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

Wehr's Dam, Family Magnet

In 2014,  the South Whitehall commissioners conspired with the Wildlands Conservancy to demolish Wehr's Dam.   Commissioner Tori Morgan assured Abigail Pattishall, from the Wildlands, that it would be an easy deal.  After all, the township's park director(Randy Cope) was the son of a Wildlands director,  and the Wildlands had already formulated the township's master plan park, which called for the destruction of the iconic dam.  Never mind that it is a magnet destination that has attracted generations to its beauty. Never mind that nowhere else can you see water flow over a dam and under a covered bridge in the same spot.

As myself and others rallied to protect the dam,  the Wildlands called in some sacred cow favors. Bill White wrote a column that he wouldn't allow his dog to swim in the water above the dam.  He didn't mention the unique beauty that keeps attracting him to go there,  even though he lives next to a local Allentown park, which also has a pond.  I had to battle for months to get a pro-dam letter printed, finally going over the local editor's head to the publisher.

The commissioners came up with a plan to accommodate the Wildlands.  They would tie keeping the dam to a tax hike, and put it to the voters in a referendum.  When the voters chose to keep the dam anyway,  the township now is ignoring the mandate, and not maintaining the dam. Meanwhile, behind the scenes, the Wildlands is corresponding with the state to have the dam condemned.  Although I documented the correspondence,  the Morning Call refused to print my letter, or investigate the situation.

Meanwhile, the township has hired the Conservancy to plan and build a  $multi $million $dollar walkway through the park, as if the dam won't be there.

HERE'S THE IRONY, despite their illegal schemes (ignoring a legal referendum), the dam on Sunday was teeming with families fishing together at the dam.  There is no higher calling for a township and their park department,  than to attract families enjoying themselves. The dam has been doing that for over 100 years.

THE TIME HAS COME FOR THE TOWNSHIP TO DECLARE THEIR INTENTIONS CONCERNING WEHR'S DAM.

Wehr's Dam Conspiracy Against Voters

The South Whitehall Commissioners never expected the voters to approve the referendum in November of 2016 to retain Wehr's Dam, especially when they had associated it with a possible tax increase. They thought that they could accommodate the Wildlands Conservancy in demolishing the dam, with no political consequence to themselves.

In July of 2014, the Commissioners gave the Conservancy permission to conduct a study of the dam, which was intended to justify its demolition. The engineering firm for the Conservancy then claimed that the dam was leaking under itself, at one small spot. On February 13, 2015, the DEP wrote the township; "The Wildlands Conservancy has recently brought to our attention that there is some confusion relating to the current condition of the Wehr's Dam..." For the Commissioners to have granted the Wildlands Conservancy permission to interface with the state was improper. The dam is the historic property of the township residents, not an outside party.

A subsequent study of the dam by another engineering firm could not confirm the above referenced leak. It is now necessary for the Commissioners to put aside their agenda of accommodating the Wildlands Conservancy, and honor the results of the referendum. They must change their Park Master Plan, which still calls for the dam's demolition. They must now advocate for the dam with the state DEP, and correct any misconceptions about its condition.

Although its been over three years since the referendum, the township hasn't applied one dab of cement to the dam. On the contrary, last year they tried to breach the dam by having a contractor pull a large tree trunk over it. The township has not said or written one word about the dam since the referendum.  The Morning Call has never made one inquiry or written one word about the dam since the referendum. The dam sits in a state of benign neglect, waiting for the state to accommodate the Wildlands Conservancy and condemn it. Only this blog defends the dam, its magic, and the voters' wishes.

photograph by Gregg Obst

Disgrace On Front Street

Students of this blog know that I'm not a big fan of the Allentown Economic Development Corporation.  Under the Pawlowski regime, they adopted his practice of fluff and puff, devoid of much substance.  Up until now my biggest complaint was their ridiculous plan on restoring the Barber Quarry branch rail line to S. 10 Street.  Although I always oppose removing existing tracks,  there is absolutely no reason to restore now missing tracks on speculation.  The probability of them attracting an industry heavy enough to need rail service is no better than zero.  So far, in about 15 years,  all they managed to do is put a go-kart track in a former Mack factory.  Although they have a $multi-$million $dollar budget, I know landlords who better manage more properties with a pickup truck and cellphone.

But today's post is about the former Neuweiler Brewery.  Mike Fleck, Pawlowski's former indicted campaign/business manager,  hooked up Ruckus Brewing with the AEDC,  which gave them the Neuweiler property.  Although Ruckus is primarily a couple young marketing guys with no actual brewing or property development experience,  they were given several extensions on their Neuweiler option.  They are now allowed to harvest income from renting storage space in the former distribution portion of the brewery, but have made no repairs to the brewery portion itself.  Understand that Pawlowski had the former owner actually jailed for conditions at the property, which is in much worse shape now.

The current condition brings us to a new chapter. Despite its imposing industrial architecture, the building may be beyond feasible saving at this point.  Now anything can be saved, but at what cost?  The building is under the public expense program called NIZ.  The NIZ is a unique program, which uses public tax dollars for private ownership.  I would prefer that my state tax dollars not be diverted to save this wreck,  only to enrich some NYC owners.

Now for a reality check.  Only this blog (later joined by LV Ramblings) sounded the whistle on Pawlowski's Allentown.  Only this blog chronicled the situation down at the former brewery.  Bureaucrats and profiting  law firms are always reluctant to cut bait on their previous poor decisions.

