Seven Allentown cultural groups and the city’s Immigration Office are open in Alliance Hall.
The Jamaican Cultural Organization, Liberian Community Association of Northeastern Pennsylvania, Puerto Rican Cultural Preservation Inc., Interlace Cultural y Desarrollo Integral Mexicano, Dominican Cultural Organization, Indian American Association of the Lehigh Valley and Kenyan Community in the North East have moved into space vacated by the relocation of the Lehigh Conference of Churches.
“These groups no longer have to meet in household kitchens and living rooms across the city,” said Mayor Ed Pawlowski. “They now have a place to call their own. At Alliance Hall they each have small office space and access to larger meeting space and a kitchen area on the second floor where they can hold small events and joint meetings.”
Improvements were made to the bathrooms, epoxy floors, wall and railing painting and ceiling tiles.
Alliance Hall of Allentown Inc., a 501 C 3, was originally formed in 1990. After a two- year renovation project the building at 245 N. Sixth Street, originally constructed in 1929 as the Jewish Community Center of Allentown, was rededicated as Alliance Hall. The project was put together by the City of Allentown, Allentown Housing Authority, the Lehigh Conference of Churches and Lehigh Valley Child Care with the aid of a HUD 108 loan, grants from the Trexler Trust and others and a community fundraiser.
Alliance Hall is home to the Allentown Health Bureau, Lehigh Valley Children’s Center, Housing Association Development Corporation (HADC) and until recently the Conference. The building is managed by the Alliance Hall Board and AEDC. It also houses the Allentown Ecumenical Food Bank, the city Office of Immigration and HADC’s YouthBuild program classroom.
HADC’s YouthBuild program serves young men and women, ages 17-24, who have dropped out of school and want to earn their GED while learning construction skills. Students are learning construction skills two days a week at HADC home sites rehabilitating a homes which will be sold to low to moderate income home buyers. They also attend are in the classroom another two days a week working on their academic skills, life skills and leadership development skills. One evening a week they attend Lehigh Career and Technical Institute earning certifications such as OSHA 10 and First Aid/CPR.
Dave Evans, Executive Director of HADC and current President of the Board for Alliance Hall said, “As a Board we were very supportive of the expanding ministry of the Conference of Churches and its service to the community that led to their decision to establish a larger dedicated facility for serving our community. At the same time, we were also concerned about the void it would leave at Alliance Hall. The Board is committed to assuring that the activity that occurs at Alliance Hall is aimed at serving the neighborhood. What a blessing it is that we can now bring this rich diversity of culture and history together under one roof. It has been a pleasure for me to work with the leaders of these seven diverse groups. I trust their presence and the cultural enrichment that will provide will be an equally blessed gift to the City of Allentown.”
Each of the seven cultural groups has a separate lease. It is envisioned that a council formed by the seven cultural groups will manage the scheduling of their common space.
Two office spaces are still available.
The leases are a product of months of discussions involving Mayor Pawlowski, the Department of Community & Economic Development, Alliance Hall Board President Evans and representatives of the seven cultural groups.
Information Provided By:
Mike Moore
Communications Manager
Mayor’s Office
435 Hamilton Street
Allentown, PA 18101
Mike.Moore@allentownpa.gov
http://www.AllentownPA.gov
