tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5828470450506905015.post955145587324708411..comments2023-10-30T11:07:06.790-04:00Comments on Remember: Emmaus VS The West End Theater District (Main Street VS 19th Street)Andrew Kleinerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03766250794520292541noreply@blogger.comBlogger9125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5828470450506905015.post-5004330055676164952009-05-25T21:30:30.616-04:002009-05-25T21:30:30.616-04:00Capri for the win! Great Post. Thank you. I agree...Capri for the win! Great Post. Thank you. I agree 100% with everything you said. I'll add my thoughts in a bit.Andrew Kleinerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03766250794520292541noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5828470450506905015.post-86960046051229006882009-05-25T21:27:25.851-04:002009-05-25T21:27:25.851-04:00PART 2:
The block between Allen & Tilghman is...PART 2:<br /><br />The block between Allen & Tilghman is much more troubling. Presumably one of these days that car dealership goes, so that's a good possible spot for something... what that something is, I'm not sure. The whole block is a very weird amalgamation of businesses and residential properties. I think if the WETD did get a PA Main Street grant, they need to look into doing a facade project on that block ASAP because the only thing that can save it from being a mood-killer is to try to get things to look more "belonging". I think the Quillian DOES belong on that street - and I'm not as opposed to TC Salon as the rest of the universe, and I'm okay with the walk-in hair place, too, but I can't even think of what else is even open on that block, and certainly all of it could benefit from a more uniform signage/facade theme.<br /><br />My final big change would be to open up the building where Lafayette Ambassador is / Ruffino's Grille and the Karate Place were so that there would be some interface with the alley facing Civic - this could be a porch or outdoor seating for the restaurant space, or building some new internal walls and knocking out some exterior brick to make smaller storefronts with windows & doors facing the alleyway - something that would reorient that third of the block with multiple "facing" sides - hopefully this would connect the next block over where Allentown Appliance & the clothing shops are. Speaking of businesses in need of facade help - Allentown Appliance is a great business that needs a major facade overhaul - same goes for that constantly-closed looking fitness equipment shop, which, for all I know, is actually closed. Isn't there a florist on that block, too? Hello! <br /><br />I guess the overarching theme of this comment is "I think the WETD already has a whole lot of great businesses that need to be better connected and look more like they all fit together into a single neighborhood rather than just haphazardly dropped into a 4 block radius."<br /><br />Things that I don't think are wise uses of money:<br />Trees, Benches, "Historical Streetlamps" or other such projects sometimes found in redevelopment neighborhoods. Let streets be lit by businesses that stay open after dark, and let people stop to sit in cafes or restaurants or parks, and allow trees to be a fundraising project.Caprihttp://notlikethepants.wordpress.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5828470450506905015.post-89706493937994175492009-05-25T21:26:50.840-04:002009-05-25T21:26:50.840-04:00PART ONE:
I want the daycare gone & a mixed u...PART ONE:<br /><br />I want the daycare gone & a mixed use building appx the same height as Civic Theatre to be constructed in that space. More residential opportunities above the street level would boost the "foot traffic" on 19th street. For that matter, I'd also like the craptastic gas station on the corner to peace out & be replaced by something better, but its pretty difficult to build on the site of a former gas station, so.... maybe a pocket park?<br /><br />I'd like to see the fence on the backside of the Fairgrounds property removed, and some street-facing storefronts go in there - ideally these could attract some merchants like Vegan Treats (previously rumored to be looking for a new / another store front in the LV area), Another Story, who needs to move from his off-the-main-path location, perhaps a gallery/jewelry type store along the lines of a C. Leslie Smith - I'm naming specific businesses but it is just a great space to have good retail stuff going on. An art supply store and/or print space would be pretty excellent also, but I think that's mostly just a pipe dream. <br /><br />My main point about the Fairgrounds is that having that space be developed would go along way towards connecting the restaurants/bars like Stooges and Ringer's Roost to the WETD and also it would help to connect those small retail spots like Sign of the Bear and Haika's and that little strip mall with the chinese place where Abe's Deli used to be (still is?).