A Baby Boomer In Allentown

molovinsky on allentown is meant to intersect local politics and history. I grew up during a very prosperous era in Allentown's history. The post war (WW2) factories couldn't produce enough goods, despite some having three shifts. Local government was small, concerned mostly with infrastructure and public safety.  There was little concern with affordable housing and other social programs. Then, as now, there were always poor people. Eleanor Roosevelt visited Allentown for the opening of Hanover Acres, the public housing above the east side of the Lehigh River. For many residents of that project and Cumberland Gardens, the public housing was a stepping stone, not a lifestyle.

Hamilton Street was a thriving shopping district.  No subsidies needed there.  Those successful merchants handled their own parking system, no Parking Authority needed.  There might have been some nepotism and cronyism in city hall, but no need for FBI investigations.  Information and news came from your television screen and newspapers, but without agendas and misdirection.

A reader asked me why I made commenting more difficult.  Question.......isn't one of the purposes of your blog to foster discussion of the matters you raise? Purposely seeking to curb comment responses and possibly readership, seems counterintuitive to me.  Topics are not chosen in regard to expanding readership, nor do I count comments as a gauge of success. This blog is not monetized, directly or indirectly. I address those topics which are either under-reported, or misrepresented by the local main stream media. Consequently, I want the comments to be as relevant and responsible as possible.

When Walter Cronkite gave the news in the early 1960's,  he signed out each program by saying, "And that's the way it is."  

reprinted from July of 2016

The History Mission Of molovinsky on allentown

Since its inception, molovinsky on allentown has published local history along with political commentary. Allentown has become a city of immigrants; whether it's our from out of town mayor and his from out of town staff, or our new population demographics, it's difficult to find someone who has lived here for more than twenty years. Redevelopment is nothing new to Allentown. Entire neighborhoods and portions of Hamilton Street have disappeared in the past. There has never been a shortage of new bridges or political ambition. This blog, unencumbered by considerations of political correctness or business promotion, posts these short historical markers, as reference points for the curious.

When opened 1913, the Eighth Street Bridge was the longest and highest reinforced concrete arch bridge in the world. The Lehigh Valley Transit Company organized the Allentown Bridge Company in 1911 for the sole purpose of building the bridge. The structure operated as a toll bridge from its November 17, 1913 opening until the 1950s, at which time the toll was five cents for an automobile. The concrete standards that once supported the trolley wire are still standing. Harry C. Trexler, founding member of the Transit Company and Lehigh Portland Cement Co., was a principle player in the construction of this bridge. General Trexler's grave-site, in Fairview Cemetery on Lehigh Street, affords unique views of the bridge and center city Allentown.

reprinted from January of 2014

UPDATE MAY 5, 2021: The shenanigans of the out of town mayor finally caught up with him a few years ago, and he is now a guest at a federal facility.  I believe that this blog played a role in highlighting some injustices from that period. The local newspaper was missing in action until the indictment,  and still continues to support the status quo and current sacred cows.  

Trolley To Dorney Park

When the Allentown-Kutztown Traction (Trolley) Company purchased Dorney Park in 1901, trolley companies were buying or building amusement parks all across the country. Perhaps the most famous was Coney Island. Usually located between two cities serviced by the company, it was a plan to increase weekend rider-ship. Passengers could spend a day at the park, swimming, picnicking, and partaking of the rides and amusements. Through merger, the trolley would become the Allentown-Reading Traction Company, whose line began just south of Hamilton, on 7th Street. The line went west on Walnut Street, and then followed the Cedar Creek to the park. The roller coaster was built over the tracks in 1923, the year that the Allentown-Reading sold the park to the Plarr family.  Trolley service would continue to 1934.

Jim Layland contributed to this post.

reprinted from 2013

Morning Call Endorses Problems In South Whitehall

In a long awaited article today, the Morning Call endorsed disfunction in South Whitehall. While the reporter hinted at the township's problems, she allowed the main culprit, Tori Morgan, to explain them away. “Transparency doesn’t mean each decision made by the board should be impetus for a referendum for a small vocal minority that participate in a meeting,”  For us concerned* with Wehr's Dam, Morgan's quote is particularly ironic.  Hundreds of people lobbied in person for over fourteen months for the dam, and thousands more voted for it by the referendum in 2016.  The reporter also allowed Joe Setton to explain himself away in a quote.

