Rape Of Park

The feature shown in the photo, from the Mack Truck Magazine of 1943, shows a beautiful stone masonry structure in Lehigh Parkway that was allowed to go to ruin. We kids of the Parkway called this the "boat landing". It is located near the end of the park near Regency Apartments. I use the present tense because remnants of this edifice still exist, buried under dirt and debris. Other attractions lost in that section of the park include the Spring Pond near the Robin Hood parking lot, and the bridge to the "Island", plus the mosaic inlaid benches which were on the island. ( Island halfway between parking lot and boat landing). I have no doubt that neither the Mayor or the Park Director knows that these centrepieces ever existed. While these are unreplaceable architectural treasures well worth restoring, we squander our heritage to buy a oversized playground out of a catalog.

Mikey Will Say It!

I received an anonymous letter concerning Lehigh Parkway. The writer's assumed that since I grew up by the park I have a special affinity for it, I do. They write, "Perhaps you consider looking into these issues and reporting on your blog." Their concerns are so unabrasive, by my standards, I will pass them along without making any verification. The Allentown Park System contains a number of houses, there are at least two in the Parkway and two in Trexler Park. The houses have been traditionally rented to people affiliated in one way or another with the City. The "writers" are concerned about the condition of the garage which adjoins the white stucco house near the hunters cabin off of 24th Street.* Their second concern, is the location of a new restroom facility. Apparently one is proposed to be built up the slope, above the parking lot often called Robin Hood.* This is over the first bridge on the right as one enters the park from 15th Street. The "writers" are concerned that users must walk the incline to use the facility. More problematic, it adjoins a wooded area and poses a "physical and safety risks to park goers." Many years ago there was a bathroom in this exact location. It was discarded because it seemed to foster predatory behavior. The "writers" suggest that the new facility be placed on level ground near the parking lot by the new pedestrian bridge and white barn.* Their final concern, and which might well be the reason for the letter, is that the new park "czar" seems closed to suggestions about the best location for the new bathroom . In the letter, they correctly claim that the decision about the bathroom structure will affect the park's future for decades. Perhaps the new director should take advantage of input from these knowledgeable friend's of the park.

* location, as I interpreted from letter

Neglect Has Its Reward

The City of Allentown, through the Redevelopment Authority*, purchased the property it demonized last year with it's first Landlord of Shame. We paid $93,500.00 for 343 N. 9th Street, described last year as following: "The properties have a lengthy list of code violations and have been delinquent in the payment of taxes and fees. There are numerous interior and exterior code violations at 343 and 345 N. 9th St. The units lack fire separation/protection between units and hard wired smoke detectors with battery back-up. There are numerous electrical violations throughout the buildings, including exposed wiring. The homes are missing plumbing fixtures. Windows need to be replaced." The owner, Adam Thor, had paid $110,000 at the height of the market in October of 2005. In that time frame I met Mr. Thor, he was in an acquisition mode, obsessed with purchasing property with no down money, disregarding the price of the property. That property was not worth $110,000 then, it wasn't even worth $93,500, and that was before it became distressed. I have not asked the City or Redevelopment Authority for an explanation, and in return I have been told nothing I can't believe. I do believe the City should not be in real estate business, nor have they ever been particularly good at it. Paying too much for this property may be the lessor of two evils. I know from prior statements the City aspired to acquire and deconvert houses in that block; I would hope Mr. Thor's induction into the Landlord Hall of Shame was not a strategy for that purpose. * The Redevelopment Authority is independent from the City, however, under this Administration, this Authority and The Parking Authority have been functioning as agents of Pawlowski's Agenda. UPDATE: Photo shows 345 N 9th. 343, directly to it's right, is less impressive. Both properties are tagged as unfit and padlocked. My curbside appraisal of 343 is $44,000. I'm not a licensed appraiser, but I did recently stay at a Holiday Inn.

