Open Letter to Lee Butz

In today's Morning Call there were seven letters against the arena, and one for it. The seven against, all stated well thought out reasons, while the eighth, by Lee Butz, was more smiles and giggles.

On the morning of May 24, I had the pleasure of attending a Lehigh Valley IronPigs game at Coca-Cola Park. It was attended by thousands of school kids, and seeing (and hearing) them was a real delight. I couldn't help but think of how it would look and sound when those kids attend an event in the new hockey arena in downtown Allentown. We have something very exciting to look forward to.
Lee Butz

Lee, I wished you had attended the recent City Council meeting, there was another sight; Grown men and women, the merchants facing eminent domain, actually sobbing. Sorry you missed that, but it's not too late. Walk down to the next block, and stop in a few stores. Ask for the owner.
Michael Molovinsky

Klavan on the Culture

The Landed Gentry

One of the popular misconceptions in our granola society is that our open space is threatened. Consequently, in addition to welfare and corporate welfare, we now have landed gentry welfare. We purchase land, at almost market value, and even allow the owner to keep it. Although there is a deed restriction prohibiting development, who can guarantee it will be enforced in future generations? In every case I'm personally familiar with, the owner never had any intention of development; In one instance, the owners were compensated over $1million.

In some cases the owners are working farmers, in many, just gentlemen farmers with country homes. An article in Sunday's Morning Call laments the reduction in the farmland preservation funds. Nothing in the land preservation compensation really guarantees continued farming, that would be somewhere between indentured servitude and slavery. In 2006, Pennsylvania spent $102 million in Growing Greener handouts. Although the program has been cut back in recent years, there is a long list of applicants hoping to get some of this handout. The granola eaters should drive across Pennsylvania. There is a lot of open space even in this heavily populated state, over 8 million farm acres. While we close mental hospitals and sell nursing homes, we pay yuppies playing weekend farmer, development rights on land they never intended on subdividing anyway.

reprinted from August 9, 2010

Pathways To Success

Imagine being an education major at a Pennsylvania State University; that's a bright future! I think that it would be best to stay on and get a Masters in Administration, or perhaps get out the old hockey stick. Yesterday, Allentown School District sent out pink slips to teachers. When all the budget dust settles, it is expected that 247 teaching positions will be eliminated. Although this program may be a Pathway to Success for Zahorchak, it certainly is not for either our teachers or students.

Ripping Out Downtown's Heart

Eminent domain would rip out downtown Allentown's heart
Years ago I appealed a zoning decision to Allentown City Council. Council told me at the time that if I wanted to be assured the right to operate a business, I should locate into the downtown business district.
Our merchants on Hamilton Street thought they had that same assurance, after investing both their time and assets for many years.
Although Hamilton Street has been our mercantile district for more than a century, our current mayor envisions an arena. Straight out of the catalog for unimaginative administrators, he hopes this one will succeed, although many have failed.
The 700 block of Hamilton Street certainly is not the neon success of the 1950s. Nevertheless, it still supports much more commerce than many people realize. Two national chains, Family Dollar and Rite Aid, succeed there along with numerous independents. Family Dollar is the modern equivalent of the 5 and 10 that anchored that block during its heyday. The senior citizens, at the two high-rises on Walnut Street, depend on Rite Aid's pharmacy.
Anecdotal evidence from other cities Allentown's size indicates that an arena/event center will not create spinoff business for nearby restaurants. It may well discourage existing patrons who now enjoy convenient parking.
Allentown's one-way streets would ensure unnecessary traffic congestion when patrons leave the arena. Most people feel that if an arena is built, it should either be along the Lehigh River or at Coca-Cola Park. I would prefer the former Mack 5C location at S. 12th and Lehigh streets. Lehigh is a major street that intersects with Interstate 78, less than two miles away.

My best recommendation for Mayor Pawlowski would be to concentrate on quality-of-life issues and throw away that catalog of distracting projects. I have seen mayors build a canopy, take down a canopy, reconfigure the parking, build parking decks, create a parking authority — and all the while ignore the things that really count.

When Allentown was the All-American City, we didn't need projects from that catalog. If the city was simply kept clean and safe, it would promote much more business than any boondoggle project.
This project has received no feedback or input from the citizens of Allentown. It is being rushed through various channels to accommodate the schedule of a minor league hockey team. While other cities have prospered from their history, we can't wait to tear down the heart of our downtown — by eminent domain. I say no thank you.
Michael Molovinsky

reprinted from The Morning Call, June 1, 2011

Sign electronic petition against eminent domain

Silence of the Lambs

This blog has never been too complimentary toward the Old Allentown Preservation Association. I don't have much use for people who go along to get along. It seems that the Mayor always gives them a cookie for their good behavior. By that I mean the city buys some problem property, and spends five times more than it's worth deconverting it back into a single family house. Although the taxpayers can't spend enough preserving architecture for them, not a whimper from them about the endangered merchant's architecture. When Cannons closed as a yuppie bar, a few of their guppies claimed on this blog that they would patronize the new mixed demographic bar; apparently not too many or too often, it closed. As one citizen after another testified against the hockey arena at City Council, the Preservation Association was again silent. They have changed their website from a picture of Pawlowski's house, to pictures of Pawlowski himself. Perhaps they should change their name to the Pawlowski Preservation Association. When the arena leaves out and the Catasauquans head back home up 8th Street, the quality of life in Old Allentown will take another hit. Give them a cookie.

Stealing Allentown's Treasures

                                                   click photograph to enlarge

The merchants who built Hamilton Street counted on architecture to attract shoppers into their emporiums. Large neon signs wouldn't appear for another fifty years. The soffit and fascia shown above, halfway between 7th and 8th on Hamilton, is the most elaborate facade in Allentown. One thing you can say about Allentown City Hall, they never let culture, art, or history get into the way of their plans. As successful cities come to value and profit from their history more and more, Allentown keeps using the standard catalog of proven failures. I know from other projects on Hamilton Street that Pawlowski isn't big on history. The Cityline Building in the 800 Block was permitted to stucco over beautiful brickwork. Sad that the puppies, who are directors at the Art Museum and Historical Society, remain silent on the planned destruction. It's hard to describe the magnificence of the skylight shown below, also in the targeted block. It's very large in three sections, in pristine condition. Should be quite a snack for Pawlowski's bulldozer.