Odd Lots How an American City Can Become a Manufacturing Hub
113 snips
May 7, 2026 
Matthew Tuerk, mayor of Allentown and a former economic development strategist, explains how the city is trying to rebuild manufacturing. They get into transistors, logistics, maker spaces, and why weight-gaining industries thrive there. There’s also talk of zoning reform, supply chains, data centers, and how a post Billy Joel identity is taking shape.
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The 2008 Pivot Toward Small Urban Manufacturing
- Matthew Tuerk began in 2008 by defending small-footprint manufacturing when others wanted to move away from it.
- He built on old multi-story factory stock, joined the Urban Manufacturing Alliance, and chased boutique makers from places like Brooklyn and San Francisco.
Reindustrialization Started With Existing Buildings
- Allentown's strategy centered on matching real demand for 40,000 to 80,000 square foot industrial space with the buildings it already had.
- While developers chased million-square-foot logistics boxes, local leaders focused on rehabbing old factories for actual manufacturing tenants.
Why Weight Gaining Industries Fit Allentown
- Allentown benefits from being within a day's drive of over 100 million people, making it ideal for goods that get heavier near customers.
- Matthew Tuerk calls them weight gaining industries like cranberry juice, beer, packaging, and bottles filled close to end markets.