I refer to the article as long awaited, because weeks ago I furnished the reporter with documents showing that the township allowed ex-parte communication between the Wildlands Conservancy and the state DEP against Wehr's Dam. The relationship between Tori Morgan and The Wildlands Conservancy remains an unreported scandal by the newspaper.

In an attempt to increase readership, the Sunday Morning Call article I refer to is only visible as an exclusive to current subscribers.  How that will increase readership is a mystery.  At any rate, both Tori Morgan and Joe Setton should send the reporter a thank you card.

photocredit: Gregg Obst

* In fairness to both the reporter and newspaper, my term concerned could also be labeled focused. Since 2014, I have been a steadfast advocate for preserving Wehr's Dam. The article in the paper is a comprehensive report on development and politics in three townships.

Neglect Has Its Reward

The City of Allentown, through the Redevelopment Authority*, purchased the property it demonized last year with its 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 and owner financing, unconcerned with the asking 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. 

reprinted from April 26, 2009

UPDATE APRIL 30, 2021: The above post is reprinted as a companion piece to James Whitney's Ramblings' post on the same 9th Street property. When these Pawlowski era shenanigans were occurring, I was there, both as a property manager and as a blogger. As a matter of fact, Pawlowski had code enforcement review the properties I managed, looking for something to punish me about. My operation was exemplary, and he found no violations to use on me.

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. 

UPDATE JUNE 9, 2020: This post is a reprint from 2016, which now seems like the good old days. Under the current superintendent, Thomas Parker, the district is in a financial hole so deep that no tax increase is no longer an option. Unfortunately, the Covid-19 pandemic has caused another difficulty, not seen since Dorothy Talisferro attended Allentown High in 1918.

UPDATE APRIL 29, 2021: Thomas Parker has moved on to a bigger school system elsewhere. Allentown once again searches for a new superintendent.

Attention O'Connell, Gerlach, Tuerk and Guridy

Although this blog has been mostly silent on the upcoming Democratic primary, now is the time for all good candidates to come to the aid of Fairview Cemetery. Now is the time for all good candidates to express their commitment to make sure that conditions and respect for those interred there improve. 

Now is the time for those who support the various candidates to make sure that their choice for Allentown's next mayor gets involved in the cemetery's improvement.

Fairview overlooks Allentown. Buried there is the history of Allentown...Harry Trexler, John Leh, Jack Mack, Max Hess Sr. and hundreds of other leaders from the city's past. Let us not overlook our history.

The Fairview Cemetery Situation

In 1997, I began looking for the grave of a young Jewish woman who died in 1918.  In the course of that search I became interested in the small old Jewish section of Fairview Cemetery on Lehigh Street.

In the late 1800's and early 1900's, Fairview was the most prestigious cemetery in Allentown.  Among those buried there included General Harry Trexler,  John Leh and Jack Mack.  The sprawling cemetery overlooks center city, and contains numerous obelisks and other impressive grave markers. Several unique mausoleums were built, including one for Max Hess senior. Allentown's most successful families purchased large plots, which were separated by low railings.  As the decades passed,  the available plots were sold.

As time passed a new cemetery, Grandview, was developed northwest of town, along Walbert Avenue. Fairview fell out of favor among the elite.  Move ahead a few decades, and supposedly, the director of the then Fairview Cemetery Association embezzled funds.  Currently, the association consists of a funeral director and his immediate family.  Back in 1997, this new director claimed that the poor ground maintenance resulted from lack of funds. The low railings between the family plots were removed to make mowing easier and cheaper.

I was able to cast a little publicity on the situation. Although it took another decade, in 2008, the Morning Call did a story on the cemetery.  Move ahead yet another decade, Tyler Fatzinger became interested, and now there is a dedicated facebook page. The paper did another story in 2019.

In the best of situations, Fairview would become a park of serenity, like the cemeteries in Paris. In the worst of situations, it will become totally abandoned and overgrown. Chances are the status quo will continue... a for profit operator and a periodic series of concerned citizens.

reprinted from August of 2020

UPDATE APRIL 26, 2021: After several years of tireless work, Tyler Fatzinger has been told by the cemetery operators to cease his mission of caring for the neglected areas of Fairview.  In this election year, all candidates for mayor and city council are promising to bring change to Allentown. Let them begin with Fairview.  I call upon these candidates to make the upgrade of Fairview Cemetery part of their platform. I call upon their supporters to lobby them on behalf of Fairview.