HOLIDAY MAGIC!

ALLENTOWN NEIGHBORHOOD DEVELOPMENT ALLIANCE

Thursday, December 4, 2008, Old Allentown Preservation Association's office was the site for a press conference announcing the new Allentown Neighborhood Development Alliance - ANDA. ANDA is a partnership to strengthen Elm Street and 7th Street Main St. programs.

OAPA deeply appreciates the vote of confidence from our generous funders - National Penn Bancshares/KNBT and PPL. Fueled in part by tax credits from the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development, National Penn/KNBT has committed a total of $1,050,000 and PPL has committed $450,000 over six years to support the newly-established Allentown Neighborhood Development Alliance. This program will enhance the Elm Street community program managed by OAPA and the Main Street program operated by the Community Action Development Corporation.

Stay tuned as we confirm our 2009 initiatives.

AGAIN - A HUGE THANK YOU TO NATIONAL PENN BANCSHARES/KNBT AND PPL!

GIFT SHOPPING OPPORTUNITY!

JOIN US!

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED To Paint Holiday Scenes on Windows

In the spirit of partnership with the Main St. program on
7th St., Elm St. - Old Allentown would like to continue
the "Sparkle on Main St." program by painting storefront
windows with fun holiday scenes - three in our
Elm St. community/Old Allentown Historic District.

We have permission from the Turner St. Laundromat (near 11th
St. on Turner), Las Palmas Restaurant (across from the OAPA
office) and Neighborhood for Housing Lehigh Valley office on
10th St. (about a half a block from the OAPA office).

As you can see all locations are close to each another and
the plan is to paint the windows starting 9AM, Saturday,
12/6/08. OAPA will provide the paints. According to Dick
Blick staff, regular tempera paint is what they use for
their own store window painting. OAPA will provide paint
and brushes.

As of today, OAPA has only one artist signed up for
this project. We need at least one or two more
artists to make this happen!

Please contact Marie Sincavage (610.740.9919 or oldallentown@enter.net) ASAP if you can help us 9-11AM, Saturday,
12/6/08.
If Friday, 12/5/08, is better for your schedule, that works
too.

Holiday Fun!

Volunteer Opportunities in Old Allentown

VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES (2 events)
Old Allentown Preservation Association

1st Opportunity:
CELEBRATE ALLENTOWN

Two (2) volunteers needed to work at OAPA information table,
promote and sell House Tour tickets at "Celebrate Allentown"
on the 800-900 blocks of Hamilton Street, Saturday,
September 13th:

1 person from 12-2PM
&
1 person from 2-4PM.

*******************************************************************************
2nd Opportunity:
OLD ALLENTOWN HOUSE TOUR - TROLLEY GUIDES

To ride the trolley the day of the tour, Saturday, October
4th, and point out architectural and neighborhood highlights
of the Old Allentown Historic District and beyond to House
Tour visitors. This is a great opportunity to tell everyone
on the tour what you love about our neighborhoods:

One (1) person needed for the 10AM - 1PM shift
&
Two (2) people needed for the 1-4 PM shift.

******************************************************************************
To volunteer and for more information, please contact Kim
Ceccatti at kceccatti@e-mail.msn.com or Sue Fuller at
snfuller@msn.com

Trip to the Library

Having grown up in a house where my parents took us to the library once a week to select a new round of books, I've always had a library card. Today, when I needed a particular book for work, I was surprised to learn the amazing collection the Allentown Library had of a relatively obscure subject. Interestingly, I tried to go to a couple of area bookstores to buy the book but had no success. The Allentown Library, however came through and with some amazing service from the library staff to make my hunt a little bit easier.

The Library is one of those community assets that doesn't get enough proper attention. From newspapers to online catalogues and little-used reference materials to historical resources, the Allentown Library may very well be one of the finest public libraries in the state. All within a short walk from the Old Allentown neighborhood.

Old Allentown Homeowners are Smart

It looks like homeowners in Old Allentown did more than buy attractive homes: they made smart investments.

Some good news for people who own historic buildings, be it a home or a commercial property. I've stumbled across economic impact studies focusing on how historic districts improve property values and sales prices in South Carolina, Texas, Georgia and New York City. Some of the impact is small, with increases coming in around 10%. Others are dramatic, with increases that exceeded 50%.

According to a study of South Carolina historic districts, "Local historic districts create a win-win situation for homeowners and the community:
--Current owners can sell their houses for higher prices or make use of their increased equity
--New homeowners can protect their investments in their houses and enjoy greaer prices gains, and
--The community strengthens its tax base

For more information on the economic impact of historic districts and property values, visit the http://www.achp.gov/economic-propertyvalues.html Advisory Council on Historic Preservation

The Benefits and Challenges of Urban Living

Mercedes Tonne may have become a resident of the Allentown Historic District only a year ago, but she is certainly no stranger to urban environments. She and her husband Michael Fegley lived in midtown Manhattan for nine years, then moved to the West End of Allentown for two years before finally settling in the Historic District.

