Lehigh alum Bob Youngentoub has done nearly 40 successful, mixed-owner/tenant redevelopments in the DC area with the Neighboroods of EYA.
EYA buys up public housing projects, tears them down (while also making sure the previous tenants have temporary, safe housing), and rebuilds with much higher density. On the same city block, he combines market-rate housing (the "rich folk"), workforce housing (teachers, cops, firemen, nurses), and subsidized housing together. But, instead of 25 units to the city block (think Marvine-Pembroke), there are now 80 units on a city block. And none of the former tenants of the torn-down "project" is displaced. They return as tenants to the brand-spanking new development. From the outside, there is no architectural distinction (the market-rate units do have upscale amenities like granite countertops that the workforce and subsidized units do not - but the build quality is the same), and within the same townhouse development there is everything from upscale units occupied by doctors and lawyers to mid-scale units to subsidized units. The market-rate units are sold, not rented. The workforce units are also owner-occupied, but have assisted financing (and the municipality gets first dibs if the unit is sold).
Why didn't the NIZers go for something like that? Oh, I could say why, but then I'd have to call them a bad word.
49 comments:
The NIZ zone (130 acres) includes areas other than Hamilton Street. Hopefully some housing can be accommodated
let's see - it doesn't exist because there isn't enough money in it?
Overlook Park in Allentown followed a similar model. Not exactly the same thing, and not in the NIZ, they reduced overall density to a degree but it is a nice neighborhood with a good range of incomes.
The NIZ will be a failure if significant residentail development does not occur over time. I think it may.
Overlook is analogous, but the low income tenants there were just brushed aside.
Yeah rich folk just love living with the dudes that rob their house while they are working.
Maybe you should put a drug rehab in the middle.
Who on earth would want to make an investment in "market rate housing" that is packed up against subsidized housing???
39 out of 40 of those projects have been very successful, Monkey Momma. People are people, whether well off or not. Wealthy or poor, we have more in common than we don't.
Hockey is for whites?
I suggest you tune in to the Montreal Canadiens sometime soon.
I am a kick ass player who will only get better with age and more experience.
P.K. SUBBAN
Hockey is for whites?
Big Athletic Supporter clearly does not anything about who has scored 21 or more goals for the Philadelphia Flyers so far this season.
WAYNE SIMMONS
Hockey is for whites?
Looks like somebody has no clue who was guarding the goal for Wayne Gretzky and the Edmonton Oilers when they were busy winning four Stanley Cups in five seasons.
GRANT FUHR
Bernie, I agree that this sounds like a great project. Hopefully things like this can be built within the NIZ zone and take advantage of the lower taxes. I particularly like the fact that people of all incomes are living together and share the same commercial venues. Great post, Bernie.
Bernie,
The last thing the over stressed Allentown School District needs is more students to educate. The worst case scenario is high density housing. Commercial development is a win win for the financially strapped district. Additional housing means additional costs to educate the new students. It is generally the case, and very likely here, that any new tax revenues generated by the new housing would fall short of covering the districts cost to educate the additional students.
Scott Armstrong
john jay and other wishers. one block away from the arena, zawarski's upscale townhouses sit in distress. unable to sell them, he resorted to renting. unable to rent to demographic respectful of the property, they are now being auctioned off, starting at 65k, less than one half the asking price three years ago. one whole row, facing 8th street, remain unbuilt, with their foundations filled in with stone. wishful thinking does not meet debt service.
Bernie, don't be shocked to see a couple of these types of projects in the future. You don't see many in general right now b/c the tax credits that exist to make them fiscally attractive right now are selling for $.25-.35 on the dollar. When those tax credits are in the range of $.65 on the dollar, investors will buy into the project ownership and the development firm gets the reward for doing so. New Market Tax Credits, Low/Mod income tax credits, Senior/Disability tax credits are all on the fritz right now b/c the typical buyers (banks, real estate developers) aren't investing in tax credits. Once that market rebounds, the NIZ just sweetens the pot for private sector developers. As it stands right now, the only financial incentive is the NIZ financing and the incentive there is toward the highest possible price point.
I'm willing to bet that the projects you cited all included at least one of the tax credits I mentioned.
