Today's one-liner: "The shortest way to the distinguishing excellence of any writer is through his hostile critics." Richard LeGallienne
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Monday, January 18, 2016
Martin Tower By Drone
Kevin Schlough has shot a video of Martin Tower by drone. It apparently was no easy task and shot over a period of several days, with only a little sun but a lot of wind. Nevertheless, the view from the sky is jaw-dropping. Perhaps this is what made billionaire Norton Herrick decide to buy it when he first spotted it from a plan while landing at LVIA.
Now Bethlehem City Council has adopted a zoning ordinance that will enable the owner of this property to tear it all down.
Below is another view of Martin Tower by drone, in a video shot by Nathan Johnson. Nathan's cool music makes it sound like a scene from Diehard. I'd do this myself, but would probably crash into the tower, knock it over and get sued by Lew Ronca and get hit with a missile strike for violating the no-fly zone.
23 comments:
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I wonder how many skyscrapers built with Bethlehem's revolutionary beams have ever been torn down. Would this be the first? In its hometown? Say it ain't so. Only Philistines and greeders will celebrate the demise of this iconic architectural gem in the crown jewel of the Lehigh Valley.
ReplyDeleteThanks for posting the videos, Bernie.
Unimaginable!!!
ReplyDeleteThis is really in a fly zone very near the airport. These guys better be careful as this drone thing is getting more and more serious. Even more so then some prissy argument over an old building.
ReplyDeleteSo the Valleys most iconic building, constructed with the foundational material of the industrial revolution must be demonstrated?
ReplyDeleteWhat kind of a lie were we sold, then or now?
.....must be demolished....
ReplyDeleteDamn autocorrect.
"Iconic architectural gem". Were you able to type that with a straight face?
ReplyDeleteIn the future it will be known as Donchez's Folly
ReplyDeleteSo the developer turns off the heat and AC in a perfectly useable building to get it blighted by the city. Then he gets tax relief and goes to the state to get money that was designated to preserve the tower converted to allow him to use it to demolish the building. Then he gets the mayor and City Council to approve him to tear it down and building retail to destroy its downtowns. Do you think perhaps the Mayor and City Council are rather incompetent to be part of this manipulative act? Or more likely were they simply part of the pay to play culture going on in Bethlehem to take care of an influential developer/donor just like Allentown's Mayor? All of them need to be removed from office!!
ReplyDeleteTearing that down for a Panera Bread is pathetic. So lazy.
ReplyDeleteThose videos really show the potential for the site.
8:17,
ReplyDeleteThis is not over yet. The businesses and the people have spoken and will continue to fight the ineptness that is 10 E. Church St. Donchez will be a one term mayor. That means the state senator selected contessa is out (party time in c&ed) Willie has stepped all over himself as has Callahan light. (I may stop posting on how dumb some council members can get. They seem to be taking it as a challenge.)
"It ain't over till the fat lady sings."
It's cool to look down anywhere from those drones. Not sure why looking down next to the goofy tower is magical, even with the weird music. No, it's not a great building for any reason. Ugly, out of place, not that old, not architecturally/historically significant. Please get s grip. Remove the wart. Replace it with some nice shopping spots and some housing. Pretty simple. Cut the drama.
ReplyDelete"Iconic architectural gem". Were you able to type that with a straight face? "
ReplyDeleteThe City called it that when it applied for a CRIZ and made martin Tower its cornerstone. Are you suggesting the CRIZ application is fraudulent?
Bernie,
ReplyDeleteit is too early in the morning to be looking at OZ's ass from an areial view¿!($ Does anyone else see the deplorable condition on the property that has become a dumping ground¿!($ Has any reel unbiased DEP personel been in the subterainian substructures to check for hazardous liquid dump site that most deffinatly fall under a DEP superfund site¿!($ This feassco is likened to palumpas fermented blue juice let lose in the subterainian dongouns of Newhielers all to become blighted nue nue nu ReNue ZoneZ with the sam old circus twist of th Z with the writter that Re writ this mental malajustment tool and propogated it in full force mediaiZed and publisiZed¿!($
Tinfoil capwearers of the collude delluded circus sideshows have there tasks cutout for team snakoil subsect of the notorious hamilton street gang o thugs soul sale subdiversionary tools with this reel property twistZ¿!($
redd for Republican
patent pending
Can he have the drone there when it gets imploded?
ReplyDeleteIf anyone would have suggest Bethlehem Steels
ReplyDeleteflag ship structure would be obsolete and need to be demolished in a mere 50 years they would have beer committed to the crowded State Hospital at Rittersville.
This entire episode is completely unbelievable.
"It ain't over till the fat lady sings."
ReplyDeleteThat is what Karner keeps telling the Mayor. The poor guy is just walking around city hall shaking his head. The guy with no enemies is finding out how hard it is when you are forced to be the decider. Of course having been forced to hire some people sure hasn't helped him. His St. sen buddy really didn't help him on this one.
Anon 2:54 If anyone would have suggested Bethlehem Steel would go dark they would have been committed to the crowded State Hospital at Rittersville. But things do move on. Bethlehem should not be punished by having to keep the Tower there forever. It doesn't fit there. Never did. Bye Bye Tower.
ReplyDeleteHaha Bernie I'm not calling anything fraudulant. Those words, "iconic architectual gem" are subjective. Personally, I can't keep from smiling when I hear it worded that way. But I guess the CRIZ app folks and the writer above actually think that. We all have our opinions.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
ReplyDeleteIf you base an application for a special tax zone on the basis of an iconic building representing the BS heritage, and wax on about how you have turned your city around by re-using these steel structures, and then turn around and decide you want to demolish the building you called iconic, fraud is a word that comes to mind.
ReplyDeleteObjectively speaking, it is an iconic building. There is nothing else like it in the LV. Architecturally speaking, I'm no expert, but this served as the basis for 65 E Elizabeth, according to the building's current owner.
Objectively speaking, the City called this "iconic" building the "cornerstone" of its CRIZ application.
Karner is donchez's worst mistake followed by the business administrator fiasco. Rid yourself of these two clueless peons and you might stand a chance at reelection as long as you don't take any ronco money.
ReplyDeleteBernie is right on the mark with his reference to a fraudulent CRIZ application. That is where the FBI investigation starts & then moves to the award of CRIZ to this shovel ready parcel zoned for mostly residential & office. Then it pursues how the State prevented the city from unilaterally moving CRIZ acreage & how that happened? Then it goes to secret negotiations with the mayor while at the same time making very large campaign contributions to the city council leaders that will approve the rezoning while pulling more votes from their stooge fellow councilmen drinking buddies!
ReplyDeleteclassic pic of callahan on the wfmz website. taken during public comment. all eyes on the speaker at the podium except callahan, who is busy texting away. attend a bethlehem meeting and you'll see he's doing it ALL the time.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.wfmz.com/news/news-regional-lehighvalley/bethlehem-city-council-advances-benner-project/37522738