Former Chamber building eyed for apartments (Scranton, Wilkes-Barre: landscaping, movie theater, colleges)

[Denton56]

Originally Posted by RestonRunner86

I appreciate the positive feedback and the suggestion, Frank. You'd actually be surprised, though, at how much exposure City-Data gets. Do a Google search for just about anything related to a city or town, and usually a City-Data thread discussing that place will be near the top of the results. I name-dropped City-Data to some local politicians I contacted when I still lived in NEPA. With over a million members most people DO know this site exists. I don't know how much of a "following" I'd garner with my own blog, especially since 90% of the people on here dislike me because they think I'm too "preachy" to begin with. Like it or not different people are passionate about different things in life. Summering and Sheena (and others?) are really into exhange student programs and/or adoptions. For me it's combating sprawl via encouraging redevelopment in existing urbanized areas that are struggling, which most in NEPA don't think is an issue while I think is going to be a pandemic before long.

I have two friends who live in Arlington, VA and Harrisburg, respectively, whom I feel would be a "dream team" with me to take the area by storm politically. My one female friend in VA leans Republican and is really interested in entrepreneurship and encouraging business growth and development. I'm a fiscal conservative with an accounting background who knows more about urban planning through my years of intensive studies than 99% of the armchair quarterbacks in the valley who want to see Montage Mountain's development repeated all over the place. My male friend from Harrisburg is great at "schmoozing", winning people over, and is strong on social justice issues. He also has a legal background. NEPA needs people like US to move back and help shake things up; however, we all feel like we're not wanted because we're now "outsiders". Provincialism/xenophobia has done NOTHING for this region.

Sheeze. That is NOT how politics works. You can't just move in and decide to run for office. You will get ZERO support, from anyone. You have to be in a area, work that area, work in campaigns of others for years, decades, before they will back you. I've worked in campaigns since before you were born, in 4 different states, and "outsiders" are not welcomed to run for the simple reason that there are others who have ''paid their dues'' in politics for decades who want to run for those positions. They've done their time, paid with their time and money, and waited in line for their turn to run. They have NO reason to step aside for you, or your friends just because you all think you have better ideas. It does NOT work that way! Get involved in a campaign or two or 12, and you'll learn. My guess? It takes way too much time, money, and dedication, for politics to work for you.

[MatildaLoo]

Originally Posted by weluvpa

As far as this train wreck being on topic that hasn't happened in 4 pages, but what the hell right.....

Hey I tried! No one has yet to answer my question.

At the beginning of the thread someone mentioned the medical college (which I see going bankrupt in 10 years) as a reason for moving in to the downtown. Others I've talked to in the area say that people are just moving from one building downtown to the next; this whole idea of "out-of-towners" moving into Scranton is just PR.

Has anyone considered that this might do the opposite for Scranton and make the downtown QOL even worse once the "newness" wears off and these apartments, the Connell Building, etc. end up largely vacant and are turning into Section 8 housing?

[weluvpa]

Kind of like the retail spaces all over the town, empty....

[coalboy]

Originally Posted by johnqpublic

I made that point to Reston months ago after one of his rants.. Those that forget history tend to repeat it..

I think you are paraphrasing a quote by Jorge Augustin Nicola's Ruiz de Santayana y Borra's ...His name Anglicized to 'George Santayana' to adapt to the English palate for simple and easy names to remember...

I for one, have no no problemo with that.

His actual quote, and it written/spoken in English;

'Those who do not learn from History, are doomed to repeat it'

I did my M.A. in English Literature thesis on this guy..(.pretty cool dude),as well as John Dos Passos, of Portugese-American descent, whose Trilogy 'USA' rocked the world in the 1920's.

Wanna know all the 'scoop; dirt about Movie stars, Houdini, Rudolph Valentino, pre- Depression living etc...?

