City Council run being considered (Allentown, Railroad: condos, homes, construction)

[loose cannon]

I am considering a run for City Council. Based on my history on here you know if and when I decide to run Allentown will be impacted like never before. Ultimately within 10 years if things go well I will run for Mayor. The revolution could start soon!

[blazerj]

You need the machine to back you, but good luck!

[valley slacker]

Consider "getting your feet wet" with a position on a committee.

[PA.Dutchman]

Our current Mayor is a relocation, our Police Chief is, and a number of the City Planners are.

A few years ago they wanted to build condos on Spring Garden because of living here our entire life we know that site was used as a construction waste land fill. You would have to remove 20 to 30 feet of land fill before you would hit solid ground to dig a foundation for anything. NONE OF THE AUTHORITIES KNEW THIS BECAUSE THEY WERE ALL RELOCATIONS. The Federal Government came in and did sounding and SURE ENOUGH THE LOT IS FILLED WITH ROTTEN RAILS, STONE, BRICKS ETC from the time when they tore down all the homes on Jackson and Union nothing can be built there unless MILLIONS OF DOLLARS WERE FIRST INVESTED TO REMOVE THE LAND FILL OF WASTE.

Then they approved some construction by the Little Lehigh at Fountain Park. The area was used as a parking lot for MACK TRUCKS SINCE 1917 because it is on a flood plane. We told the city planner again and he checked and sure enough it has been flooded many times over the history of Allentown. That is why is had NEVER BEEN USED FOR ANYTHING OTHER THEN A PARKING LOT.

Then they sold the idea to move into the Old Fuller Company building to do heavy manufacturing. ONLY THE LOCALS KNEW THERE HAD BEEN A RAILROAD siding built along side the plant. It was the ONLY WAY TO GET THEIR LARGE MANUFACTURED pieces in and out of their location.

After Fuller closed ALL THE RAIL LINES WERE PULLED UP AND THEY REMOVED THE TRACKS, IT IS ALL GONE. Now there is no way to get large things in and out of the plant all the rail and sidings are gone and any evidence of them from the old days.

Relocations like yourself need to check with long time or life time residents to find out why thing have not or have been done before inventing the wheel again.

This week the Eighth Bridge work begins for TWO YEARS. No one in the city gave thought to the reality that MLK will have to be closed when they work on the arches over Martin Luther King BLVD. This is a main route east and west and lined up now at times of the day. How they will close it during the repairs on the bridge was never given any thought it is going to be a nightmare at times.