Allentown State Hospital Fiasco

State officials, who know much better than the rest of us, decided some years ago to close most state hospitals, including Allentown State Hospital. Residents there would do better in community mental health programs, they said. You've seen the results.  Severely mentally ill people wander the streets.  Instead of being treated in a hospital, they now flood county jails and nursing homes.

In the meantime, Allentown State Hospital's 195-acre campus sat empty and dormant while state officials considered how they could top their initial blunder of closing it down. They came up with a scheme so incredibly stupid that you have to wonder whether they themselves should be committed. 

Our betters in Harrisburg wanted to spend $15 million to tear down the buildings so the tract could be sold to a wheeler-dealer from Doylestown for pocket change. After this scheme was exposed here in Blogistan, our state oligarchs decided to drop the Doylestown developer. But they went ahead and demolished the buildings anyway, with no developer waiting in the wings at all. 

They made sure to brush away multiple attempts by Allentown developer Nat Hyman to save the state the expense of demolishing anything and paying cold, hard cash for the site. He was barred from the site and Browne changed the law when Hyman sued to stop the shenanigans. They also disregarded advice from the state's own Historical and Museum Commission. That state agency concluded that the main state hospital building not only retained its structural integrity, but should be listed with the National Register. 

They probably chuckled when 7,300 people signed on online petition asking that the state hospital be preserved. After all, why on earth should our elected officials ever listen to the people who put them in office? The unwashed masses clearly fail to understand how a representative democracy works. 

Eventually, in 2020, and without a redevelopment plan, the buildings all came tumbling down as though they'd been hit by a Putin cruise missile. The only one deemed worthy to stand was an air monitoring station that could measure the dust from all the pollution created. You can ignore everyone else, but not environmentalists. 

After turning a strategic site between Bethlehem and Allentown into an urban desert, our Harrisburg optimates waited nearly two years before bothering to solicit bids for redevelopment. These were promptly rejected as "nonresponsive" so State Senator Pat Browne could try again with a direct sale.

On his way out the door, following a disgraceful primary loss, Senator Pat Browne's parting gift to J. B. Reilly is right up there with his previous present to Reilly, the Allentown NIZ.  That Bill enabled Reilly to build and own a $Billion dollars of new real estate, paid for with diverted Pennsylvania state taxes. 

Browne's proposed new law now gives the 195 acre State Hospital property to Reilly for $5.5 mil, or just over 28K an acre. The bill, if passed by the general assembly, sells the property to Reilly with no competitive bidding from other developers. Browne's proposal has already been endorsed by the General Services Office, state representative Mike Schlossberg, and most of our so called leaders. 

Browne's gift to Reilly is also the ultimate FU to state taxpayers. 

Because the NIZ already allows land swaps, the taxpayers could end up paying for Reilly's new buildings. Such a swap should be prohibited on the former hospital grounds, as it would be an injustice for all the taxpayers throughout Pennsylvania. 

Other developers and the City of Allentown don't matter.

When asked, Hyman, one of the discarded developers, issued this response:

"I wanted to buy and redevelop the State Hospital site because I believe it is a once in a generation opportunity for Allentown. It is an opportunity to create a new town square for the east side and bolster the finances of the City through desperately needed real estate taxes. City Center is certainly the preeminent developer in Allentown and more than capable of doing a great job with this site. My issue however is with Pat Browne and Mike Schlossberg. Once again, they both are involved in back room dealings shrouded in secrecy and a lack of transparency. The voters have rightly dealt with Pat Browne and this directed sale is another example of his arrogance and his parting shot to the voters as he walks out the door. As far as Schlossberg, you may recall that when I offered $2.3m to buy the site with the buildings intact, he attacked me personally and said that the demolition was necessary to attract a much higher price for the site and a profit for the taxpayers. He claimed to know more about development than I do, despite all of the buildings that I have redeveloped in the City of Allentown. Well, he spent $15m in demolition costs and sold it for $5.5m. He lost the tax payers $10m. He must be held accountable for that.” 

The deal seems in direct conflict with the General Service mission of disposing property in the best interests of the public. With Browne's departure, Schlossberg apparently wants to position himself as the developer's best legislator.

In Allentown government, Mayor Matt Tuerk is actually on board with this absurdity.  A man who supposedly had the inside track on economic development has been relegated to the third wheel of the Browne-Reilly bicycle. Councilperson Ce-Ce Gerlach is expressing concern about gentrification, that is the least of Allentown's problems. State rep wannabe Josh Siegel excuses this breach of fiduciary duty to the taxpayer with the hollow argument that at least the property will return to the tax  rolls, but will it? Given the state's penchant for corporate handouts and the reality of the NIZ, that seems highly unlightly. State Rep Mike Schlossberg thinks you're either stupid or that you have forgotten his previous claim that demolition of the hospital grounds would make them more attractive.

