> I would encourage everyone who read the AP
> article to go to the link and read the
> original article in its entirety. The
> original article from Sunday's Allentown
> Morning Call goes further in depth. For
> example, it mentions progress that the
> museum made last year by gaining the
> powerful fundraisers Arthur and Kathryn
> Taylor. It also mentions crucial differences
> to the Cincinnati museum in that it received
> many donations in excess of $25,000 while
> Bethlehem's museum has primarily received
> smaller donations.
> The first phase of the museum will be known
> as Exposition Hall, not Exhibition Hall as
> the article also states. Similarly, it is
> the Number 2, not 1, machine shop where the
> final museum is supposed to be situated.
> To get a more complete understanding of what
> is going on, as seen through the local
> press, please see the articles and
> information at:
>
> http://www.mcall.com/news/specials/bethsteel/
> Finally, in response to Tom Gears'
> suggestion that the museum show people
> around, it is something that they would like
> to do, but except for their office and the
> empty electrical shop that will become
> Exposition Hall, the site is currently owned
> by other parties, so liability issues limit
> tours to those conducted personally by the
> museum president. Tours for the public can't
> really be considered until the sale of the
> Bethlehem Steel site to developers is
> completed.
> The picture below shows a little more than
> 2/3 of the future Exposition Hall building.
Greed
I wouldn't count too much on any kind of steel mill museum in Bethlehem let alone one of the blast furnaces being saved. The origion plan was to save one of the blast furnaces and house the Smithsonian affliated museum in the electrical shop. Now with ISG in and Beth Steel out the museum you will see will be much like those in Pittsburg a wide open field with a steel ladel sitting there with a plaque on it. The whole area between the Minsi Trail bridge and the New Street bridge is all slated to be rebuilt as entertainment, light manufacturing and even a beer garden. A hockey rink has been already built as well as some tech places and manufacturing. These bring good jobs to the area that the commom person can live on and raise a family. The other aspect most of this area is what they call a "brown field' which needs to be cleaned up I think that would be ISG.
Please let me know if the Smithsonian is still active with the project. The whole sounded really good to the people of the Valley in the Steel proposed it years back.But times have changed. I know that the City of Bethlehem wants a bigger tax base due to the Steel closing and would rather have five of six factories than one non profit museum, especially since they were almost bankrupted and settled after their police killed a drug dealer. Know that was an interesting case.
Sad to say I wouldn't count on much of a museum there and expect Brandenberg to start scrapping the remaining buildings.
One side note they put up a small monument to the steel workers and there is no mention of Beth Steel on it due to the fact they pledged money to it and never followed through. Bad scene for preservation but living here in the area this brings much needed well paying jobs to the area.
memnon11075@earthlink.net
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