Southern Union Building in Downtown Scranton Finally Sold! (sale, lease)

[ScranBarre]

Well it looks as if Dan will have to scratch one "notch" off of his gripe list now that the former Southern Union Building at 417 Lackawanna Avenue is under negotiations to be sold to city businessman Jerry Donahue, who plans to lease the building out to financial services firms, law firms, and his own corporation. The beautiful, Class AAA office building was constructed a few years ago and was expected to house 100 high-earning white-collar positions for Southern Union, but the company took over some of Enron's lines and operations in Texas and decided to shift its focus South instead, jilting Downtown Scranton and giving it the distinction of having the most beautiful abandoned building in the state.



This is great news for a city on the verge of a renaissance. More downtown workers means more foot traffic to fuel downtown businesses' pocketbooks. A healthier retail climate will equate to a more attractive environment for people to live in as well.

[weluvpa]

It was sold to a local developer so that he would be able to take Merrill lynch from Jerry Joyce over at the Crazy Pineapple. The deal is not done yet.

This building was not able to filled by or sold to someone outside the city and in turn was purchased for a undisclosed amount by a friend of the mayor during a election year.

Remember coincidences don't happen here.

I wonder if Mr. Donahue used any of the $2,000,00 he recieved from the state to redo the old train station on Lackawanna ave? I hope he does a better job filling this space then he did on that one.

I still think its funny that it was sold to a local guy. That building is top notch and no matter what it could not be filled by anyone from outside the area? Why do you think that is? Its even a KOZ, going to another of the mayors friends.

I'll bet that not more then one floor will be filled and the rest will be filled by local companies that are looking to take advantage of the KOZ.

I.E. Mr Donahue will most likely move business's from one side of the city to another to enjoy the koz.

I would be excited if it was actually sold to a firm or a company and not a local developer.

Honestly nothing will come of this, its all election PR hype for the mayor, wait and see. By the way Paul you realize that if Doherty is defeated that all these projects will fall flat on their collective asses.

[ScranBarre]

So what you're saying is that Mr. Donahue is a friend of the mayor and only purchased the building so that he could make the mayor look good and make Jerry Joyce look badly?

[NYRangers 2008]

Wow. It's finally sold. It's about time. They make it seem like it's such a great feat. There should have been a tenant in that building long ago. There is no reason why a building such as that one to be empty for so long. Maybe because no one wants to come to downtown Scranton. There is no incentive to move your business here, thus all the empty storefronts downtown. I too agree with Dan. If the building was sold to an outside developer, it would be something to get excited about. But it's a local guy who's buddies with Doherty. No big coup here. Once again, the pay to play mentality is running rampant in the Electric City.

[weluvpa]

Originally Posted by SWB

So what you're saying is that Mr. Donahue is a friend of the mayor and only purchased the building so that he could make the mayor look good and make Jerry Joyce look badly?

Pretty much. Considering that there is 30,000 sq ft of office space right around the corner for rent in the Oppenheim building and the large office space occupied by the McCann school of business is now empty, I say that my scenario is probably right on the money.

There is no shortage of large office space for rent in the downtown, this is just a pissing match between rich guys and who can get the funding from the mayor first. Remember its all about the funding. They both have projects that they are trying to get done and the majority of the funding that is needed is going to be from the state or city.

Wait and see how much he asks for or applies for to renovate the building

There are no new business's opening Paul, only the shifting of locations for tax free purposes.

Poochie closed right? The business(I forget its name) that is now in where Poochie was just moved from one place to another in the downtown, the only difference is that the Poochie location is a KOZ.

Honestly you need to read between the lines and get familiar with the players at hand.

There are a few maybe four developers that all want a piece of that public funding pie and there is only so much to go around. How do you try to get some? Who makes the decisions? Who do I have to help in order to get the funding.




Lets look at the Connell building for one second.

7/1/2006 Alexander Wolfington, employed by Wolfington Companies
$35,0000 donation to Rendel for governor

7/20/2006 John Wolfington, employed by Wolfington Companies
$10,000 donation to Rendel for governor

7/21/2006 Doherty for Mayor 2006
$10,000 political donation to Rendel for governor

7/26/2006 City of Scranton receives $5,000,000 from a Growing
Greener Fund for the Connell Building Project

7/27/2006 John Wolfington, employed by Wolfington Companies
$5,000 donation to Rendel for governor

Feburary 2008 Mayor Doherty annouces that he will be using $1,000,000 from the Connell Building for his garage project.

Wolfington Companies spent $50,000 in donations to get $4,000,000 in state money and Doherty threw $10,000 in the ring and he is getting $1,000,000 in free money for it.

Its all about the funding and the politicians that make it happen. All of those numbers are easily obtained at the PA dept of state under campaign finace reporting.

[sues1]

Scranton is going nowhere fast and it's not going to change anytime soon, as long as Dougherty is mayor. So get over it Paul.

[WasPA]

Some movement is better than no movement......if the building gets some tenancies, so much the better.

.....some of the attitudes here are not only very counterproductive, but abyssmal. If enough folks get off their grand high thrones, roll up their sleeves to actually participate in at least some way to move the community ahead, things will shift. Sitting back and taking pot shots is the hallmark of one who can best be described as "his/her majesty, the baby"......

[CHS89]

They'll whine when it's sitting empty, and they'll whine when it's sold. There's no pleasing some people.

It's pretty entertaining to watch, though, once you get past the momentary feeling of pity.

[weluvpa]

I'm not whining. In reality nothing has changed with this sale since it will not be any different. Merrill Lynch is coming no matter where they go. Its just funny how Paul and the times and the rest of the sheep feel that this is some kind of rebirth. It changed hands thats it. Now it will be owned by a local guy and empty as opposed to being owned by someone outside the area and empty.

[CHS89]

So it's definitely, without a doubt, going to remain empty? Just curious is all...