As bloggers during the Pawlowski regime, we were amazed by the former mayor's audacity. However, seeing Browne and Schlossberg in action, we realize what an amateur Pawlowski really was.

above post is a collaboration between Michael Molovinsky and Bernie O'Hare

ADDENDUM SEPTEMBER 20, 2022: The Morning Call is currently headlining a column by Paul Muschick, essentially copying the issues above, but with no attribution to this blog post.

Gentrification, A Problem Allentown Needs

It's adorable that people worry that the new development in Allentown, especially that anticipated by the river, will lead to gentrification, and rents rising beyond the reach of existing residents.

Rents have risen in Allentown and everywhere else since the pandemic. However, this increase has nothing to do with gentrification, and has occurred everywhere, even in areas with no new development.

When I go to our new NIZTOWN, formally known as the Allentown business district, one thing I can't find is gentrification. I see endless new publicly financed, privately owned J.C. Reilly buildings, but no new demographic. I suppose that they must be there, hiding in their Strata Lofts, but nobody could confuse or accuse the street scene as gentrified.  

As matter of fact, I find the lack of ambience rather amazing. Who could have imagined that with so many new buildings,  and with over a $Billion of our money given to a private owner, there would be no signs of life, and certainly no signs of an improved new street life.

photocredit:molovinsky/NIZ preparing to destroy Allentown's mercantile history and architecture

The Neuweiler Story

Allentown's NIZ was a boutique legislation that allows private property to be publicly financed.  On the up side, for the most part, the beneficiaries have been local boys. That is about to change. 

The Morning Call had an excellent report on a New Jersey firm muscling in on our tax dollar giveaway. They learned their lesson well from the first interloper, Ruckus Brewery.  Ruckus was set up with the Neuweiler Brewery by Mike Fleck, before he went to the pokey with Pawlowski.  Ruckus managed to raise money from their NIZ approval and get possession of the brewery without actually spending any of their own money. For that fund raising, they changed their name to Brewers Hill.  Previously they never even had experience with actual brewing or real estate...Never underestimate the value of a political connection.

Like Ruckus/Brewers Hill, the new player promises to relocate their office here to Allentown. Sprinkle in a promise of affordable housing, and the Allentown welcome mat is out.  They have agreements now with Brewers Hill, and options on neighborhood properties. 

Personally, I preferred my tax dollars benefiting the local boys, like Reilly and Jaindl.

photocredit: Robert Walker

above reprinted from February of 2021

UPDATE MAY 18, 2022: With the recent news about Neuweilers, I decided to revisit the brewery posts. The post above is just one of dozens I have written on the brewery since 2008. I may have somewhat more knowledge about the topic than the Morning Call's changing cast of reporters, because I had actually sat down with the last private owner. In 2007 Pawlowski said that "We have to get it out of the hands of this guy," It was also the last time that any property taxes were paid on the property. While the city took procession supposedly because no improvements were made, likewise nothing has been done since, fifteen years later. Actually, the property now is in considerably worse condition. But in addition to no taxes being paid in all these years, we have been paying the salaries of the bureaucrats in the various controlling agencies since the property was confiscated.

Whether demolished or restored, or a combination of both, we all want to see change at the property. But understand that we as taxpayers will be paying for that change with our diverted state income taxes. Understand that although the project will be publicly financed, it will be privately owned.

Those interested in an account of the situation from 2007 until now, can use the search engine of this blog's sidebar... simply type in Neuweiler brewery.

UPDATE SEPTEMBER 15, 2022: A recent headline in the Morning Call put this money pit back on this blog's front burner. It referred to investment coming to the river. It all these years of NIZ promoting, the Morning Call has never clarified that the investment is our money, our diverted state taxes. Perhaps the new crop of young reporters don't fully understand that. I can appreciate that it's hard to understand how privately owned buildings can be completely publicly paid for....Credit outgoing state senator Pat Browne for that grab of the century. As for Neuweilers, before the recent owners signed over to the current owners, they were given a couple $mil in seed money by the public authority. An enterprising reporter or investigator, might want to track where those dollars went.

Down the road, when some local cheerleader strolls up to the new bar at Neuweilers, and orders the first brewski,  he'll have no idea how many $millions and $millions it really cost the taxpayers.

Allentown Alternative News

As a long standing local blogger, I'd like to think that the news presented here is that which is underreported elsewhere in this town. *

I was amused by a recent editorial in the Morning Call. The editor thinks that their news sources are too establishment and white. This from a paper which has used the same three old white opinion writers for the last 20 years, Jennings, Iannelli and Cummingham. Myself, and other alternative opiners, haven't been given space on their page for many years. But, the reason for this post is the silence concerning the tragic accident on Irving Street. 