Overlook Park is a bizarre development regardless of who lives there. Can anyone tell what % is still vacant?
The Allentown School district should be disbanded. The leadership is doing nothing outside of the status quo to change the results of her students.
On top of it, board members are now openly taking positions to discourage students from middle & higher income families to attend ASD schools???
"Can anyone tell what % is still vacant?"
Almost zero. Including rentals and ownwer occupied homes.
Hockey is for whites? Some clown could only come up with a handful of names of non-white players. That's because that's all there are. Less than one half of one percent. The fans are even whiter than the league stats. This is a displacement of unwanted minorities in order to rebuild a town for whites. Minorities can come back later - if they behave.
A Devout Pawlowski Supporter
It's a great idea, and I don't see why something like this couldn't get financing from the ACIDA board. Looks like they're going to be focused on commercial development, but I'm sure some mixed-use buildings will get approved for financing. NIZ is going to finance a lot of different projects, not just the arena and JB Reilly's building.
"Wealthy or poor, we have more in common than we don't."
One thing we all have in common is this: we want to live in the best environment possible. That is precisely why many folks with means have left Allentown for the suburbs.
I'm not trying to be a jerk. I just don't see a demand from "higher" income folks to live downtown.
@ Monkey Mamma. That is just your opinion of where the "best" place to live is. I for one would absolutely love to be able to live where I work so I didn't need a car. Where there is enough urban infrastructure in place to allow me to walk everywhere. Where I wasn't so disconnected from my neighbors. Where there was enough density to truly support the arts. Where I didn't contribute to farmland destruction. Where I didn't pollute just getting to work everyday. Where my kids could be exposed to different cultures. And, I would love not to have to live in NYC or Philly and to be close to my family who grew up here. I think a lot of young people also share my values.
john jay, aka andrew,
According to your Patch profile, you live in Upper Macungie. Do you live in downtown Allentown or do you just long to live in the urban core?
"One thing we all have in common is this: we want to live in the best environment possible."
I bow to your wisdom. What works in D.C. might night work here.
That's an easy question to answer.
Nobody with alternatives wants to live in downtown Allentown, regardless of race. Housing for people with no alternatives doesn't make any money.
You can ask Zawarski and Selvaggio about it. Zawarski couldn't sell his "market rate" townhouses, and Selvaggio has a less than half built townhouse development that he's desperately tried pawning off on Lehigh County for "affordable housing" assistance for years.
So, unless you're going to find another million dollar government leveraged program like Overlook Park is, you'll be waiting a long time. OP doesn't happen without millions of Hope VI money.
Too much time and money is spent accommodating the poor versus getting the poor out of the poor.
John.Jay - I hear you. Yes, it is just my opinion. I am just thinking of overall demand. I love city living, and the suburbs have been good to me, too. I have enjoyed both immensely, and I hope I am healthy enough in retirement to return to urban living when the kids fly the coop. People move thru different stages, and need/want different things at diffferent times. (And I know not all parents want the suburban thing - that's cool! I didn't think I'd want it either, til I became a parent.)
But...I really think you're putting the cart before the horse here. I think the focus should be made on making Allentown desirable, then you'll see a natural demand for upscale, downtown housing from the private sector. Government can stimulate, but it cannot dictate demand. I'm not a fan of government experiments, because they often have unplanned ripple effects that are harmful. (Like massive debt, for instance. But I guess we can plan on that.) On the whole, people have moved away from Allentown because they wanted something "better" - and of course, "better" is highly subjective. I don't see how you can subtract that basic market force from the equation here.
One more thing: one of Allentown's greatest assets is its diversity. I'm not in any way implying or suggesting that the demographics of Allentown are a problem. There are some really great elements of Allentown, and there IS potential to make it even "better" for living.
"I bow to your wisdom. What works in D.C. might night work here."
You're right - it could work. I'm sorry if I sounded like the almighty know-it-all in my comments. Please don't mistake my pessimism on the matter for overconfidence in my own knowledge.
Still waiting for someone to define a core community?
Ignore the best interest of the school district at your own peril.
Scott Armstrong
"john jay, aka andrew,
According to your Patch profile, you live in Upper Macungie. Do you live in downtown Allentown or do you just long to live in the urban core?"
