Last year I wrote about these two guys council gave $300,000 they just had laying around. These two didnt have a plan but wanted the money for an ambassador program downtown. Their goal is to greet people and give them information on where to eat, park, etc. Part of the their job is to try and get people to stay longer downtown and not just see a show or eat and leave.
A representative stated “What we have to form is the [impression] that there is something to do downtown,”
The impression? Listen there is either things to do downtown or there isn't. Honestly, there is no safe nightlife unless you want to get shot at. There are a few decent restaurants there, but Billy's Diner left and so did The Hamilton. The businesses that downtown offers are nothing special. There arent places people say "That is the only place where you can get that," or "that is the best place to eat this or that."
So the city, and all these other organizations throwing money at the Downtown Allentown Alliance are wasting their money. This is like that dumb saying "putting the cart before the horse." You need busineeses-good ones. You need restaurants that stay open late. You need cops walking Hamilton St. at night.
This ambassador idea is great, but the city doesn't have the infrastructure that needs it. I think its just premature to throw money at this and at $300,000 last year could have been used to knock almost 1% of the tax increase.
I really think this is just lining the pockets of some people.
Oddly, Mr. Napoli owns a clothing store downtown and voted to give the $300,000. So basically, voted for something that may make him money. Smells like shitty old man tighty white-eeez.
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20 comments:
This is 100% a waste. Bring more businesses in, and get downtown booming. Then have these people walking around.
Just something else to ponder. What is the REAL occupancy rate of all those bland and boring Reilly-built apartment buildings? Not including groups of apartments leased by friendly corporations, of course.
One would think the potential 3-4000 newly added residents (?) could have supported several of the dozens of businesses inside the NIZ who have already closed-up shop.
Would be interested in hearing more commentary on the progress and growth of Downtown Allentown from the early proponents of the NIZ including Steven Bamford, Alan Jennings, Peter Lewnes, Miriam Huertez, Christian Brown, Rebecca Torres, Hasshan Batts , Promise Neighborhoods staff, Leonard Lightner, Frank Kane, Sy Traub, Mark Jaindl, et al. In addition, a Morning Call Round Table discussion with a panel including JB Reilly, Pat Browne, Joe Topper, Ed Pawlowski, Dr. Stephen Thode, Bernie O'Hare, Michael Molovinsky, former FBI agent Scott Curtis, Susan Wild, James Whitney and Shelby Edwards among many others could prove V E R Y I N T E R E S T I N G.
Have the week off Abe and just found the info online, it was 7-0 vote, even CeCe and Mota was for this
Don’t hold your breath waiting for the Morning Call to host a discussion on anything that could reveal the NIZ was anything less than a smashing success.
Bottom line, as everyone can clearly see, the NIZ came up short of expectations. Particularly hurt are taxpayers all across the state. No wonder this “unique, one of a kind, legislation” has never been repeated.
NIZ buildings look like movie props from Who Framed Roger Rabbit
Downtown Allentown can't support new businesses since there's too few real consumers living downtown to support them. Exhibit A: Nowhere Coffee is an outstanding business, arguably their location in South Whitehall is the best coffee shop in Lehigh County. Nowhere Coffee at 9th & Hamilton should be prosperous and thriving, a place the ambassadors should be directing the "tourists". Problem is the only people who support this business are commuters from the suburbs on weekday mornings. While the South Whitehall location is packed all weekend, the Allentown shop is open 20 hours per week and closed on weekends. This business is an ideal litmus test for the downtown economy and Allentown fails yet again.
[Abe - I posted this on Molivinsky on Allentown a few minutes ago. While I apologize for the duplicate posting I thought it also fit here.]
Where do I start?
The city is suffering from poor decisions, and poor policy. It is falling further behind the suburbs that surround it, losing both higher income residents (and potential residents) as well as potential visitors who now have plenty of additional choices to dine, shop and visit.
While the suburbs prioritize long-term stability through strong neighborhoods, the city allows its housing stock to be carved up into smaller units while simultaneously building large apartment buildings. This results in overcrowded neighborhoods filled with a more transient population with no real ties to the city beyond next month's rental payment. This also overcrowds our schools with a constantly changing student population, while simultaneously reducing the quality of life in the city's neighborhoods.
While the suburbs prioritize efficient, no-nonsense policing, the city caters to those breaking the law and turns a blind eye to many of the supposedly "less-important" complaints that ultimately makes the city less livable.
While the suburbs keep their roads drivable and infrastructure in good shape, Allentown's roads are now a crumbling mess of potholes and speed bumps. Traffic lights in the city are inoperable for months (see Union Boulevard at the Iron Pigs stadium or 6th and Walnut Streets), which is the municipal equivalent of not being able to change a lightbulb!
Actual trash collection in the city is still timely, but there is more litter on the streets and sidewalks than ever. Those who actually mow their lawns and take good care of their yards now wait as their yard waste ferments for two weeks before pickup. And of course they're paying more for this new "deal".