City Hits Home Run

The Homebuyer's Supermarket, sponsored by the City of Allentown, was a well organized, well attended event. Filling the entire floor of the Palace Banquet Hall, prospective home buyers were greeted by three full midways of realtors, mortgage originators and community organizations. Intended to spur responsible home ownership in the city, the timing was perfect; warm weather, low interest rates, and a generous federal tax credit. Shown in the photo are the new townhouses on North St., which have replaced the devastation from a fire in 2004.

Groundhog Day

In the movie Groundhog Day, Bill Murray wakes up every morning to find himself re-living the previous day, over and over. Yesterday, Jarrett Renshaw wrote, on Queen City Blog, about grants to improve 7th St. I attended my first 7th St. Gateway improvement meeting in 1994 at St. Luke's Church. In 2005 I attended the exact same meeting, in the same place, moderated by the same City official. All the audience eager beaver participants were new, thinking the wheel was being re-invented. Little did they know how many millions were squandered by this Groundhog Day real life bureaucracy. Ironically, the section of 7th St. never reached by these programs, developed a viable business district without the intervention of city planners. Nineteen years later, I am encouraged by the new Main St. Program and it's manager, Peter Lewnes. Perhaps tomorrow will be a new day.

The Life Of Riley

The situation comedy's of the 50's had a common theme. The father would have to resolve some family commotion within 30 minutes, but back then 30 minutes was longer, there were many less commercials. Diversity was limited to social-economic circumstances. Ozzie Nelson lived in an idealized suburban house and had all day to find the solution. Riley worked in factory, lived in a duplex, and had to do his conflict resolution after work.

Conflict is no stranger to this blog, often only lubricated by turmoil. Though usually dissecting Democrats, yesterday I was bickering with the remnants of the local Republican party. Seems the remnants resent my implication of their arrogance. Scott Armstrong and Trent Sear are upset that I revealed the majority of homeowners in the West Park area were opposed to the Historic District imposed upon them. They can't understand why the opposer's didn't attend their coffee clutches at the time, Scott says he would have dropped the plan only if he knew. He didn't offer that option to the standing room only protesters at the City Council Meetings. He claims he and the West Park Association were ignorant of the Daytime Curfew Ordinance being used now to teach the pizza shop owner a little humility. Pam Varkony, who helped sponsor the Pizza Ordinance and ignored the protesters of the Historic District, currently writes on her blog that Allentown needs a Mayor who tells it like it is; well, that would have been an idea for her when she was on council.

I have altered the names of Armstrong, Sear and Varkony as not to offend anybody.

William Bendix, as Riley, would end every episode by saying "What a revolting development this turned out to be!", pretty much like Allentown.

Neuweiler Nights

The Limey drove an old Plymouth to work. My friend Johnny walked 3 blocks to work. I rode the bus. We all slaved in the dye house at Third and Allen Streets in Allentown about a hundred years ago.

Danny Bokeko, Subby, Joe Alizirri Jr., Jimmy the numbers runner, and George ("me rent and me eats") were some more of us.

We were all pretending to be tough guys. But Johnny really was tough. It was the way he had been brought up. Yet, although he was a bruiser, he was amazingly tolerant and gentle (in contrast to his dad). He was actually John Eugene Vasilik, III. When you called him on the telephone, his father John, Jr., usually answered and you had better ask for John Eugene Vasilik, THE THIRD. The whole enchilada! "WHO do you want--the father or the son?" "Why don’t you ask RIGHT?"

Johnny’s father was shorter than his two sons, but a nasty SOB if there ever was one. He was continually belligerent and would never back down. He badmouthed a bartender at the Dial Inn down in the ward one night and got beat up. The very next day he was back at the Dial Inn tormenting the same guy, arguing, provoking, and cursing--just totally nuts!

The Limey would pick me up at night and we would hang on the corner at 3rd and Hamilton Streets with Johnny. There was always something happening. We got to know the cops fairly well. Sometimes we would sit in Jim The Greek's. The cockroaches were big as mice. Johnny was always hungry and ate with impunity. I would only have bottled soda.

