Urban Comeback Stories in 2 Swing States
Tales from two cities, plus the secret of the writing life
Town: Pennsylvania
77 posts
Wasted Waterfronts: Why Cities Struggle to Build Along Rivers
The story of Allentown, Pennsylvania, as it turns its attention to a long-neglected asset
A Day on the Road: A Story-Map View of Allentown
What you find is usually not quite what you were looking for.
Iron Pigs Rising
Another strand in the fibers of civic connection
The Iron Pigs Come to Allentown
Changing the spirit of a town with sports
The City That Turned Its Water Into Cash
"We've got unfunded obligations in the hundreds of millions. What can we leverage?"
Water, Water, Everywhere: Lehigh Valley Edition
Allentown deals with fiscal problems from its past with a bet about water supplies for its future
First Bowling Alone, Now Vaulting Together
From Tocqueville onward, observers have thought that informal organizations held America together. Are any of them left?
Vaulting to Great Heights in Allentown
How girls from the Lehigh Valley become world-class gymnasts
Breathing Life Into Allentown: Pennsylvania Comes to the Rescue
What does it take to raise a city? More than a village. In fact, it may take a whole state.
Greening Up in Burlington, Rocking Out in Allentown
As American government seems ever more paralyzed at the national level, cities continue to find ways to grapple with real problems. Two more examples.
Countdown to Tonight’s Arena Debut in Allentown
Is the city ready for its close-up? The locals say it is.
The Eagles Come to Allentown, and So Does ‘American Futures’
Tomorrow is the first day in an old city's new life—or so the city leaders hope and believe.