Syrian Flag Controversy

When I read about the Syrian flag controversy at city council,  I sighed somewhat.  Syrians and Allentown have a special bond that goes back over a hundred years.  That community started, and to a large extent stayed, in the 6th Ward since the late 1890's.

During the 1960's they developed a political base, first with D.A. George Joseph, then blossomed under then Mayor for Life, Joe Daddona.  They were Democrats who voted as a block, and held sway over more than one local election. Consequently, their employment by city hall also was noticeable.  Their allegiance to the Assad family is steadfast,  because the Assads were protective of the Christian minority in the homeland.

Paul Muschick has a column in the paper that states that city hall should raise no flag except our own, he writes...The United States is in a trade war with China. We’re haggling with Mexico over illegal immigration. I bet there are plenty of people in Allentown who would object to those flags, too.

Ironically, center city or probably City Center, is scheduling to celebrate Cinco de Mayo. Of course that celebration is a transparent attempt to bring some foot traffic to the thirsty for business bars downtown. In blunt reality, all these flag risings in Allentown have always been political pandering, dressed up as cultural appreciation.

By yesterday, another longer established Syrian group came forward to express their support for the mayor's position.

Now, when they're ready for the Molovinsky On Allentown parade, let me know....

Stealing Businesses Is Now Our Industry

When I was a kid growing up in the 1950's, I couldn't begin to tell you everything that was manufactured in Allentown. If it was transistors at Western Electric, toaster ovens at General Electric, or thousands of shirts and pants at dozens of textile mills, Allentown produced product. We now call distributing all the products Made In China an industry. Commercial Development  is reduced to stealing existing businesses from a neighboring town. We pay people to direct Development Authorities, which orchestrate these musical chair jobs. The tax incentives given to facilitate the musical chairs do nothing for the residents but increase their tax burden. Although having no new product, these Authorities and incentives have become an industry in themselves. They have become the talking points for our politicians. Maybe not as a region or a state, but as a country, we would be much better off producing more, and playing musical chairs less.

photo shows toaster ovens being manufactured on S. 12th St. in Allentown

reprinted from February of 2015

A Crime By The Wildlands Conservancy

photo by Tami Quigley

The top photo shows the Robin Hood Bridge, before the Wildlands Conservancy demolished the little  Robin Hood Dam, just downstream beyond the bridge. The dam was only about 10 inches high, and was built as a visual effect to accompany the bridge in 1941. It was the last WPA project in Allentown, and considered the final touch for Lehigh Parkway. Several years ago, the Wildlands told the Allentown Park Director and City Council that it wanted to demolish the dam. The only thing that stood between their bulldozer and the dam was yours truly. I managed to hold up the demolition for a couple weeks, during which time I tried to educate city council about the park, but to no avail. If demolishing the dam wasn't bad enough, The Wildlands Conservancy piled the broken dam ruble around the stone bridge piers, as seen in the bottom photo. I'm sad to report that the situation is now even worse. All that ruble collected silt, and now weeds and brush is growing around the stone bridge piers. I suppose the Wildlands Conservancy considers it an extension of its riparian buffer.

The Wildlands Conservancy should be made to remove, piece by piece, all the rubble that they piled around the bridge piers, despoiling the bridge's beauty. City Council should refrain from ever again permitting The Wildlands Conservancy to alter our park designs.

It has been six years since the dam's destruction in 2013, and the bridge piers look more disgusting than ever.  The hypocrites at the Wildland Conservancy, insisting that dams be demolished to improve  the health of the streams,  have never has said one word about the raw sewage that overflows into the Little Lehigh during storms.  The hypocrites didn't want to antagonize any municipality from which they get grants.

Allentown Parks Victimized

Among the victims of Pawlowski's long corrupt tenure was the Allentown Parks system.  His managing director, Fran Dougherty, hired three park directors in a row with the same background...recreation.  All three of them looked to outside advise in regard to managing the parks' lands.  The Wildlands Conservancy took advantage of this opportunity to dictate Allentown policy and expand their presence in the Lehigh Valley.

They recommended Riparian Buffers along the creeks. Because the storm sewer system is piped directly into the creeks, these buffers are only token, and serve no purpose as true buffers.  However, that reality was of no concern to the Wildlands Conservancy.  They were even given a taxpayer funded grant to plant buffers along the creek in Trout Creek Park. As a consequence of this misguided policy, city residents have lost a unique feature of the iconic parks,  view and access to the creeks.  Ironically, every fall the buffers must be cut down anyway, to prevent invasive species from taking hold.  Also, because of the Wildlands Conservancy policy, we lost the small WPA Robin Hood Dam, and Harry Trexler's Fish Hatchery Dam.

Although Pawlowski is in prison, and we have a new park director,  the system is still under their influence. Along the way, with Allentown's former help, the Wildlands Conservancy became a local sacred cow.  The son of a Wildland's director became park director in South Whitehall, and they dominated that system, even creating that township's park masterplan.  Because they had control of both Allentown and South Whitehall, they are now officially in charge of the $multi $million$dollar Jordan Greenway, which encompasses both municipalities.

Criticism of the Wildlands, a self serving sacred cow, is limited to this blog.  The Morning Call, itself owned by the outside Tribune Corporation, with a succession of outside imported publishers, could care less about such things.

ADDENDUM: It should be noted that the so called environmentalists at the Wildlands Conservancy have never said one word about the raw sewage that spills over into the Little Lehigh Creek.  These hypocrites don't want to antagonize any municipality from which they get grants.  They are allowed to keep 15% of the grants for administrative costs, in other words, their salaries.

photocredit:molovinsky/former Robin Hood Dam