It really all comes down to city government actually caring about the basics and having standards that they enforce. And that's the heart of the problem in Allentown.
It's not about a new government program to create more housing. It's not about more "community centers" for the poor. It's not about 90% of what occupies every city council agenda. And it certainly isn't about hiring "ambassadors" to tell people how great downtown is.
It's about doing a hundred small things right and making the city more livable. It's about aspiring to something bigger and better than what the city currently is and holding those who don’t and who break the basic rules of living in a city accountable.
It's not rocket science; it's basic municipal governance. I'm surprised that the mayor hasn't heard this in one of his high-priced (for the taxpayers) junkets. Maybe he has, but he either doesn't care or he just has other priorities.
9:49 - Excellent points. The reality is that the city needs more residents and more visitors with income to spend. But despite having the worst poverty rate in the Valley, Allentown spends more and more on programs and policies that focus on attracting even more low-income residents. The city might pay a small fortune to house more low-income residents, but they still won't have the remaining income to support the restaurants and venues that are downtown.
To compound the problem, those who live outside the city are less likely to see downtown as a place they want to go when all they see is a downward spiral of public safety and quality of life.
City Hall can spew lies all day long about how great the city is doing, but those coming from outside have to drive through the city to get there. They are making their verdict known on a daily basis, and that's why we see the problems you cite in your post.
PS - I almost got hit (in my car) by another unlicensed dirt bike on Friday night. He was running a red light. Luckily I stopped in time.
That’s just another problem that City Hall doesn’t seem concerned about solving.
We have Frank Kane now - he is here to Make Allentown Great Again.
I would argue that the City has been doing a solid job of keeping Hamilton Street clean and tidy, improving the streetscape with trees/flowers etc and having more potentially viable businesses. However, they do a poor job of protecting visitors from the inevitable quality of life issues that plague the surrounding neighborhoods. Who would want to visit a down with racing cars and mini-bikes on the streets and electric bikes and scooters on the sidewalks, loud mufflers, loud music, the constant stench of pot smoke etc.... I actually feel bad for those tourists who come to downtown Allentown expecting a normal experience, unprepared for the quality of life issues here.
This idea is Babylon Bee quality. So we hire people to say nice things about the city instead of actually making the city nice. Perhaps we should form another committee to decide how to make the city nice, then we could do focus groups with white boards. Make a big deal about the public input and then put the entire thing on the shelf and forget about it. Wash, rinse, repeat. But again, we are a one party town, this is what happens in every one party town. we are essentially governed by a clique of self interested people who care not about the greater good, only their own good. These people are elected to do this by well informed voters who have decided this is what's best for the city. It would be funny as a novel, a parody of bad government, sadly we are living it and it's bordering on dystopia.
Another waste of a program. Find the degrees of separation from government of the two guys. I am sure you will find friend or family connections to Tuerk or the administration.
Abe garnering yet another grant to prop up the collapsing Pokémon village by a bunch of the village idiots isn't selling anybody. Just look around on the side of the roads while driving in the surrounding communities garbage strewn from cars. The suburbs are being infected by allentowns lawlessness that is creating a risk of life because of these village idiots.
“… we could do focus groups with white boards.”
White boards? You can’t suggest that with this administration. First there would need to be a statements by elected officials that the white boards are racist, and that black boards should be used instead.
Then someone would point out that even with black boards, you’d still have to use white chalk. Others in the administration would then argue that maybe white boards WOULD be better, since black markers could be used for whatever is written.
By then, the allotted time for the meeting would have ended, and the Administration would have accomplished nothing.
As usual.
Exactly!
Such is the reality of current Democrat Party Ultra-Liberalism, 9:07 PM. You’ve nailed it!
Mayor McPronouns is spending money like a pimp with a week to live. Let's not forget the electric car that we paid for, the cost of which is substantially more than a basic fleet car that doesn't virtual signal to the frisbee golfing bike lane advocates. And the trips. Oh the trips. There's gold in them thar hills and by golly McPronouns is going to mine that gold that is extracted from "the rich" in taxes and fees and use it to travel.
He was elected based purely on identity and not competency. And we are suffering for it.
Good morning by the way to our readers on the Fifth Floor. It would be great to see your lists of accomplishments that help make the city a better place. Publish the weekly goals/accomplishments of team McPronoun on that social media you all claim to be so good at. You do after all work for us as we fund you. Then next do council.
I would also agree that the improvements to Hamilton have been a great initiative but it really does no good for businesses. The majority of Hamilton businesses are staying alive thanks to the workers in government buildings and a few companies like ADP.
The city has actually done very little to attract business in Allentown other than ideas that quickly fall apart due to lack of interest or follow-through. The Downtown Market is a huge failure, the ArtsWalk amphitheater is usually reserved for the homeless, and it is only a matter of time before restaurants such as Max & Butters, Simpatico, and Sports and Social close their doors. The reality is that no one wants to go to Allentown for food, festival or entertainment.
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