New Upscale Housing Coming to Downtown Scranton (Pittston, Jefferson: 2010, apartments)

[ScranBarre]

I'm quite interested to read in this morning's Scranton Times-Tribune that developer Jerry Joyce has now formally announced plans to bring dozens of new high-end apartments to a project that will be known simply as "317" along Linden Street in Downtown Scranton. When coupled with the dozens of condos coming to both the Connell Building and the Renaissance at 500 projects, there could realistically be several hundred new people living in Downtown Scranton by 2010. I've long been an advocate of transforming Downtown Scranton into a 24/7 neighborhood, and it appears to now be headed in that direction. The developer claims that the upcoming medical school is increasing demand for downtown living options.

[scrantonluna]

I was wondering what was going on with that, before they had been picking away at the building, and a couple days ago they just went full bore and started ripping everything apart.

[weluvpa]

Didn't he say the same thing about St Peters Plaza which was never started even though the city tore most of the buildings down on Linden? Mr. Joyce has himself spread so thin that he cannot get one or the other off the ground......There is just a big hole where St Pete's was supposed to be and it was stopped because there was no funding, they should have left the Pub Charles there because it probably was one of the only successful buinesses in the downtown...

They tore that structure on linden down because it was ravaged by fire and rendered unsalvageble. Its an election year....Nothing will happen with this because he doesn't have the $$$$ if he did then we would have Jefferson Point, and St Peters square already.

Doherty fluff PR add to show "progress" in the downtown thats it. It won't happen.

Its an election year and we will see the same BS that we saw 4 years ago with the downtown projects that pop up before the election and disappear right after it.

[ScranBarre]

The timing is suspect considering the impending tight mayoral election, but I don't see how anyone can view hundreds of new downtown housing units to be "bad news." This will boost the tax base, spur new business growth, and deter crime through increasing foot traffic, no? I know some will soon be along to slam the project as being a "Doherty photo-op," but whether you like the mayor or not there is NOTHING bad about the impending development of new downtown living options.

[ScranBarre]

Originally Posted by weluvpa

Didn't he say the same thing about St Peters Plaza which was never started even though the city tore most of the buildings down on Linden? Mr. Joyce has himself spread so thin that he cannot get one or the other off the ground......There is just a big hole where St Pete's was supposed to be and it was stopped because there was no funding, they should have left the Pub Charles there because it probably was one of the only successful buinesses in the downtown...

They tore that structure on linden down because it was ravaged by fire and its an election year....Nothing will happen with this because he doesn't have the $$$$ if he did then we would have Jefferson Point, and St Peters square already.

Doherty fluff PR add to show "progress" in the downtown thats it. It won't happen.

Its an election year and we will see the same BS that we saw 4 years ago with the downtown projects that pop up before the election and disappear right after it.

Joyce still isn't as bad as Siniawa. This man makes more promises than he knows how to handle! Pittston Waterfront Penthouse Towers? Murray Complex Restoration? Pioneer Square? At least Joyce is doing something, unlike Siniawa who left my hometown of Pittston out to dry with shattered hopes and dreams that we'll never forgive him for.

[weluvpa]

Originally Posted by ScranBarre

Joyce still isn't as bad as Siniawa. This man makes more promises than he knows how to handle! Pittston Waterfront Penthouse Towers? Murray Complex Restoration? Pioneer Square? At least Joyce is doing something, unlike Siniawa who left my hometown of Pittston out to dry with shattered hopes and dreams that we'll never forgive him for.

Joyce has really done anything has he? He talks alot, but all of his projects are either half-done, non-existant or pure propaganda..

[ScranBarre]

Originally Posted by weluvpa

Joyce has really done anything has he? He talks alot, but all of his projects are either half-done, non-existant or pure propaganda..

True. Half-done is still better than nothing done though. I wonder if Siniawa and Joyce are related?! LOL!

[scrantonluna]

The construction of apartments, and hopefully, the revenue created by them, may lead towards future progress on Mr. Joyce's other projects. Showing that he can get something accomplished, and that it is (again hopefully) successful, might invite interest from others and investors might follow.

Obviously Joyce has either been hoping for investors or is just completely over extended.

[weluvpa]

Originally Posted by ScranBarre

The timing is suspect considering the impending tight mayoral election, but I don't see how anyone can view hundreds of new downtown housing units to be "bad news."

Everything and anything in the Times NOW is suspect without question. Can't believe anything that comes from the Doherty personal PR machine.

Its bad news if the taxpayers have to foot the bill for it like the Connell Building and 500 Block projects. If the 500 block was so great then why are so many of the store fronts empty and up for rent or lease....

Based on whats been said it should be full by now, Marc's Tatto left and opened on Adams so why did they leave if its such a great place to be????

It will sit empty until the city can actually create a tax structure that will encourage a business to come here instead of driving them away.

[go phillies]

Curious timing on such an announcement....2 and a half weeks until election day. I'm sure its just a coincidence...