Although it has been over a week since the accident, the name of the driver has not been revealed. This wall of silence has produced a stream of rampant speculation.  One rumor is that a city truck and employee was involved. Rather than the administration and/or police department being accused of a coverup, they should release a statement. Perhaps the driver was a juvenile, and it would be inappropriate to name him/her... But then they should release that information.

At any rate, this is a most sad story. I'd much rather be reporting about some financial corruption.

* Yesterday, the Morning Call reported that former chief Fitzgerald was hired in Denver. That story made this blog back on August 25th.

ADDENDUM 3:00PM: Since writing this post early this morning, I have learned of a case in Vermont, where the police determined that the driver had no fault, and that releasing his/her name would only create another victim. The facts in the Allentown tragedy remain to be learned.

photocredit:molovinskyonallentown/knocking down mercantile history for arena

Sideshow At City Hall

Last Saturday night I was offered two free tickets for the documentary Broke(n), shown at the Civic Theater. The film makers appreciated my institutional knowledge of Allentown, and subsequently mentioned me in the credits.  This post is about free tickets, and an issue with the mayor.

I was contacted during the fair by an offended, long term former employee of Allentown.  It was a long standing tradition that the free fair tickets, given to the city by the fair association, were then distributed to the city's retired workers.  This year, for the first time in memory, Mayor Tuerk changed the rules. Instead, he decided to give the tickets to his beloved diversity organizations. Although I don't doubt his genuine feelings for these groups, I suppose it's also good politics for an elected official in his first term.

The retirees, in mass, were not happy campers. For damage control, he invited any of them to stop by his house and receive some tickets and a glad-hand.  Several took him up on the offer.

So far, he hasn't invited me to stop by.

photocredit:molovinsky

Allentown Verite

On Saturday night, the proverbial red carpet was out in front of the 19th Street Theatre, and the well-heeled, after kissing cheeks, were invited for a photo-op in front of a special backdrop. They were there to witness the premiere of Broke(n), a documentary on the problems of the poor, struggling in Allentown or anywhere else in America. 

At the same time Saturday evening, vendors on Hamilton Street were wrapping up from the afternoon Beerfest held there. Mayor Matt Tuerk, in another one of his at the event videos, reminded his social media friends that Allentown would be cracking down on speeding, after the tragedy earlier in the week.

Also on Saturday, Nazareth held a gathering promoted as Kindness and Inclusivity. Announcement signs were distributed to merchants, and Allentown's Ce-Ce Gerlach, among others, was invited to speak. Despite the title of the event, there was tension between two groups, and even accusations of hidden agendas. There is too much Stimuli money floating around, and too many popular platitudes for eager grant writers chasing that money.

Matt Tuerk's Wake Up Call

After the tragic accident on Irving Street, a member of the victim's extended family blasted Matt Tuerk for too many photo ops, and not enough substantive action against those who lower the quality of life in Allentown.  While the comment didn't last long on Tuerk's facebook page, the mayor apparently got the message.

On a posting on Wednesday, Tuerk used the F-word to emphasize that Allentown would be cracking down on speeders.  I hope that he and Police Chief Roca take that pledge to heart.  Celebrating  diversity is good, enjoying public safety is better.  We don't need another heritage flag raising, we need basic policing, and plenty of it.  We don't need a promise neighborhood, we need a safe neighborhood.

Take all Stimuli Money from Washington and hire as many police as possible, we need them.  After the streets calm down, then we can celebrate different cultures. Right now things are way too rough on those streets to concern ourselves with lesser issues.

The Local Races For Harrisburg, 2022

After 28 years in office, Pat Browne's loss in the spring primary was a surprise upset. As the main critic of his brainchild, the NIZ, I have mixed feelings. Although I criticized him as recently as yesterday(about Rt. 22 funding), I always found him accessible.  As a longtime blogger and scrutinizer of local politics, I never felt resentment or hostility from him, as I have from many others in local government.

This election has two state senate seats in contention. Browne's former seat has victor Jarrett Coleman(R) against Democrat Mark Pinsley. Considering that Pinsley did well against the formally entrenched Browne,  I may have to refer to him as Senator Elect after November 8th. The second senate race is a new district for the area, featuring Dean Browning(R) against Nick Miller(D).

The newish 22nd state house seat pits Josh Siegal(D) against Robert Smith(R).  Coleman, Miller and Smith all cut their political teeth on school boards. The 22nd was added several cycles ago to accommodate the growing Latino population.  Matt Tuerk has promised to teach the victor, either Siegal or Smith, Spanish after the election.

photo: In 2014 I ran as an independent against eleven term Julie Harhart(R) and a Democrat