"In Manhattan, everything was easily accessible," says Tonne. "There was no need to drive. Buses and subway trains were within walking distance and could take you to work or wherever you needed to go. " Unfortunately, Tonne believes that the choices of stores and activities within walking distance, a clear benefit of urban living, are largely missing from the Historic District. "Ideally, if you lived in the Historic District, you would be able to walk to work, walk to a thriving downtown, and have access to a lot of different kinds of stores. Currently Mike walks to work at the Brew Works,we can walk to Church at Grace Episcopal, and we walk with the kids to Grace Montessori School--all within a few blocks of our home. But we need more restaurants, stores, coffee shops and bakeries, as well as a walkable grocery market."

Life in the Historic District definitely has unique benefits. "The weekly Growers' Market on Wednesdays on Hamilton is fabulous. The history of the region is also fantastic." Tonne cites the district's two cemeteries as contributing to the rich history of the area. "Events, such as flea markets and cleanup day, have been successful and show that efforts are being made and create a sense of community."

Tonne laments the fairly weak sense of community in the Historic District. One of the great things about Manhattan, she says, was that "an ethnically and economically diverse group was living together harmoniously. There was an attitude that we all live in the city, so we need to get along. There was an urban understanding, a type of unwritten code that doesn't exist here so much. In the Historic District, many folks own homes and are committed to changing where they live for the better; certainly the mayor and other organizations strive to help, but other residents in the Historic District really have no concern."

So how do we bring urban understanding and a sense of community to the Historic District? "We need more physical signs of neighborhood pride," says Tonne. "If you live in a place where people clean up the streets, other residents will notice and join in. If you look around you, you can tell how you are expected to behave in your community. Nice street lights, prettier trash cans, and small gates around trees all make people think, 'Wow, the Historic District is really nice. I would want to live here.' We chose 8th Street because of the commitments that people around us are making. We want to be part of that and drive the neighborhood in the right direction."

Tonne and Fegley have two children: a seven-year-old daughter and a three-year-old son. The couple decided that, overall, raising their children in an urban setting would best for their family. "We don't want our kids to live in a bubble. We want the diversity of an urban environment because we don't want our kids to grow up only with kids that are just like them. The West End is not as diverse as the Historic District." Still, the couple certainly recognizes that there are difficulties in this environment. "Safety is an issue. Kids can ride bikes and roller skates, but it's not ideal." Tonne has witnessed five accidents at the intersection near her house, including one where a car drove onto the sidewalk and hit a pole. "It can be dangerous, but I don't think it's really possible to have a 'Slow -Children at Play' sign because it's a major thruway. Mike and I are hoping to see traffic-calming plans put forth by the [Mayor] Pawlowski administration that could make this better."

Tonne says that her family likes living in the Historic District for three main reasons. First, she likes the diversity of the region, especially compared to other areas of Allentown. Second, she sees the Historic District as an area where change is happening that is not happening elsewhere. "Unlike other areas of the city, there is regentrification and encouraged economic development happening in the downtown area. We wanted to be part of this effort to improve the city." Third, if people started moving back into the inner-cities, our society could save a lot of resources. "If you focus on what's already here rather than expanding," Tonne explains, "we can save on our resources. Also, because everything is close, there is no need to drive, and we can save on energy. Of course, I'm not an economist." Tonne laughs. "But 'suburban sprawl' has gone too far, and I think the economic benefits of that kind of expansion are running out."

With effort and with concerned residents like Tonne, the Allentown Historic District can reach its full potential in the near future, providing the best that urban living has to offer.

Neighborhood Housing Services of the Lehigh Valley

Neighborhood Housing Services of the Lehigh Valley (NHS) has been providing help to homeowners in Lehigh and Northampton Counties since 1981, and its offices are located right in the Allentown Historic District! NHS is one of more than 240 Congressional Chartered members of NeighborWorks America, a national organization committed to community development. Because every community is unique, each NeighborWorks America member provides services unique to its region, so NHS's programs are custom-tailored to the needs of the Lehigh Valley. This also means that NHS's programs have changed as the community has changed. Carol Ann Jurchenko, Executive Director of NHS, reports that, when NHS began twenty-seven years ago, rehabilitation of houses in the Historic District was NHS's top priority. In fact, NHS used to partner with OAPA in its facade program. Since 1992, however, NHS has focused mainly on assisting first-time home buyers through financial assistance and through financial fitness classes.


Financial assistance for first-time home buyers can come in the form of either loans or grants, depending on the income of the buyer and the location of house. Susan Gottwald, Program/Resource Development Manager of NHS, says that, in order to prepare for home ownership, NHS might recommend that a potential buyer take one of NHS's financial fitness classes, which cover such important issues as mortgage readiness, spending plans, going over credit reports, budgeting, and finding a lender/avoiding predatory lenders. According to Jurchenko, "We see a lot of people in this region purchasing homes before they are ready." Gottwald adds, "It's not just this region. It's a national issue."


