Brick Construction

Brick Construction Makes Homes Solid and Attractive

We’ve all seen new homes being constructed. Many times, it seems they’re practically inflatable – a vacant lot one day, a “for sale” sign out front the next.

But many homes in the West End Theatre District are more solidly and carefully built; some may have roofs made from cut slabs of slate, and many homes are made from solid brick.

The use of slate for roofing isn’t too surprising – we are just minutes away from Pennsylvania’s Slate Belt (and how do you think the Slate Belt got its name?), and it was common long ago to build homes with readily available materials. At first, huge slabs of the rock were split and shaped by hand; later, mechanization took over this arduous task.

It has many qualities that make it a good roofing material. It’s certainly durable, was readily available, and offers a distinctive appearance that other materials can’t match. And while most of us are familiar with the standard black or gray stone, slate also naturally occurs in various colors, including green, purple and red. It also exhibits a high degree of fire resistance, and it’s not bothered by mold, mildew or insects.

About 110 years ago, the country began the transition to asphalt shingles for roofing but many homes around here still sport slate roofs.

Stroll through the District and you’ll see many homes constructed from brick – another once-common building material that’s since fallen out of favor. As with slate, many early homes were built from locally produced brick. Our region had massive deposits of suitable clay, and the tools needed to produce bricks were simple.

Bricks have lot going for them. They’re made from natural materials; they don’t require painting; they certainly won’t rot or get dented by hail; and, like slate, they offer a high degree of fire resistance.

Though they were immensely popular, bricks began to fall out of favor after World War II. Suburban homeowners wanted a different “look,” and new materials and construction methods took over. Building codes changed as well, pushing brick construction further into the background.

Today, much of our brick supply comes from distant sources, so the heavy material must be transported. Fossil fuels are burned during the manufacturing process, ands well as during transportation – altogether, that’s a negative influence on our climate.

Will brick construction ever return to its former glory? Probably not. But we’re lucky that we can stroll throughout the neighborhood and see many examples of really solid home construction. After all, there was only one house the Big Bad Wolf couldn’t huff-and-puffand-blow-down!

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St. Luke’s The OB/GYNCare You Trust

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Needing a gynecologist aft er moving to the Lehigh Valley in 2010, a friend referred Kylie to Hazel Tuazon, MD at St. Luke’s OB/GYN - Complete Women’s Care. Twelve years and two babies later, they’re still together.

“We hit it off from the beginning,” says Kylie. “I felt comfortable with Dr. Tuazon right away.”

A Macungie resident, Kylie typically sees Dr. Tuazon in her Fogelsville offi ce. As a teacher, she appreciates the extended practice hours, allowing for appointments before and aft er school. In addition, Maternal Fetal Medicine is conveniently located right across the hall.

In December of 2018 Kylie welcomed her fi rst child, Manuel III. Dr. Tuazon managed the entire delivery, was taking pictures with “Manny” the next morning and has been in charge of Kylie’s follow-up ever since. “It was a great experience,” says Kylie.

When Kylie became pregnant with her second child, she took comfort in having Dr. Tuazon by her side. Through their shared experience of Kylie’s fi rst pregnancy, they communicated openly about the second delivery and some of the challenges she may face. “Dr. Tuazon supported me on my birth plan 100%,” says Kylie, who welcomed her second son, Nico, in April.

Like most women, Kylie was nervous the night before Nico’s delivery, but aft er talking with Dr. Tuazon – and submitt ing a playlist to stream in the OR – Kylie became relaxed and excited. But the following morning Kylie unexpectedly began having contractions. Concerned about how to move forward, she immediately consulted Dr. Tuazon. “My husband was super supportive but having Dr. Tuazon as a strong sounding board during such an emotional time was incredibly helpful.”

Sticking with her original plan, Kylie’s C-section – accompanied by a familiar care team and songs from her playlist -- was a great experience. According to Dr. Tuazon, “It was really more like a birthday party than a surgery.”

Never feeling rushed, Kylie enjoys their “mom-to-mom” conversations and Dr. Tuazon’s willingness to share her personal experiences. Says Kylie, “She’s a working mom like me and she shares her parenting experiences with me … I feel like more than just a patient and that’s important to me.” fine dining

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