New Corporate Headquarters Coming to Downtown Scranton (Wilkes-Barre, Hazleton: sale, real estate)

[SteelCityRising]

It was announced today that the Rosado Group, which manages ten car dealerships in Eastern Pennsylvania, will be opening up its corporate headquarters in Downtown Scranton, employing 25 executives, accountants, and I/T professionals. The corporation will be housed in the former Grzyboski Train Store along Lackawanna Avenue, near the Mall at Steamtown. The old train shop relocated to a new facility on the corner of Route 502 and Glenmaura National Boulevard in Moosic.

William Rosado, 48, and his wife, Debra, recently relocated their family to the Glenmaura subdivision from Milford. He plans to invest $650,000 to renovate the building, which will house a womens' apparel shop on the first floor, a training center on the second floor, accounting and I/T functions on the third floor, and management operations on the fourth floor. A penthouse will occupy the fifth floor.

The transition from train shop to corporate headquarters certainly has its dissidents. Joseph Grzyboski said "I won't miss Scranton. We wanted room to grow. I just didn't see eye-to-eye with a lot of city decisions," which I personally think was a jab at Mayor Christopher Doherty over the eminent domain debacle recently on the next block of Lackawanna Avenue, which will undergo transformation into restaurants, boutiques, offices, residential space, a park, and historic preservation.

Marilee Barone, an agent with Semian & Gress Real Estate, which is also headquartered downtown just a few blocks away, was quoted as saying "We've been getting a ton of phone calls. There are serious buyers out there. Scranton is definitely coming back."

Mayor Doherty was quoted as saying "This is a great sign of the progress of our city that people are making these choices on their own. We have independent business people saying I want to be in Downtown Scranton without any government assistance."

Mr. Rosado offered the following remarks about his new business venture in the city "It's going to take a total rebuild of almost all the floors, but the building itself is extremely sound. It's a beautiful piece of real estate. We love being here. It's a beautiful city. It's a very responsive market."

His corporation employees 432 individuals at its ten local dealerships, some of which include Scranton Ford, Dickson City Hyundai, Clarks Summit Chevrolet, and Wilkes-Barre Dodge, in addition to a new Hyundai dealership being built near Hazleton. In 2007 the corporation recorded $230 million in sales.

I'm personally pleased to see more progress being made in Downtown Scranton. I was also happy to see an Edible Arrangments delivery van making its rounds during my morning commute the other day, getting off of I-81 at the North Cross-Valley Expressway near Wilkes-Barre. Someone had told me that this downtown Scranton business had closed; I guess they were mistaken.

[weluvpa]

I honestly think that the Times could shine sh%t. Thats great that they are coming here and its good for the city. We'll see what happens.

[scrantonluna]

Originally Posted by weluvpa

I honestly think that the Times could shine sh%t.

Yes, isn't it just awful?

Really, get off it already. A purchase price of 425k and a quick sale (which means no lapse in property taxes), a cut to Semian Gress (also a scranton property tax payer), a promised 650k in improvements (work for local contractors), and 25 employees that will find themselves spending $$ in the downtown on a daily basis. Not to mention that another scranton store front does not go vacant, AND IT'S NOT EVEN A KOZ.

WIN WIN WIN WIN

This is PHENOMENAL news, and I can't wait to see the 500 of Lackawanna when it's completed. The Connell Building site is also begin prepped for work to being in the next few weeks, big changes have been made at Lackawanna College to accomodate the medical school, 'The Colonades' continues to show improvement; things are underway.

[oleoresin]

Was there not a thread within this forum discussing problems car buyers had with Rosado owned dealerships??? Dickson City Hyundai for one?? Let's see exactly what happens with this building!

Yes, I found the thread.............

//www.city-data.com/forum/north...y-hyundai.html

[weluvpa]

Thats what I mean everyone is counting the chickens before they hatch. The Colonade is by no means a done deal yet. They have a long way to go to get that done and even when finished its not like its going to be a restaurant or anything. Its a event space. Not exactly the saving grace of the city.