I withdraw this question. It is irrelevant to the quality of your arguments.
Reading, PA redux. Those who fail to learn the lessons of history ...
"Still waiting for someone to define a core community"
a subcommunity with unofficially defined geographic or man-made boundaries, often characterized with a mercantile basic-needs self-sufficiency, rectilinear street grid, and historic sense of place.
Overlook is all ethnic with a few poor white. No monied people there. Stop with the nonsense. No one is going to cozy up with gang bangers.
Hey Bernie, when are you going to cover the coming scandal regarding the Stoffa emails?
Hey Bernie,
This post is a very good piece of constructive criticism. Are you sure you're feeling ok?
I was not aware that EYA had a Pennsylvania connection. They are among a small handful of firms that do this type of mixed income development successfully.
I agree that this would be a great component to the Allentown KIZ, and there are several other cities in the Commonwealth that could benefit from this type of approach.
If you have any contacts at EYA you'd like to send me I'd appreciate it. But if you'd rather just dump on me and call me a mercenary hack some more thats ok--I'll cold call someone from their website.
Thanks,
John Blankstein
I do not personally know Mr. Youngentoub. If i did, I'd be happy to tell him of my own interactions with you as well as what I've saw in the last City Council race.
"Hey Bernie, when are you going to cover the coming scandal regarding the Stoffa emails?"
Go away. The grown-ups are talking.
neighborhoods of eya is a great concept and its easy to see why it works in DC however its guarenteed to change in twenty years.Overall housing cost are high in dc so a new home is desirable for all involved.The ease of commute to the center core being #1 reason to buy into. Transient and convicted felons probably would not qualify for the subsidized portion which would make up less than one third.This development would not work in allentown for the following reason. For lack of jobs downtown and small urban core no painful commute.The riverbend apts downtown are still decent but have seen changes the last thirty years.Still alot better place to live than the apts at 4th and union.They were luxury apts in its heyday,the late 60's.Its all about management.If Maryland circle,Bridgeview,jordan park,Valley View Apts,to name a few were all run like Riverbend we wouldnt have as many problems.
I might add that the complex at 4th and union was a mix of apts and town homes then called society hill and ahead of its time.They were the most expensive and desirable place to live in allentown before The Lakes and Regency towers.
Hockey is for whites.
Didn't some of the highly evolved hockey fan in Montreal toss a banana on the ice when a player of color skated in front of him?
I guess they were trying to compete with the highly evolved tennis fans who make monkey noises when the Williams sisters kick some white ass on the tennis court.
I also heard it whispered somewhere that the presidency is for whites.....shhhh....
"Hey Bernie, when are you going to cover the coming scandal regarding the Stoffa emails?"
Go away. The grown-ups are talking.
What is that about?
It is an off topic, childish, comment.
Well if you do run into him that type of introduction would be fine with me.
Don't forget to tell him that what happened in the last City Council race is that a candidate thought it was OK to post disgusting racial slurs and personal racist attacks on line anonymously while in public he demanded "transparency" from city government.
The voters had a right to know about his racist attitudes.
That exposing these comments also exposed elements of his personal life that had nothing to do with his fitness for office and were nobody else's business was his own fault and reflected his lack of computer and internet savvy.
John Blankstein
Obama will love the arena. It'll be full of the same guys he's plays golf with. It's trickle-down community development. Nobody is going near downtown Allentown until it's safe for Caucasians again. Just look at the current downtown, having been ceded to unkempt and unsightly minorities. Let's review: whites come back with their money; then, minorities (no not the usual carjacking kind) follow to serve snacks, collect garbage, and clean up after the money-spending whites. Allentown won't get better until it gets much whiter. In that regard, hockey is just short of a golf course or in center city.
Wow, I think I just threw up in my mouth a little bit.
One time I went to the old Spectrum in Philly. And a white guy served me a snack.
It was tasty. I wonder, if the server was a minority, would it have been so tasty?
Hey 10:38 why not fancy me with your theory on that?
Let's drop the race war, shall we?
Overlook Park is becoming Hanover Acres with a fresh coat of paint. You can pretend otherwise but it is what it is.
There is no compelling reason high end folks will buy into a mixed housing community in downtown Allentown. Dream on, dream on.
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