Former Northampton County Exec Bill Brackbill asks, in an Express Times guest column, challenges the thesis that the Lehigh Valley's health is dependent on Allentown's health. "In the last 10 years the Lehigh Valley has seen economic growth in spite of Allentown’s decline, thereby negating the premise that as Allentown goes, so goes the Valley."
But this should not be phrased as a suburb v. city issue. It is actually just one greedy municipality taking advantage of everyone else. Bethlehem is no suburb. Nor is an established older borough like Nazareth, which Pawlowski once dismissively referred to as a part of "the boonies of Northampton County."
Emmaus, Bangor, and other older boroughs are just as urban as Allentown. Some have been around longer, too.
39 comments:
Stupid people (Pawlowski) say stupid things!
Many people in the suburbs of Detroit would argue that their region is "doing just fine" as well.
Would we ever consider moving there?
BTW, Allentown saw unprecedented population growth, and marginal employment growth, in the last 10 years as did the rest of the valley. Looks pretty consistent to me.
Since when do we call warehouses "industry"?
Besides, where does he think half the people who work in these places live? It suddenly makes sense now.
Keep the city down so her children grow ignorant and guarantee and endless supply of cheap labor for these places.
yeah, that's it.
A like to think about the Detroit comparison. Eventually the state steps in and state taxes cover the cost of implosion of the city.
Sure some union contracts are voided and redworked, but the state will be spending a bunch bailing out the city. Also, there's talk of forced school system mergers.
Beware of the European concept of Schadenfreude( Enjoying someone elses demise).
I don't think it's schadenfreude, but warning about the experience of another city.
Pawlowski's pipe dream is going up in smoke and where is he?? Halfway around the world in Isreal I heard. Wonder who is paying for that trip.
Nazareth isn't a suburb? I think you are stretching with that one.
hate to jump off topic on you but I found this interesting. taken from citycenterlehighvalley.com
"With flexible plans for up to 200 luxury apartments, a minimum of 250,000 square feet of Class A office space and 50,000 square feet of upscale retail space"
two things to note here. first is the amount of space. quite a bit more then what has been released so far but about in line with the early artist rendition of four new buildings filling the block from 7th to 8th hamilton to walnut. the second thing to pay attention to is the use of the word flexible. it's use here means that there are no architectural plans, there is no layout, no firm plans for anything. $155 million from the taxpayers and they don't even have blueprints drawn up. If I wanted to get a loan and went to the bank with this grandiose plan to build all these buildings but the plans were "flexible" and lacked anything drawn up aside from an artists sketch of what the buildings could look like they would laugh me out of their office. I hope that, with the help of nearly 20 municipalities suing, we are able to laugh them out of the valley.
Nazareth is most definitely NOT a suburb. It is an old borough, first formed in 1740. It actually pre-dates Northampton County and is older than Allentown by at least 20 years.
Like an urban center, it has a concentrated population, aging infrastructure and many of the same problems you'll find in a city.
" Wonder who is paying for that trip"
Israel.
Is there anything else to report...
Maybe I missed something in all the words that have been written on the subject of Allentown's NIZ, but to me it looks like a simple underhanded ploy by vermin bent upon picking other peoples' pockets-- it would be one thing to have engaged Allentown's "suburbs" in a dialogue about how best to cooperate in a plan to revitalize the region, but it is quite another to have tried to slip this revenue grab through in the middle of the night when nobody was looking.
Bullies, thieves, and thugs -- and they are doing what that sort always does when confronted -- whining and trying to manipulate the truth. If only the Allentown Cosa Nostra had the capacity to be embarrassed by itself.
While the Riverfront has potential, will the City blame the suburbs for displacing industrial/manufacturing business in exchange for retail and walking paths? Personally, I think there are plenty of brownfield sites that could accommodate these business, but it comes at a cost too.
Why do some advocate retail and office space one mile south of Hamilton and 7th at Queen City Airport but call it sprawl if it happens one mile north, west, or east of Hamilton and 7th?
It should be noted that the success of Dallas has carried over into all surrounding areas. While they are investing in transportation infrastructure, core community advocates want to isolate Allentown and think growth and prosperity only comes in the form of a choo choo.
