Over the summer I touched on two carpet baggers that went to council begging for money to support their new Non-Profit.
They claimed they worked for a non profit of course called the Allentown Alliance or so made up organization and were going to use the $300k to revitalize downtown and get people to visit and spend money.
Finance Director Bina Patel despite claiming she is still not ready to discuss with Council the budget deficit supported the award of the funds. Then the 7 muppets voted to pass the money.
Now the state and the NIZ were dumb enough to add to this a couple more 100k. The monetary goal of the Allentown Alliance is to raise $1million.
After a year of no progress
Here is the problem: what is the plan to get people to visit downtown? How is this group getting money with no plan? This is really one of the dumbest things I have seen. State and local entity's giving money to a hopeless cause with no plan!!!
People are not going to visit downtown Allentown because of the perception that Allentown has as being the worst in the Lehigh Valley. Plus what is there to do? I spoke on this recently. The perception is that Allentown isnt safe, there is homeless people everywhere, ruthless kids on bikes, and parking close Hamilton St. is at a premium. Let's not forget there is minimum bike lanes too.
So I am asking this "Allentown Alliance" what is your plan to to get people to visit downtown? Like most ideas in Allentown, it is probably a take the money and run opportunity while ignoring the serious areas that need financial support.
12 comments:
City wastes so much money. No one is coming downtown except for the PPL Center and maybe the Archer since its next to the police station.
The kind of visitor money that makes the most sense to invest more in is to support efforts that bring in NON-LEHIGH VALLEY residents. Even better if they pay to stay overnight and purchase their meals here. Unique and special events that will only happen here.
Those in charge cannot think of anything creative like Easton or Bethlehem. They just do hispanic events that the locals attend. People from the county arent going to attend that. Matt does them to get votes and pretend he is a Colorado hispanic for the day.
I live in Easton and it is such a better place to live and work. The Mayor is a tool but the city of Easton has really improved and is a great destination with an ever growing social scene.
Allentown is simply a place you have to drive through to get to Easton from other areas in the valley. If your leaders keep making dumb choices and you keep electing morons like Tuerk and Siegel, PennDOT will build a bridge over Allentown so no one has to see it.
Don't forget, 24 hours a day skunk weed aroma, constant loud muffler cacophony and dangerous motor scooter riders on the sidewalks. I would think a visitor to downtown on Saturday might wonder why they came here???
I walked down Bank Street recently on a Saturday night to pick up our take away order from Aman's Artisanal Indian Restaurant and I felt like I was in Manhattan. What a safe, clean and prosperous scene! Allentown could spend millions but not capture that street level vitality...they are wasting their money.
Yes, that was my point. Allentown needs to provide a unique reason to come to Allentown. Not something that’s readily available in Bethlehem, Easton, or any other nearby cities. Allentown needs to be an exclusive provider of some desired item or activity.
Well they do have the best flag raisings.
Hendricks-Kermit the Frog
Cynthia-Miss Piggy
Candida-Oscar the Grouch
Zucal-Waldorf
CeCe-Lily
Santo-Gonzo
Natalie-Janice
Maybe the cops are using the one dollar bills at Platinum Plus since theyre there 24 hours a day
Stick a fork in it.
It’s done.
Camden on the Lehigh.
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