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.