Five reasons why i hate Scranton (real estate, buy, construction)

[cjseliga]

Originally Posted by go phillies

If anybody bought those houses, they would be bought by slumlords looking to turn them into cheap college housing....those houses are usually blighted and substandard.

I think most of those houses that the University buys up, are already owned by slumlords or Uncle Louie (Or is Uncle Louie and the slumlords one in the same?), who owns like 60% of Lackawanna County. Obviously the college would love to have a "closed campus", but that is just unrealistic in an urban setting.

When they bought the 300 blocks of Clay and Mahon Ct. and the last block on Linden, between Clay and Webster, I feel that was a good move, since they already owned all of the properties on those streets. I can't really see them buying any more streets, but you never know! Maybe they can make Mulberry a tunnel!

[GreenRidgeGuy]

Originally Posted by Magritte25

Is anyone else standing in line to buy those buildings though? Wilkes and Kings does the same thing. If they didn't buy those homes, they would be decrepit structures marring the cityscape.

Exactly. People act like the University is purchasing mansions that generate truckloads of cash annually, while the truth is most of the houses they purchase are barely habitable.

[Magritte25]

Originally Posted by bloominscranton

Standing in line? These homes are usually sold before anyone knows they are up for sale. They are not empty factories of storefronts, they are family homes, usually still occupied when they are sold and then many get demolished. BTw many of these homes are 50 plus years old, and some of the nicest homes from the Baron days of Scranton. So a double insult, no tax money and another piece of history rolled over for a parking lot or other such nonsense.

Hmmm I'll have to disagree. I see plenty of homes for sale for months upon months. Driving around Scranton and in the papers.

[bloominscranton]

Not the ones the U has purchased.

[bloominscranton]

Originally Posted by go phillies

If anybody bought those houses, they would be bought by slumlords looking to turn them into cheap college housing....those houses are usually blighted and substandard.

While the U could probably pay some more to the city, I'm not sure why Da U is always the target of all of the venom, yet nobody mentions Marywood and Lackawanna College, which both pay NOTHING to the city. At least Da U makes a contribution. And Lackawanna College is probably importing more inner-city criminals than Sister Adrian these days.

No venom, and I clearly stated they only pay, the reason the U is mentioned is it has grabbed up SO much land, and the payment has NOT changed. I have repeatedly stated something needs to be done so all non-profits pay. This is becoming an issue in many communities.

[bloominscranton]

Originally Posted by GreenRidgeGuy

Exactly. People act like the University is purchasing mansions that generate truckloads of cash annually, while the truth is most of the houses they purchase are barely habitable.

That has not been the case in many many many situations. There has to be a happy medium for ALL the non/not profits and the city. The U is by far the largest and richest one in the city.

[Lehigh Valley Native]

Originally Posted by bloominscranton

Mod cut - removed comment about deleted off topic post. Once again, the city is distressed and we can ill afford buildings that generate tax revenue to disappear. I was stating my opinion since I think I am still allowed to have one.

As I said I do value education, but when you see a large instituation that appears to always have money for expansion, I do think they should give back more to the community. Especially a Jesuit instituation that espouses responsible stewardship.

Should all non-profits in Scranton pay taxes, or do you think just the Univ. of Scranton?

[Mr Yuk]

Originally Posted by bloominscranton

No venom, and I clearly stated they only pay, the reason the U is mentioned is it has grabbed up SO much land, and the payment has NOT changed. I have repeatedly stated something needs to be done so all non-profits pay. This is becoming an issue in many communities.

Lackawanna is pretty close to the U with land-grabbing....what really stinks with LJC is the school district's giveway of Central HS to the college. There was probably a deal in the works by the powers-that-be to give them the Central building....the district started feeding the people all of these BS stories about how Central was inadequate, that they needed to close it, and that building a new building would be cheaper than restoring Central. If it was cheaper to build a new building rather than restore Central, I would think LJC would have just built a new building themselves. Then they proceed to give away the building to LJC for next to nothing. Somehow SSD said that Central was inadequate as a high school, but somehow it works out well for a college...I don't get it. Lackawanna has also had their eyes on the Albright Library and Childrens Library (probably why Doherty was cooking up his hair-brained scheme to close the library and build one in South Side), and the SSD administration building. They've also gobbled up the CYC, as well as numerous downtown buildings for dorms to house the illiterate ghetto hoodlums they recruit for their football team. And for all of that, LJC refuses to give even a dime to the city....although it shouldn't be surprising with how involved Mellow was in that school, along with a connected crony like Angeli running the place. At least the worst that the U attracts is some typical Animal House college partiers....LJC seems to attract thugs.

The next in line of the land-grabbers is the med school....they've already got the property with the basketball courts next NE Intermediate....and I'm sure there's a scheme to give them the NE building for a song. Just wait....I can script it now....SSD will start crying about the NE building being inadequate, so they'll hand it to the med school, and then spend millions in crony contracts to build a new school.

[johnqpublic]

Originally Posted by Lehigh Valley Native

Should all non-profits in Scranton pay taxes, or do you think just the Univ. of Scranton?

I think ALL non profits should pay something in lieu of taxes, there are no true non profits any more.. their Administrators are paid very well... non profits these days are nothing more than a tax shelter for revenue generation entities..

[lilyflower7]

Originally Posted by bloominscranton

I am a college graduate, and education is highly valued by myself, husband and family. My issue with U of S and others is that, they specifically the U, goobles up entire neighborhoods, removes building from the tax roles, while dependent on city services ( yes folks college kids do use a great deal of city services) and gives a small amout of PILOT pay.

While the U is one of the few that even provide any PILOT payments, its annual amount is $140,000.00; a tad more then they get for 2 students to attend for 4 years.

I can appreciate education till the cows come home, but if a instituation is a burden (think frat parties, Od's, fire, theft etc) to it surrounding community in one hand, and creates a mini town on the other, it negates the value of education (one that serves non-residents more than residents) when it comes to dollar and cents.

1) There are no frats at the U - there's no Greek life nor can there be per as the I'm pretty certain Greek life is banned at all Jesuit run schools. Yes, there's drinking and parties but you find that on every college campus in the nation.

2) What fires, per se? Unless there's been some kind of arson wave since I graduated.

3) Theft: You honestly think out of state kids who have parents paying $40K a year in tuition are going around stealing things? I'm not saying that there isn't theft in the hill section, but it's more likely scumbags preying on naive students versus the students themselves.

4) ODs? If you mean by alcohol then there's just as many high school kids in the area that do this as well. The only difference is that college kids do their drinking in a gross basement and the high schoolers just stick a keg in the woods

Have you ever BEEN in any of those properties the U bought? Many of them WERE really decrepit disgusting houses rented out to students that were often not in compliance with the city building codes. Stucco house (on Mulberry) was a notorious party house for years and was a complete dump - while a lot of alum might have some found memories of partying there, it's actually a service to the community for the U to buy it and tear it down.