Is Carson Street's success beginning to spread into Allentown??? (renting, crimes)

[Blackbeauty212]

Is the Warrington Street business district in direct line to be the gentrification successor to Carson Street?

After having a discussion in another thread about how one neighborhood's gentrification success shows signs of spill over into neighboring hoods...

Then reading this article is this weeks Pop-City, makes me wonder if Allentown is starting to feed off Carson's momentum.....

And just over the hill beyond the South Side Slopes, Cafe Retro has recently opened in the Allentown neighborhood. The restaurant, located at 637 E. Warrington Avenue, is hard to miss for its lime-green storefront.

The cafe serves diner fare—omelets, burgers, and a variety of retro-themed sandwiches—along with smoothies, specialty coffee, and free Wi-Fi. Owner Ray Meyers encourages patrons to bring laptops and stay awhile, or just come for the food.

Meyers hopes Cafe Retro will can add to the reanimation of Allentown's business district, which already includes the established Italian restaurant Alla Famiglia.

Silvi's SouthSide Kitchen and Buddy's Brews on Carson now open; Cafe Retro opens in Allentown

What do you think. Am I reading to much into the possibilities here?

[Uptown kid]

The only reason that Allentown isn't as bad Beltzhoover is because the Zone 3 popo station is in the middle of the neighborhood so the criminals think twice about committing crimes. From 2003 to 2008 it was a very rough place...
Allentown aka tha A-cide will be a black & white man's ghetto for a long time IMO

[Aqua Teen Carl]

Allentown is pretty dead and still a bit sketchy, not to mention out of the way. I don't see it ever becoming anything to close to Carson just on location alone.

[UKyank]

I don't think so, I wouldn't even consider the Slopes as having had much of a significant upgrade as of yet spreading from the Flats which would be the natural progression.

[BrianTH]

I'm not sure it is tied to Carson Street in particular, but I would not be surprised to see Allentown's business district start redeveloping.

[AaronPGH]

Does the Allentown T line still run? Or was that a casualty of the last round of cuts?

[Blackbeauty212]

Originally Posted by BrianTH

I'm not sure it is tied to Carson Street in particular, but I would not be surprised to see Allentown's business district start redeveloping.

What are rents like now down on Carson? Can someone still open a business for a fairly decent amount or has Carson Street's become so much of a destination that it's harder for certain businesses to open there, again this could be what drives Warrington Avenue redevelopment and its pretty quick and easy to get to Allentown from the Flats.

I don't know, I can strongly see the Warrington Av business district being a beneficiary of Carson Street.

[Blackbeauty212]

Originally Posted by AaronPGH

Does the Allentown T line still run? Or was that a casualty of the last round of cuts?

Nope I think it was cut, it was the Brown Line.....even before the Cut it only ran at Rush hour I think with Bus Routes replacing it during the Off peak and weekends.

If PAT could get the Brown Line back and run it Full Time that would be a major asset to Allentown...But it needs to be a Full Time line (I Feel) in order to have any impact.

[BrianTH]

I don't know what first-floor retail space is renting for on Carson Street in the Flats, but I am sure it is relatively expensive.

However, I'm not sure the demand side of the retail market on Carson Street is likely to divert to Allentown's business district, at least not in the absence of something like an incline, gondola, etc., because for most people right now that would be a driving trip. I'd more see this as being driven by a separate Hilltop retail market.

[Blackbeauty212]

Originally Posted by BrianTH

I don't know what first-floor retail space is renting for on Carson Street in the Flats, but I am sure it is relatively expensive.

However, I'm not sure the demand side of the retail market on Carson Street is likely to divert to Allentown's business district, at least not in the absence of something like an incline, gondola, etc., because for most people right now that would be a driving trip. I'd more see this as being driven by a separate Hilltop retail market.

Understood, but just as well I think what will steer eyes to Allentown is people priced out of Carson Street as there first option. The Small Businesses that don't need actually need to be in the Carson Street scene i.e Bars and Clubs.....As I have no doubt those two restaurants might have been (no conclusive evidence I know)..and driving will not be a deterrent as most patrons descending on the Flats now are by way of cars...

I'm not really looking for Allentown to be the left arm of Carson Street....I just see Carson momentum helping jump start Warrington Av then it will take off on its own momentum.