Since the deal for turning the Americus Hotel into a "boutique hotel" fell through (Quel dommage ;<) I am wondering what YOUR "creative vision" is for this property? Pretend you have been appointed to the downtown re-development, preservation, commercial, economic, historical, revitalizational, improvement and planning authority, commission, board, chamber, and committee. Here's what I would like to see: something that meets the needs of the community. But I haven't decided exactly what that may be. I know an art gallery or two would be nice.
Let's have a brainstorming session!
Photo from 1965
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20 comments:
Thank you for asking this question!
I look forward to reviewing the comments.
Michael Donovan
Retired ASD teachers here.
Hello, Mrs. Dottie!
First, and of foremost concern, is the very high cost to renovate the building and bring it up to code. This requirement probably precludes most uses. Not many private investors can make those numbers work.
The lower floors are very open and accessible to public use, retail, galleries, small meeting space, snack bar/cafeteria/gift shop kind of things. Maybe an occasional theatre in the ballroom.
The top floor used for executive space.The next highest 4 floors residential apartments (including 2units for the building's caretakers).
I'd like to see all other mid-level floors created to small corporate incubator spaces, studio space, and home to some smaller,non-profit organizations.
Some of the building would be used like Reading's GoggleWorks, the converted Willson Products Company who once made optical protection. So it's goggle, not google!
Al Boscov was mostly responsible for GoggleWorks. Without him, that building would have been equally difficult to utilize.
None of the above very appealing to the city who would much prefer heavier taxed uses.
I think it's time the Valley got a White Castle, Popeyes, and Nathan's Hot Dogs.
It wouldn't be good for my diet, but damnit...
Given the downtown population, we should consider making it a Shelter for people to hide out to avoid being hit by stray gunfire. Kinda like a bunker in a combat zone.
I agree with the art museum focus as well as the retail sales. Perhaps with that space, we could get a possible "anchor store" like TJ Maxx or at least a food court for a McDonalds/Wendys. As for the "stray bullet" comment, it had to be written by someone who doesn't work, reside, or even visit A-town. I really hate the PERCEPTION Allentown has when, as a resident, you KNOW it is not a "third world country" environment.
Hi everyone, and thanks for the great comments so far. Teacher mentions an occasional theatre. Something like the Sellersville Theatre would be neat. A place to see live music with a ticket price lower than $50. Alfonso mentions an anchor store like TJ Maxx. That would make more sense than upscale boutiques.
And boy do I love White Castle.
Thanks for stopping by Michael Donovan!
I would be in favor of a museum, but only if it were a large museum, not one with only a couple of rooms that have items nobody really cares about.
I'm not sure if I want to see another store take up the space, but the theatre idea sounds really nice!
Hey fun post, Mrs. Dottie! I like Retired Teach's ideas for the Americus. But I also like the idea of a live music venue. And ya know what, we have one in downtown Allentown, a great one, Symphony Hall.
Q. How come Symphony Hall isn't more like The State Theatre in Easton? That is, how come it's not booked every weekend with national acts people wanna see and would sell the place out, like happens at The State Theatre all the time? If you're looking for an "anchor store" downtown that could be the springboard for drawing people downtown, Symphony Hall could be it. And while not meaning to minimize the wonderful job Shelley Brown has done at The State Theatre as its act booker and mistress of ceremonies, the concert booking and promotion business, while certainly carrying some risk of booking clunker shows that lose money, ain't rocket science. So you book "safe bet" acts like the State Theatre does and keep bringing them back every year (the comedian Carrot Top, I believe, holds the record there with 8 return performances). There's gotta be someone in Allentown who could take the helm at a more active and more act-diverse Symphony Hall. The place is a jewel. People should be enjoying it more regularly-- and not just for the high-brow stuff like symphonies (which I love).
I hear that there's a problem with the stage that needs upgrading to get it to be more like state theatre...I was asking the same question a few months ago around town.