Then, check out this book by Dos Passos... probably available at your local Library....it consists of short vignettes, easy, yet compelling reading...especially during these 'Cabin Fever' days that try Men's and Womens souls.... in Nepa and The Greater Northeast.
Mod's gonna say this is 'orphaned, off topic' who cares...At least it's educational.

[varmintblaster]

Originally Posted by toobusytoday

Excellent discussion. Any chance it can continue without keeping score? Please try to keep to the issues.

Keeping score is necessary to ID the BS spewed by RR.

He outright lied about the avg wage paid by companies in the Center Point Industrial park in Pittson Pa. Companies such as Lowes, FED EX, Benco Dental, Continental Fittings, etc, pay average wages of $14-20 per hr + benefits.

I don't know about TBT, but I don't let BS pass without jumping on it, especially when it is spewed so blatently.


Reston - name ONE Company in the CenterPointe Park that pays low wages without benefits. (less than $12hr to start).

NAME one... (No blind accusations).

FACTS please...

[varmintblaster]

Originally Posted by RestonRunner86

Cinram? Gone.

FACT CHECK - demand for CD/DVD products has been steadily declining with the advent of alternative technologies. NEPA culture was a non factor.

Originally Posted by RestonRunner86

Techneglas? Gone.

and should be gone.
If you knew FACTS, you would know that the UNION at Techneglas owned a great deal of responsibility for that plant;s closeure. A good portion of the workforce were overpaid slumps - that if they moved slower could qualify for work in the government or academia circles.

The last purchaser of Techneglas refused to be extorted. Bye Bye.

I completed several contracts back in the heydey of Techneglas. Their pursestrings were quite loose and I hammered the daylights out of them on upcharges and premiums because they lacked proper oversight and business controls. Their loss - my fat profits...

Too bad that cow is gone - the Milk was sweet.

p.s. - once again - FACTS,, not BS.

[varmintblaster]

Originally Posted by RestonRunner86

Ahhhh...facts vs. bs. arguments from a bunch of guys who have no VIABLE ideas on how to turn this area around (no, varmintblaster, opening a Sheetz gas station is NOT going to save Pittston Township).

The new Sheetz gas station will put money in my pocket, money in the pockets of my employees, money in the pockets of many trademen and vendors - who in turn will spend that money in the Greater Pittston area, - (approx economic impact > $1 million).

How much money of YOURS will be spent in the area?


btw - I am waiting for you to either name ONE company in the Centerpointe Industrial Park that pays the slave wages you described earlier,

or

a retraction by you admitting your BS comment - based on your twisted logic that Rob Mericle (developer of the area) owes you a high paying white collar job.

MOD cut - please address the posts and not the poster.

[PITTSTON2SARASOTA]

Originally Posted by The-Electric-City

Well, it looks like the redevelopment of Downtown Scranton will continue with the addition of 36-40 new apartments. There are plans to renovate the former Chamber Building (Mulberry Professional Plaza) into an apartment building that will also include space for 5 street-level commercial tenants.

Whether you believe it or not, there is a demand for Downtown housing. New apartments and condominiums opened at four Central City locations in 2010.

Former Chamber building eyed for apartments - News - The Times-Tribune

Well back on topic....I think this is great news and I hope the project is as successful as The Connell Building appears to be....Baby steps surely but you must start somewhere in creating a viable center city.

[SteelCityRising]

Why do I have to report a post that you can visibly see right in front of your eyes instead of "continuing the argument?" If you're going to delete my replies then why not delete the replies of OTHERS, too?

[SteelCityRising]

Originally Posted by varmintblaster

she must have deleted RR's answer about which companies in Centerpointe pay slave wages....

highly doubtful....

Home Depot's starting wages are around $11/hr. True or false? (I happen to know someone who applied there, by the way, to verify this). How much will you be paying your Sheetz employees? How much are/were TJ Maxx's starting wages ($8/hr., right?) Wasting so much open space for jobs that pay $12/hr. or less isn't a good thing in my eyes.