I have friends that work in the car business and the Rosado Group is not exactly considered a stellar employer. Like I said we'll see but Luna you and Paul have this ability to always feel that just because its in the times its a done deal. The 500 blk of Lackawanna is going to be hung up in litigation and will sit half finished for awhile if it even gets finished. Win win win win win sounds alot like the slam dunk deal with Southern Union. You guys are all pumped up about 1 BUSINESS that has SAID THAT IT WILL OPEN here and yet your not concerned about the numerous business's that have closed over the last year. Get over it. Thats funny. Things are underway.. Thats cute. Things have been underway for along time now and as soon as they get underway something happens. Remember this is not some manufacturer or big company coming in with hundreds of new jobs.

This is a existing company that is supposed to be opening its new HQ here. They are most likely bringing most of their exisiting employees with them and if they do hire do you think that its going to be 100k a year jobs or maybe a few jobs for office work. Paul you left out the part where he said that he might demo the whole building. Watch the city will pay to demo the building and then nothing will happen. That won't be the first time. The city paid $270,000 to demo the old Holiday Manor building for a new Tobyhanna Credit Union. They didn't do anything wth it and its just a dirt parking lot now that we paid $270,000 to tear down for them.

The Connell building there is one for you. We'll lose our shirts on that one to the tune of $35,000,000 which is what the mayor has given to the SPA for that project yet they still need to borrow more money at next weeks council meeting. These projects are nothing more than white elephants around our necks. Things are happening!!!!!!! Big freakin whoopeee. Nothing is happening. Its one office and its not going to make a difference in our downtown or our economy, not to mention that its not a done deal yet.

OH my god this is phenomenal news, is it really. You get this excited over a office in downtown? Phenomenal news would our troops coming home. Phenomenal news would be a federal tax cut. Phenomenal news would be world peace. I tend to stay closer to the reality of situations. Like this one not being a done deal yet. You could hang your hat on it if you want but I know too many people that hung their hats and the cities recovery on Southern Union. Like I said we'll see. We are a long way away from anything that could be considered recovery.

[NYRangers 2008]

This is not phenomenal news. Big deal, Rosado opened an office in Scranton. Yippee!!!! Like Dan said, there are other things to get excited about than this. Rosado are a bunch of crooks when it comes to selling cars, as many of you know from the Dickson City Hyundai thread from a few months ago. I would never buy a car from them again and don't care that they're now headquartered in Scranton.

[FightinPhils]

The Rosado group is a SHADY organization. Bottom of the barrel of car dealerships. Rip-off artists to the core. They own Dickson City Hyundai, Scranton Ford, Clarks Summit Chevrolet, and Wilkes-Barre Dodge. They are scheisters who cater to the lowest common denominator. Avoid them at all costs....don't fall for the commercials...they are con artists.

[FightinPhils]

Actually, I think the bigger story in this is that the Grzyboski Train Shop that formerly operated in that location CLOSED and moved to Moosic. So we lose a good business, and gain a small office for a shady local chain of car dealerships. Its sad that a train store couldn't make it...right next to a national historic site that features TRAINS.

[NEPA-x-pat]

Originally Posted by MrKrabs

Actually, I think the bigger story in this is that the Grzyboski Train Shop that formerly operated in that location CLOSED and moved to Moosic. So we lose a good business, and gain a small office for a shady local chain of car dealerships. Its sad that a train store couldn't make it...right next to a national historic site that features TRAINS.

I think the real question is how could the same block of Lackawanna Ave support 2 train stores for so long? Isn't Scranton Hobby still there? They still sell trains too don't they?


Guess at one time there were three, there was one in the mall at one time.

[NYRangers 2008]

Originally Posted by MrKrabs

Actually, I think the bigger story in this is that the Grzyboski Train Shop that formerly operated in that location CLOSED and moved to Moosic. So we lose a good business, and gain a small office for a shady local chain of car dealerships. Its sad that a train store couldn't make it...right next to a national historic site that features TRAINS.

Exactly. We lose a business in exchange for what? What did we gain? NOTHING!!! An office that a seedy car dealership can think up more ways to screw people out of their money. This is not a win, win, win situation. It's a disgrace.