Allentown officials accused of sexual discrimination during eminent domain proceedings
“The owner of a Lehigh County contracting company seeks more than $1 million in relief from the city of Allentown and the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation, claiming sexual discrimination prevented her from receiving fair market value when her Allentown office was acquired through eminent domain, according to a suit filed in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania.
Laurie Atiyeh, owner and operator of Lehigh Valley Properties (LVP), alleges that the mayor of Allentown and other city officials treated her differently than other business owners who successfully reached settlements for the acquisition of their land for the construction of the American Parkway Extension, a highway project that will connect Allentown to Route 22 via a new bridge over the Lehigh River.
Starting in February 2011, as government officials began acquiring the land necessary to begin the project, Atiyeh attempted several times to notify Allentown’s city engineer Richard Young to discuss her business property located on Ivy Street. She claims that none of her attempts received replies.
On Aug. 3, 2011, Allentown Mayor Edward Powlaski authorized the condemnation of the building, an action Atiyeh opposed by filing for bankruptcy in federal court, the suit says.”
Boyle, Jim. Pennsylvania Record 7 July 2014.
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