Major Makeover Coming to Scranton's "Lower Hill" Neighborhood (Jefferson: landscaping, buy)

[SteelCityRising]

This morning's Scranton Times-Tribune features an article which I have mixed feelings about. In order to help patch holes in the city's finances, Council President Judith Gatelli has been urging large non-profits in the city to contribute more to the city of Scranton in lieu of taxes. The Scranton Housing Authority answered her request with a voluntary $900,000 gift to the city, but negotiations with the University of Scranton seemed to be much lengthier. It is now learned that the university apparently will not be increasing its annual contribution to the city in lieu of taxes but will rather be investing $1,000,000 to help better integrate the University of Scranton campus, the adjoining Lower Hill neighborhood, and Downtown.

The project will feature a brick, stone, and iron "Welcome to the University of Scranton" mounted at the NE corner of Jefferson & Mulberry (across from the upcoming bed & breakfast). It will stretch along six city blocks and include stamped concrete sidewalks, period street lighting, and landscaping from Jefferson Avenue to North Webster Avenue (with the possibility of that being extended up to Harrison Avenue to tie in with the new bridge project).

I truly don't know how to feel about this. On the one hand I think the city would benefit more in the short-term from being given a gift of $1,000,000 from the university as opposed to nothing at all. However, in the long-term this major beautification project might just pay off tremendously for the city's future. Here are some of my thoughts:

1.) Making it easier, safer, and more attractive for the university's thousands of students and the thousands of residents of "The Hill" to walk downtown will help to provide a boon to downtown businesses, and more may spring up to latch onto the increased foot traffic that will accompany the finished project.

2.) Providing safer sidewalks to replace the existing cracked and neglected ones will help to take a major liability off of the city's shoulders in case an elderly person happened to slip, fall, and then file a lawsuit against the city for neglecting its infrastructure.

3.) Providing new streetlights will help to deter criminal activity in the Lower Hill, a neighborhoood noted for its history of drug-related activities.

4.) Planting more trees, shrubs, flowers, etc. will help to improve air quality, calm traffic, and boost property values.

5.) Overall this project will leave tourists to the city with a much more positive impression of it, which may encourage them to return for repeat visits or even relocate here.

Daniel and Ed are probably immediately going to lash out at Judy's quote of "This is a wonderful contribution and it means much more than a monetary contribution" as the city is mired in $300,000,000 of debt. However, if this project attracts new private investment to the city (hence bolstering its tax rolls), who knows how it will play out in the long-term. I can honestly now say that if this project is executed properly, the Lower Hill just sprang back up as being my first choice for a new neighborhood in the upcoming years.

[CHS89]

I dont' see how this is a "contribution." Basically, it seems to be the same as if I fall behind on my taxes, I only have to make a token improvement to my property (maybe paint my house), and I'm square. Am I misunderstanding something here? The University can and should do both, IMO. Improve their property, and make hefty contribution in lieu of taxes.

Personally, I like Judy Gatelli. But for God's sake, this is just monumentally stupid. I hold all of Council accountable for this idiocy, including Evans. She's the financial chair, after all.

A few questions, Paul:
1) Aside from the bars, what busineses in town do the students currently frequent? What ones can they afford to frequent?
2) Aren't the sidewalks the property owner's responsibility, rather than the city's? I don't have a sidewalk, so I genuinely don't know.

[Mr Yuk]

Originally Posted by CHS89

I dont' see how this is a "contribution." Basically, it seems to be the same as if I fall behind on my taxes, I only have to make a token improvement to my property (maybe paint my house), and I'm square. Am I misunderstanding something here? The University can and should do both, IMO. Improve their property, and make hefty contribution in lieu of taxes.

Personally, I like Judy Gatelli. But for God's sake, this is just monumentally stupid. I hold all of Council accountable for this idiocy, including Evans. She's the financial chair, after all.

A few questions, Paul:
1) Aside from the bars, what busineses in town do the students currently frequent? What ones can they afford to frequent?
2) Aren't the sidewalks the property owner's responsibility, rather than the city's? I don't have a sidewalk, so I genuinely don't know.

I agree CHS. These "improvements" aren't necessarily a bad thing, but to act like this is some kid of contribution is ridiculous. I really don't care what the sidewalks look like surrounding Da U.

