The Waterfront plans to reconnect to Lehigh River
By Dana Bonner Spanning twenty-nine acres on the western banks of the Lehigh River, the Waterfront Development includes plans for apartment-style living, workspaces, and a commuting road and trail from Hamilton Street in Allentown into Whitehall Township. This project will be built on a former industrial site. The Waterfront is part of the Neighborhood Improvement […]
When landlords neglect their properties, how can we hold them accountable?
By Shira Holtz The Neighborhood Blight Reclamation and Revitalization Act (Act 90) was passed by the state of Pennsylvania in 2010 to crack down on neglectful landlords and properties that are unsafe or against code. It gives cities the ability to deny certain permits to landlords if they own a property with serious code violations […]
What is the NIZ?
By Carly Giacoio Allentown has been having an identity crisis–a former bustling industrial city, it has been trying to reinvent itself, most notably with a revitalization project called the NIZ. The NIZ (Neighborhood Improvement Zone) in Allentown is a taxing district created in 2009 to transform 128 acres downtown, the Waterfront, and most notably, the […]
The evolution of Parkland School District
By Alex Caban-Echevarria The evolution of Parkland High School (PHS) began with a $77 million construction project completed in 1999, the most expensive in the region. Built on 128 acres along North Cedar Crest Boulevard, it is home to ~3,000 students and is two and a half times larger than the old facility. PHS, with […]
Local inspectors work in rentals and presales
By Jordan Fisch Many do not know the average day of a local house inspector. With over 27,000 rental units in Allentown, checking each home or apartment can become a time consuming process. “We have 12 rental inspectors who have the duty of doing four to six systematic inspections, which involves checking the interior of […]
Giving old homes new life
By Johnny Veglia June 2022 Allentown’s relationship with housing is complicated. The historic homes and buildings in Allentown have a variety of issues, from mold to lead paint. “A lot of people don’t realize that any house built before 1978 has got lead in it and some of the houses built the next few years […]
The Allentown housing crisis
There isn’t enough housing for the number of people who want to live in Allentown. More importantly, there isn’t enough affordable housing. Read more from the Muhlenberg Weekly.
