How would you spend the $11.5 million in gaming money to improve the region? (Philadelphia: apartments, condominium) - Scranton, Wilkes-Barre, Pocono area - City-Data Forum

W-B proud · 03-20-2008, 09:20 PM

Vote for how you'd spend this money to improve our region if you were king for a day.

FightinPhils · 03-21-2008, 06:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by W-B proud

Vote for how you'd spend this money to improve our region if you were king for a day.

Property tax reduction as PROMISED by Gov. Fast Eddie Rendell. Not all these pork barrel projects that I'm hearing about now.

CHS89 · 03-21-2008, 07:11 AM

Finally finish off some things that have been started.

Give about a dozen people moving expenses on the condition that they never return.

Move into the Southern Union building.

Build an Abe's Hot Dog in Scranton.

Cold pack in the archbald pothole. That thing can swallow a small car.

FightinPhils · 03-21-2008, 07:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CHS89

Build an Abe's Hot Dog in Scranton.

I like that idea! A Windsor Inn in Scranton would be nice also.

CHS89 · 03-21-2008, 07:32 AM

They can have a permit if they'll promise to pull the wings out of the fryer about 3 minutes sooner.

WasPA · 03-21-2008, 08:15 AM

Fund a study for the re-use of the old First National Bank building on Public Square next to the Luzerne Bank 'tower'; this is an important (Greek revival) piece of architecture in a prominent location. It's time has come. The city bought it for $200+k a few years ago and it's sitting there, possibly hoping for a spec buyer for a small profit.....

I'd say the possibilities are myriad, but re-use ought to be concerned with drawing people to that side of the Square...as well as DT. So, brainstorm the possibilties, then address the feasibility of the various potential schemes for re-use.

What should it become? Retail condominium with various good shops inside? Artspace? Theater/dance performance? Gallery? Upscale restaurant/club? Outdoor cafe as well? Museum? Planter's Museum?
Can it be built upward so as to be the base for apartments/ offices or both?

Time to get crackin' on this structure! Coal-esce and bring it to life!

W-B proud · 03-21-2008, 10:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by WasPA

Fund a study for the re-use of the old First National Bank building on Public Square next to the Luzerne Bank 'tower'; this is an important (Greek revival) piece of architecture in a prominent location. It's time has come. The city bought it for $200+k a few years ago and it's sitting there, possibly hoping for a spec buyer for a small profit.....

I'd say the possibilities are myriad, but re-use ought to be concerned with drawing people to that side of the Square...as well as DT. So, brainstorm the possibilties, then address the feasibility of the various potential schemes for re-use.

What should it become? Retail condominium with various good shops inside? Artspace? Theater/dance performance? Gallery? Upscale restaurant/club? Outdoor cafe as well? Museum? Planter's Museum?
Can it be built upward so as to be the base for apartments/ offices or both?

Time to get crackin' on this structure! Coal-esce and bring it to life!

Indoor market place! "Wyoming Valley Marketplace" like Reading Terminal Market in Philly! Food vendors from all over the world (greek,amish,thai,meditrainian ect.) fresh fish mongors, arts and crafts stands, produce stands, flower stands, philly's even has a "raw bar", spice stands ect. If downtown Wilkes-Barre is gonna have all these new condos, a marketplace like this will be essential for downtown residents to by foods and other goods. If you've ever been to The Reading Market Terminal in philly you know how great that would be for Downtown W-B.

SteelCityRising · 03-21-2008, 10:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by W-B proud

Vote for how you'd spend this money to improve our region if you were king for a day.

I'd invest it in a massive marketing campaign targeting our area's negative image. Our naysayers in NEPA are much more vocal than our optimists, and we need to start turning the tables on them if we ever want to succeed. Large corporations, new residents, tourists, etc. won't wish to visit or invest in a region that doesn't seem to believe in its future potential being fully realized, and I firmly believe the top problem plaguing Scranton/Wilkes-Barre is this antiquated mentality of how the rest of the nation has to feel sorry for us because we have it so much tougher than everyone else. Why? Where's our civic pride? Where's our confidence in promoting our strengths and minimizing our weaknesses?

I'm well aware that our area has corrupt politicians, a crumbling infrastructure, a dearth of white-collar employers to retain our college graduates, a prejudiced population, etc., but do I focus on these shortcomings? No. Why then do so many others choose solely to DWELL upon these? It most certainly can't be healthy. I like WNEP's "Good Things are Happening" commercials, and I like what organizations like Rediscover Scranton, Scranton Tomorrow, Diamond City Partnership, Leighton's "I Believe" slogan, etc. are all doing in order to reinvent this region. However, they are still fighting a losing battle against the "sky is falling" throngs here on Doherty Deceit, Talkback 16 Online, Scranton City Council meetings, newspaper editorials, etc.

Similarly to CHS89, I'd probably put $1,000,000 aside to give our region's largest naysayers one-way tickets to their greener pastures so that the rest of us can focus on making this a great place to live without having to hear their incessant gloom-and-doom foaming at the mouth.

FightinPhils · 03-21-2008, 11:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by W-B proud

Indoor market place! "Wyoming Valley Marketplace" like Reading Terminal Market in Philly! Food vendors from all over the world (greek,amish,thai,meditrainian ect.) fresh fish mongors, arts and crafts stands, produce stands, flower stands, philly's even has a "raw bar", spice stands ect. If downtown Wilkes-Barre is gonna have all these new condos, a marketplace like this will be essential for downtown residents to by foods and other goods. If you've ever been to The Reading Market Terminal in philly you know how great that would be for Downtown W-B.

The problem is that Philadelphia is a city of 1.5 million people with a big tourism industry and Wilkes-Barre a city of 40,000 and nobody is taking a vacation to Wilkes-Barre if they can help it. Don't get me wrong, it would be nice, but I don't think there's a market for it in Wilkes-Barre. Businesses like pawn shops, Rent-A-Center, Check Cashing businesses, and beer stores stocked with 40 oz malt liquor prosper in W-B for a reason....the demographics of the city. The nice new buildings built as part of the Northampton and Main project are still 90% empty, even though they're in a tax-free KOZ. I would like to see W-B prosper, but it just doesn't look like its happening any time soon.

Summering · 03-21-2008, 01:15 PM

Most of it would go to eliminate school TAXES.......like we were promised.
A portion would go to improve parks, and set aside land for nature parks also, Pa can never have enough
Then I'd make a fund to help people in unfortunate circumstances, just to get them on their feet. We should always help those less fortunate.........
And..........not forgetting our 4 legged friends.......I'd give a big donation to build that building they need with "Save A Pet" so that the animals are well taken care of before finding them a good home..........