The sidewalks are the owner's responsibility, not the city's.

Since a lot of people feel that Da U's PILOT contribution is low, does anyone here know what similar sized colleges contribute to their host cities? I tried looking this up without much success.

[CHS89]

It's nice that they're planning on making the improvements, don't get me wrong. But this is like congratulating your teenager for waking up with dry sheets.

They're SUPPOSED to be doing that.

[weluvpa]

Let me get this straight. The U took the property off our tax rolls and now is going to put a sign on it that is theirs and give back to us as a contribution? Its still off the tax rolls and thus we gain nothing but the U gets a big ole sign. How is this a gateway to the city? It seems more like a gateway to the U. What I like the most was when the mayor stated "This project truly will have a lasting effect on the city" and then he said "If you're going to spend a million dollars, it's better than giving us money to pay the light bill, because this beautification project is going to be here forever". Really Mr. mayor how is this better for the city then giving us money? They let the U take close to $500,000 in properties off our tax rolls and now this is what we get in return "Welcome to the U" sign. Gee wiz thats great.

CHS89 you like Judy why? Whether you like Janet or not or the mayor what could you possibly use as a excuse to like Gatelli? She is the aboslute definition of a puppet politician. She has done nothing to stop our debt from increasing and wait she has actually voted for everything to increase it.

Judy's statment is actually worse then the mayors considering she campaigned on going after the non-profits. " This is a wonderful contribution and it means much more than a monetary contribution", " This was part of my plea to the non profits, maybe if they couldn't give monetaryily, an actual donation, that they would try to help the community in some way"

What a ass, the U has a $100,000,000 endowment fund and they can't afford to give the city more money? No but they could buy up the lower hill right? and put their sign out and tell us that it was for the city. Convienent isn't it just 6 weeks before the the election for McGoff and now he is everywhere with the mayor and Judy doing what needs to be done to get votes. Come on even Paul should be able to see that this is a joke on the residents of the city. Not to mention the fact that the paper stated that the U has a financial impact of $300,000,000 on the area, I would love for anyone to show me where the U has that kind of a effect on our area.

Say what you want but Judy has done nothing for this city and has done nothing for the residents. She is a waste and has never lived up to her campaign. I voted for Judy but I voted for a different Judy then what we got.

Sidewalks are the property owners responsiblity, period ohh but wait the sidewalks on the 500 blk of Lackawanna are going to be paid for by the city for developer Rinaldi. Nice right? We all to pay for our own sidewalks but hey if your friends with the mayor you get them on the city.

Paul has Judy ever replied to your calls and or emails in regards to trying to get money from the U?????? It will never happen as long as the Doherty admin is in office, never! CHS89 Judy is a hack and you know it!

[CHS89]

Dan, why do you like eggs? Why do you like the color orange? Why do you prefer Fords? It's called personal preference, and I'm under no obligation to justify it to you.

Grow the f*ck up already. I expressed a personal opinion. I don't like bananas or coconut, either. Want to make an issue over that, too?

I happen to like Gatelli the person and dislike Evans the politician. You dont' like it? Too bad. You can cancel out my votes, then. Stop your grandstanding, though.

[weluvpa]

Grandstanding, Judy the person? Come on your right Judy is great person with nothing but love and care for the city of Scranton and the residents of Soutside, whatever was I thinking? Your right......You do not have to justify what you like or dislike but do you think that you could show one piece of legislation that she has voted for that was good for our city? Please not the smoking ban again! I could careless what kind of person you think that Judy is, what she is, is a terrible politician and she has contributed thru her 3-2 majority on council directly to our $300,000,000 in debt and that is fact. Grandstanding ya right thats it. I call like I see it. She is a hack!

[CHS89]

*sigh* Let's just ignore each other the rest of the way, huh?

[Mr Yuk]

Get your popcorn, another Dan vs CHS89 brawl is ensuing..

Here's some theme music:

YouTube - Rocky Theme

[CHS89]

No brawl. My opinion is different than his. I can accept it, and move on Can he? Other than that, life's too short to spend on his kind.

(It is entertaining to watch him meltdown everytime someone disagrees with him, though, isn't it?)