We need to promote the City atmosphere of Allentown and the open living of the burbs to lure first class business from outside the State. Young professionals will desire to live in a hip downtown but few VPs or CEOs will want to live in a loft apartment above the coffee shop. I believe all could benefit from a rebirth of Allentown but there has to balance and benefit for all stakeholders.
Great comment. Allentown is going it alone and blaming others for their failure to honstly communicate. We are only in this together if we agree to Allentown's rules.
" it would be one thing to have engaged Allentown's "suburbs" in a dialogue about how best to cooperate in a plan to revitalize the region"
That was tried a few years ago with the schools. The “valley leaders” met for months and ultimately chose to do nothing but ask the state for a few extra bucks for a few years.
These people don't want to cooperate or even recognize the region has a shared interest in the city. This article proves that. I don't know why the city is even bother to negotiate. Luckily the city has their ducks in a row with the state. Just watch.
Does he acknowledge that one of the prime supporters of this NIZ is the LV Chamber of commerce. Iannelli has said he will eventually get every independent Chamber in the Valley. This is a LV Partnership goal.
So to you non-Allentown businessmen, remember this when the overpaid over staffed LV Chamber comes knocking on your door trying to get up to dump your local chambers.
The little Corporal has his orders.
no wonder whitehall and south whitehall back in the day decided to become 1st class townships to avoid being annexed by the city of pawlowski
This giuy is a tool. If Seyfreid weren't an idiot, he necer would have gotten elected.
Bernie,
I have written this many times but will repeat it again. Allentown should be a real-estate gold mine,well situated geographically, three hospitals right downtown, two colleges, corporate headquarters, and the county seat. It is failing because of the failed leadership of its elected officials and the voters who put them there over and over.
The fault lies not in the stars(or the suburbs) but in ourselves.
Scott Armstrong
Nazareth the boonies? Thbbt.
You can easily find Nazareth.
Us on the other hand...
Sincerely,
The Borough of Chapman
The city has an empty deck. Ed's hand - 4 Jokers, good luck. Hopefully he'll find donors in Israel.
As a resident of the boonies (Nazareth), let me say I'm glad I live here. We don't have a hole in the ground or an empty block with little hope of being refilled soon thanks to the lawsuits.
The only negative is Bernie is a neighbor (I hate those skinny, lose weight guys!).
Bill, You do have a point.
I love those "Borough of Chapman" comments.
"This giuy is a tool. If Seyfreid weren't an idiot, he necer would have gotten elected."
With brilliant arguments like these, I wonder why the townships ever sued.
"ne of the prime supporters of this NIZ is the LV Chamber of commerce"
My understanding is that Iannelli supports the arena, but not necessarily everything else associated with the NIZ. The Chamber itself is neutral.
"I don't know why the city is even bother to negotiate. Luckily the city has their ducks in a row with the state. Just watch."
OK.
Chapman is a great place to get away from the madness of the city.
Sincerely,
Stockertown
check out this new Blog http://pawlowskipress.com/
Allentown has been unhealthy for the past 25 years. It has hit rock bottom and what we are seeing is the worst. Not sure it can be any worse. Now, is the Valley suffering? The answer is a resounding NO!! The Valley is fine with an unhealthy Allentown. Simply put, the NIZ was a money grab and a way for the urban regime to prosper. There. Enough of this Arena is the "saviour" of the Valley crap.
Very well said, 11:11.
That's it in a nutshell.
i see another stupid cyclist decided his bike could beat up a van. third accident in bethlem - obviously bethlum cyclist are not very smart - just arrogant
Hey, I'm arrogant AND smart.
Hey Bernie, county trivia for you. Which one time county official lived in Chapmans Quarries Borough?
My guess would be Gene Hartzell.
Scott again with his partisan bullshit. Of all the major players in this NIZ debacle only two are Democrats,Ed and Mann.OReilly,Butz,Brown,Ianelli are all staunch Republicans.Allentowns been on a downward spiral for 50 years.Even the best leadership we had under Heydt couldnt turn the city around.No one knows financing like Bill does.Anxious for his opinion.I am no big fan of this scheme but if it passes the courts it is certainly a creative way to finance a downtown rebirth.
I don't think it was Hartzell. Could be wrong on that, not sure.
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