I worked at the Allen Dye House for two and a half years and then my father died and my brother and I took over the business that my Dad had started from our home. So I sort of drifted away from the colorful life down in the ward. Two years later Harry Birch (The Limey) went back to England and Johnny left the dye house to work at Neuweiler’s Brewery with his Dad.

Johnny’s father had a round depression sunken into his forehead about the size of half a golf ball. Very noticeable. Johnny never knew the story behind it. Can you imagine even ASKING? Johnny worked in the brewery while his Dad drove a beer truck. So how did their coworkers differentiate between these two Johnnies? They called the FATHER, "John." And they called the SON, "Hole-In-The-Head," or just "Hole."

After Johnny needed to wear eyeglasses, however, they began calling him, "Four-Eyes." Some time later he thought he would outfox them by getting contact lenses. You guessed it. Johnny had earned the moniker, "Contact."

Everyone called me, "Clint," because I resembled a guy on a TV show, "Clint and Bullets." I had never seen the show. Maybe it is just as well.

Two days after the September 11th tragedies, a phone call from England came on my answering machine. It was The Limey, Harry Birch; after all of these years asking for Clint and wishing me well.


NARRATIVE BY WILLIAM WEBER, WEST PARK ICON, HISTORIAN AND REALTOR OF CHOICE (BONDED REALTY)

Crimes of Pizza

Having a business in Allentown can be exasperating. Unless you're one of the chosen few, blessed with political /photo opportunity and bestowed with grants, you're besieged with zoning and bureaucratic regulation. The touted one stop City Hall expediency process, paid for by the taxpayers with a remodeled City Hall, never materialized, and confusing headaches still prevail. But it can be much worse, witness the hapless pizza shop owner at 15th and Turner Sts. The police have cited him for serving pizza to minors. The citation says, DEFENDANT DID ALLOW JUVENILES THAT WERE SCHOOL AGE, TO STAY ON PREMISE, IN VIOLATION OF DAYTIME CURFEW ORDINANCE.
The daytime curfew, ordinance 729.03 goes back to the Reign of Arrogance.* This dragoon measure states
1. IT SHALL BE UNLAWFUL FOR ANY MINOR OF COMPULSORY SCHOOL AGE....REMAIN IN OR UPON ANY PUBLIC PLACE OR ON THE PREMISES OF ANY ESTABLISHMENT...ON ANY DAY IN WHICH SCHOOL IS IN SESSION.....
2.CUSTODIAN'S RESPONSIBILITY:IT SHALL BE UNLAWFUL...TO KNOWINGLY PERMIT SUCH MINOR TO BE OR REMAIN.....
3.ACCOMPLICE: IT SHALL BE UNLAWFUL....ACT AS AN ACCOMPLICE..FACILITATING THE COMMISSION OF THE OFFENSE

I've been told by a teacher at Allen High that it would be difficult to impossible for a shop owner to know who belongs in school. Some days there are late starts, early dismissal, and partial dismissal. These variables often apply only to one grade at a time. In essence the shop owner must act as a truant officer to comply with this ordinance. The cited shop is within the West Park Neighborhood, where their civil organization acts as a watchdog for the area. Much like spot zoning, this is definitely a case of spot ordinance enforcement. Would a pizza shop owner further downtown receive the same scrutiny?

*Reign of Arrogance:There was a time in Allentown's past, during the Heydt Administrations, when neighborhood groups had great influence. Special parochial interests prevailed; the neighbors of muhlenberg college got the city to past special restrictive zoning against student renting(unconstitutional,shame on the college for laying down, in essence creating two classes of renters), west park historic district, against the majority of homeowners wishes) etc... yes it was an effective machine which even resulted in the election of two members to city council, Pam Varkony and Tom Burke., everyone was happy, the mayor got support and the neighborhood associations got special considerations., there was only one fly in the ointment, the one and the only EMMA TROPIANO. Preliminary research indicates The Daytime Curfew was introduced by Pam Varkony and passed during the reign.