Jurchenko notes that one fascinating feature of the Lehigh Valley is that home-ownership organizations try to avoid duplicating each other's services. Cooperation, not competition, is the name of the game when it comes to supporting homeowners in the Lehigh Valley. Although organizations like NHS and OAPA exist to help homeowners in the Historic District and surrounding areas, Jurchenko and Gottwald agree that more help is needed. Gottwald would like to see "more funding for [housing] rehab. With the current economy, many people have no money for major repair." Jurchenko adds that such assistance would ideally be in the form of grants, not loans. NHS funds rehabilitation projects for residents of Northampton County in the form of forgivable grants. For Allentown and other parts of Lehigh County, such funding is currently available only in the form of loans (maximum amount $15,000 with a 5% interest rate).


Individuals seriously considering home ownership in Lehigh or Northampton County will find the services offered by NHS to be of great assistance. Whether one needs funding, counseling, and/or financial fitness classes, NHS has just about everything a potential homeowner could want.


Neighborhood Housing Services of the Lehigh Valley: http://www.nhslv.org/

Carol Ann Jurchenko: carol@nhslv.org

Phone: (610) 437-3571

Union and West End Cemetery

Tom Schleicher's latest project is proof that great things are happening in the Allentown Historic District.

Schleicher, who has lived in the district for more than twenty-five years, is heading an initiative to fix up the perimeter around the Union and West End Cemetery. The upkeep of this area is dear to Schleicher's heart: Schleicher owns three houses that face the cemetery, and he used to live in a house that faces the cemetery.

Every Tuesday at 6 p.m. for the past four weeks, Schleicher and his crew have been pulling weeds and edging the sidewalk between the iron fence and the curbside around the cemetery. Schleicher says that, when he started, there was a lot of sod and ugly weeds near the sidewalk, but you would not know that from looking at it now; the grass along the sidewalk is neatly trimmed.

The Union and West End Cemetery covers most of the area bordered by Chew Street, 12th Street, Liberty Street, and 10th Street. Cleaning up the perimeter, therefore, is no mean feat. According to Schleicher, some skeptics doubted that he would be able to gather enough people for this project, but his group has grown quickly from two people in its first week to eight people in its fourth week. Schleicher's group contains a diverse array of people, including both renters and owners. In just its fourth week, the group has already fixed about half of the perimeter!

Schleicher's group is not the only one lending helpings hands to the Union and West End Cemetery. For instance, Elm Street is planting trees, and Properties of Merit is repainting the cemetery's fence. Check out those silver spires!

Special mention must also be made of Candida's, a local club that provided free refreshments and hospitality to Schleicher's group in its beautiful courtyard! The efforts to restore the Union and West End Cemetery represent the Historic District at its best: individuals, local businesses, and organizations working together to ensure a brighter future for the district.


Union and West End Cemetery: http://www.uandwecemetery.org/

Union and West End Blog: http://union-westend-cemetery.blogspot.com/

Tom Schleicher's E-mail: coolapt@msn.com

Meet the Interns!

Hi! My name is Patrick; I am an Economics and Business Major at Lafayette College in Easton, PA. In interning at Old Allentown Preservation Association, I have had the opportunity to meet local home owners and help local school children in the production of a community musical. I have found that my time at OAPA has been very rewarding and has opened my eyes to some of the issues that effect a urban community.





Hello! My name is Frank, and I am an English major and Spanish minor at Lafayette College. As an intern at Old Allentown Preservation Association, I have helped to establish this blog and have been out talking with home and business owners in the Historic District. The Old Allentown Preservation Association interests me because I enjoy working in the public sector. (For instance, I volunteered with the Easton Main Street Initiative this past academic year.) My favorite part about being an intern for OAPA is that I get to see how organizations like OAPA interact with both everyday people and local/state government.

First Tales of Tenacity Performance a Resounding Success!

In an earlier post we mentioned that local children are currently participating in a performing arts camp run by Circle of Stones Ritual Theater Ensemble. The first performance occured on June 28 and was a great success! Here are some photos from the performance.

Plaza Growers' Market

Are you looking to buy some delicious foodstuffs from local small farms? Every Wednesday from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m., from now through October, the Plaza Growers' Market at PPL Plaza, features fresh produce, poultry, eggs, baked goods, culinary demonstrations, and much more! Paking is available in Hess Deck, Linden Street between 8th and 9th Streets.

Circle of Stones

Circle of Stones Ritual Theater Ensemble, an Allentown-based theater company, is running a summer performing arts program for children living in the Old Allentown Historic District. The children will perform Tales of Tenacity: A Trilogy of Joyous Hip-Hop Operettas by Pana Columbus, Artistic Director of Circle of Stones, with music by Scott Eggert, choreography by Anisa George, and set design by Mary Ann Columbus. The first part of the trilogy, Girl's Gotta Dream, is being run in partnership with Old Allentown Preservation Association and will be performed on Satuday, June 28. The second and third parts will be performed on Saturday, July 19, and Saturday, August 9, respectively.

Flower and Flea Market

Every spring, OAPA hosts a Flower and Flea market street festival. This year, naturally, it was cold, damp and miserable. But as this video shows, there were still people having a good time.

Thanks to Peter for linking this from 7th Street and to John Schlaff for making the video.

Welcome to Old Allentown Blogging

With so much New in Old Allentown, it is only fitting that we take the time to provide the community with periodic updates, commentary from residents and insights to living in the neighborhood.

For more information about Old Allentown, visit www.oldallentown.org.