There have been a few shows I've wanted to see at Symphony Hall, like Dan Zanes for example, but the ticket prices were so high I could not afford tickets for my entire family. I believe there used to be live shows at The Americus. I remember seeing Michael Penn there in the early
90's. If downtown Easton can make it with the State Theatre as its anchor, art galleries, shopping, and restaurants, then why can't Allentown? I don't think it's fair to compare Allentown to Bethlehem,
but how about Easton?
Pawlowski claims that the arts are the core of the downtown revitalization, but yet it seems like this revitalization is more focused on building new housing, which I think is unnecessary.
I approached Symphony Hall a few years back (I forget the name of the man I met with there) about putting on a show of all local original music bands (the idea being, hey let's pool our respective fan bases and fill the place and cross-pollinate everybody) and I recall being sorta laughed out of the place, a la "rock music? Local original rock music? At Symphony Hall? I (ha ha) don't think so, good-bye." I think he was picturing Woodstock or Altamont and Hell's Angels and people dancing nude in his theatre and taking the pot. I guess I should have packaged it as a night of local original symphonic rock compositions ...
"I believe there used to be live shows at The Americus. I remember seeing Michael Penn there in the early
90's."
The Ramones played The Americus, i forget the year ...
awesome question.
Related to arts, the Lehigh Valley doesn't have a jazz venue. There has been a couple of latin jazz nights at manana's, but I'd like a place where I can see a good jazz artist (not world famous, but somebody who is starting to emerge). If the ballroom is redone, it could be turned into one of those old school big band venues.
... for a while there, and not that long ago, maybe 4-5 years ago, about 6 floors up at the old "GAC" building on Hamilton Street, there was a really neato new restaurant that was doing jazz on Tuesday nights, I believe it was. And from what I heard, it was quite the metro kool jazz scene, daddio. But the whole place folded pretty quickly ... before I even had a chance to get there ... and I don't know the contributing factors as to why. Does anybody remember this place?
Bill,
I had a business meeting at that place, although I never got there to hear the Jazz. Not sure why it closed.
Bill
It would be great to see the old ballroom used again for weddings, fundraisers and functions. My grandfather said he saw live boxing there years back. I would love to see that myself.
As for the rest of the downstairs - it would be nice to see the boutique spaces rented again to local small businesses. The upstairs would probably be ideally used for offices, with apartments on the upper floors. While I would love to see some kind of arts center downtown, I'm not sure this building is the right space. I think it's just too big and fancy for that.
While we're on the subject of downtown buildings, I would really love to see an independent bookstore open somewhere, but I don't know if there's workable space for that at Americus. Of course, once I moved to downtown our one used book store moved to the west end. (Seems to happen like that.)
I agree with Sarina about the boutique spaces, but I also think that a big box type store would help draw people downtown. Perhaps mixing the two would be a good solution.
For the upstairs and not-so-streetfront spaces, I think that a large atrium/lobby would be super cool. Have you ever been to the MoMA in NYC? It's got a lobby that goes all the way to the celing! I am not thinking that a lobby that goes all the way to the celing would be such a good idea, but something like that would be aesthetically interesting.
I'd like to see a rooftop garden. Something that people that work/live in or visit the building can troll around in and maybe eat lunch. It'd offer some great views of the valley and help cut heating/cooling costs for the building if the garden's made properly.
Please see my latest post at Allentown City Arts--I've posted the vision statement for the Americus Design Center, which we've been shopping around for more than a year...
I think the 25-30 million dollar cost to renovate is a huge factor considering the current credit crisis. The MC reports today that it might take years for the Americus to come back. I hope they don't tear it down.
Anyone attend the Hamilton St. Vision meeting last night? I'd like to know how many regular citizens, other than committee people, attended?
Mrs, Dottie,
I attended the Visioning meeting last night and posted about it on Perspectives. There seemed to be a very good mix of people including regular citizens and neighborhood organizers.
Great question about the Americus; I've really enjoyed reading the answers. I hate to admit I go back far enough to remember it in its 1950's - 60's glory. It was fabulous as was The Traylor.
May the grand old lady live to see another decade.
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