incentives for center city, at least since the 1970's. Those incentives, such as the KOZ (Keystone Opportunity Zone), gave developers reduced taxes. The NIZ actually takes employee state taxes and gives them to Reilly for his debt service on the buildings...So we have privately owned buildings being paid for by the public. We taxpayers then also have to pony up or give up for other state services. This year Pa. held back on $100 million which was going to be used for school vouchers. Over $70 million went to Reilly's debt service, you do the math.

Monopoly Allentown Style

The Allentown Parking Authority, at the Mayor's bequest, is playing a high stakes game of Monopoly using the real money of citizens. Make no mistake, it's our money. If you received one of the hundred thousand plus parking tickets last year, or pay to park on a lot, or had a parking meter swallow your quarters, it's your money. The Authority has declared the North Lot "excessive" and is preparing to sell it for townhouses. This lot provides safe, convenient parking for the adjoining Verizon Building workers, and is three quarters occupied. The large "Germania" lot, on south 7th Street is virtually unused. Perhaps no lot in the Authority's inventory is more used and important than the "North" lot, yet in spite of a petition from Verizon workers, the Authority persists in selling it to a partner in the Mayor's vision. Although completed townhouses would indeed provide an impressive backdrop for the Mayor's re-election, let us not forget that Verizon has been providing over 200 jobs for decades and the true mission of the Parking Authority.

UPDATE: The Board of Directors passed the sale proposal with no discussion today by a 3 to 1 vote. Linda Rosenfeld, Malcolm Gross and Larry Hilliard voted for, Michael Donovan voted against. (Candida Svirzovsky was absent) 

reprinted from April of 2008 

ADDENDUM JULY 13, 2023:Although the buyer did not complete the lot purchase on N. 7th St., many of the APA surface lots were sold off to connected developers, contributing to the current residential parking woes.  This blogger has been on the Parking Authority's case for a long time.

My Grandfather's Horse

My grandfather lived on the corner of Chew and Jordan Streets. He butchered in a barn behind the house. The house is still there, 301 Jordan, but 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. 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. Doing street photography has gotten difficult, people are defensive and paranoid. The streets are meaner and the people are harder. Just making eye contact can be uncomfortable.

Don't blame me, as a rental 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 said.

reprinted from May of 2008

 

ADDENDUM JULY 12, 2023: Don't blame me, as a blogger I continue to say what needs to be said.