<br /><br />I would like to see Civic branch out in what they use their spaces for - movies & plays are great, but their locations lend themselves nicely to matinee concerts or readings -also the lobby of 514 should be an art gallery that is open all the time. Not that I'm trying to tell anyone how to run their business or anything.Caprihttp://notlikethepants.wordpress.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5828470450506905015.post-85388832904114771532009-05-25T20:52:26.357-04:002009-05-25T20:52:26.357-04:00hmm for some reason I cannot post my comment here....hmm for some reason I cannot post my comment here. I'll email it to you.Caprihttp://notlikethepants.wordpress.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5828470450506905015.post-9312457124121532832009-05-25T19:00:16.447-04:002009-05-25T19:00:16.447-04:00I meant on 19th but if you have Emmaus commentary,...I meant on 19th but if you have Emmaus commentary, I would be interested to hear it.Andrew Kleinerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03766250794520292541noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5828470450506905015.post-48817535246591035832009-05-25T18:50:08.453-04:002009-05-25T18:50:08.453-04:00down there meaning here in Emmaus, or on 19th Stre...down there meaning here in Emmaus, or on 19th Street?Caprihttp://notlikethepants.wordpress.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5828470450506905015.post-80559570830034468902009-05-25T14:37:18.031-04:002009-05-25T14:37:18.031-04:00What do you want to see done down there Capri?What do you want to see done down there Capri?Andrew Kleinerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03766250794520292541noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5828470450506905015.post-27064931254789901392009-05-25T14:35:03.669-04:002009-05-25T14:35:03.669-04:00Thanks for the insight Capri. Last I knew from th...Thanks for the insight Capri. Last I knew from the meetings is that 19th street was in fact a Main Street grant participant and they had been allotted 2.5 million dollars. As far as the businesses 19th street can support; the price range at Blink and Boutique to Go is astronomical in comparison to the mean income of the surrounding area. I'm not sure they could charge those prices outside of Philadelphia or New York. The businesses on 19th street no longer reflect the character of the street whatsoever whereas I do believe that many on Main St in Emmaus do. As far as coffee shops are concerned, due to poor management an no visibility, I don't believe 19th street currently can support one coffee shop. I wrote the comparison to directly start a discussion because I haven't seen a real/ healthy one exist about 19th street in a very long time.Andrew Kleinerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03766250794520292541noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5828470450506905015.post-37738348670358232962009-05-25T13:37:26.579-04:002009-05-25T13:37:26.579-04:00Andrew:
Just a quick point:
Emmaus is a particip...Andrew:<br /><br />Just a quick point:<br /><br />Emmaus is a participant in PA's Main Street Program - a program that gives 5 years of funding for revitalization and also includes paying the salary for a full-time Main Street Manager (Peter Lewnes is Allentown's Main Street Manager for the 7th Street business corridor north of Hamilton Street). Emmaus has had a Main Street Program for quite some time now. 19th Street is not a participant that I could tell:<br />http://www.padowntown.org/programs/mainstreet/participants.asp<br /><br /><br />Having a full-time salaried professional working towards downtown revitalization and encouraging development is really a whole different ballgame than what the West End Theatre District has going on (a ragtag group of enthusiastic and well meaning business owners & residents who agree on almost nothing and all have other things in their lives that require their attention above and beyond the revitalization and/or development of their neighborhoods, to say nothing of the difference in professional skills someone working for the Main Street program has compared to say, someone who runs a small business selling purses for a living).<br /><br />So although I think that Emmaus' downtown does provide a great "example" to follow in looking at revitalization models, I don't think they are quite comparable.<br /><br />Also, there are things to consider in terms of what kind of business community the 19th street theatre district can support - can it support a coffee shop, obviously yes. Can it support 5? (there are actually 6 coffee shops on Chestnut Street in Emmaus, that I can think of offhand: True Blue, Cafe 29, King Koffee, Mas Cafe, the place in the bike shop, and Perk). I don't think the WETD can support even 2 coffee shops, much less 5, at least not until some other development takes place. Emmaus' 11,000 residents are by and large in a pretty upper-middle-class income range, whereas the households in the neighborhoods adjacent to the WETD are much more mixed income.caprihttp://notlikethepants.wordpress.comnoreply@blogger.com