Suprising Scranton & Wilkes-Barre PA - Page 4

donybrx · #61 Posted **Nov 20, 2004, 1:42 AM**

Here's a link to several Wilkes-Barre background tidbits..for a rainy day. I didn't know that Jets' coach walt Michaels was a Wilkes-Barrean..I did know about Ham Fisher, creator of the Joe Palooka cartoon strip,,then there was Edie Adams, Nick Adams (Johnny Yuma the REBEL in 60's TV) Lee J. Cobb. Scranton had a bunch of famed personas. Sen. Joe Biden, Lizbeth Scott, actress and more..later,

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wilkes-...C_Pennsylvania

donybrx · #62 Posted **Nov 26, 2004, 1:16 PM**

News of the upcoming "racino". construction to begin soon. Wish I had a rendering of the proposal. Hope it's respectable design at the very least.......
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Future Pocono Downs owner: Construction will start in spring
By Tim Gulla , Citizens' Voice Staff Writer

Plains facility gets ready for eventual slot machines

Although the horses aren't running now, the future owners of the Downs at Pocono say everything else appears to be on track.
Closure on the $280 million purchase is expected by January, and plans to initiate $175 million in new construction and upgrades should start by April or May in order to get the facility ready for an April 2006 opening.

In addition, there will be a new leader at the helm of the harness racing track, and eventual slots parlor, in Plains Township when the sale becomes final.

On Monday, the Mohegan Tribal Gaming Authority, the arm of the Mohegan Indian tribe of Connecticut that operates the Mohegan Sun casino and is purchasing the Downs, named one of its executives, Robert Soper, as the track's new president and chief executive.

Soper, who has been at the Mohegan Sun since 2001, serves as the senior vice president of administration. He is responsible for managing the Mohegan Sun's human resources department, security and surveillance, the legal department and shops. Prior to this position, he served as senior attorney for the Mohegan Tribe.

William Velardo, chief executive officer of the Mohegan Tribal Gaming Authority, said MGTA officials will be meeting with Downs employees in mid-December to further discuss plans.

"We're really just hoping to meet everyone and answer questions that they have," he said. "Most employees are curious about the transition and the new company, and we're hoping to be able to answer those questions."

Asked about the possibility of other new faces on the management team at The Downs, Velardo said, "The management that's there now, we are excited about working with."

Velardo said Soper would develop an organizational structure and possibly add three more people to the management team by the spring.

The MGTA's plans - to purchase the track and five off-track wagering sites, obtain a $50 million state license to open a 3,000 to 5,000 machine slots parlor at the track, and upgrade the facilities - are expected to cost $505 million.

Although engineers and architects have not yet been retained, Velardo is expecting most of the upgrades will come in the form of new construction.

"The track itself isn't large enough to add the slot machine component as well as some additional restaurants," he said.

In a conference call with analysts last week, Velardo said the MGTA estimated $55 million to $60 million in annual earnings before interest, tax and depreciation from the facility. Based on market studies, Velardo said the MGTA is expecting annual revenues in excess of $200 million from track and slot operations.

In order to operate harness racing operations, Penn National's license from the state Harness Racing Commission will have to be transferred. The MGTA also will have to secure a slot license from the state's Gaming Control Board, which doesn't plan to organize until a series of meetings set to begin Dec. 14.

As of Wednesday, there's been no formal request to transfer the facility's harness racing license, confirmed Anton Leppler, executive secretary of the state's Harness Racing Commission.

donybrx · #63 Posted **Dec 1, 2004, 1:36 PM**

Some great news and some painful news re: Wilkes-Barre's venerable Hotel Sterling. As indicated in the article below, a developer has been found for the 100+ year old original Sterling,
However it looks like the 14 story Tower addition (pictured in Ex-Ithacan's post on page 1 of this thread with the 7 story aspect
shown nearer the Market Street bridge (tower with eagle)) will be TORN DOWN!!! I hate this news. The tower was always visible from everywhere and made for a wonderful visual entrance into Wilkes-Barre when crossing into the city from the Kingston side of the Susquehanna.
The towers has a wonderful penthouse up top with exhilarting Wyoming Valley views. Sob........
The arch. firm of Bohlin, etc. mentioned in the article is the same firm that designed Bill Gates giant house in Washington state. It's in W-B since Bohlin (son of a former local Eberhard Faber pencil ompany exec moved there as a kid with his family.

***********************************Sterling gets developer
CityVest to do the job using millions in grants
By JON FOX
jfox@leader.net

WILKES-BARRE - CityVest, the nonprofit corporation driving the rehabilitation of the Hotel Sterling, is no longer shopping the decrepit landmark to private developers, but is planning to take on the project itself.
"CityVest plans to play an active role through the entire development process," said CityVest Executive Director Alex Rogers.

Within 10 days, CityVest will name three design firms selected to compete in a 10-week design contest to create a final plan to convert the Sterling into premier residential, commercial and retail space.

That vision will focus primarily on the seven-story hotel building at River and West Market streets.

"That's the one with the historical and architectural significance," Rogers said.

Interest in a reincarnated Sterling has already begun to manifest itself, Rogers said. "The number of inquiries we have received from people waiting to live or work in a refurbished Hotel Sterling has vastly surpassed any of our individual expectations."

The 14-story brick tower added later to the Sterling will likely be razed because its floorplan limits renovation options, Rogers said.

The tower features narrow hallways, low ceilings and wide supports that pose significant design hurdles.

"Our current thinking is this comes down," he said.CityVest shifted gears from marketing the Sterling to developers to becoming the developer after receiving millions of dollars in state funding in September.

"The governor's award of $3 million made it clear that we had sufficient capital to complete the project," Rogers said Tuesday as he stood in the battered and trash-strewn Crystal Ballroom on the hotel's second floor.

CityVest bought the Sterling for $1 million and has spent slightly more than $400,000 of a $4 million loan from Luzerne County to secure the building, repair a leaking roof and conducting some preliminary architectural surveys.

With the state money in place, Rogers said CityVest has nearly $7 million, owns the hotel and no longer needs to find a developer.

Response from private developers had been somewhat tepid.

"The conversations never got so far along that we could tell if it was anything more than preliminary fact gathering," Rogers said.

Roger said CityVest has received design proposals from "blue chip" architecture firms interested in the design work, but declined to offer any names.

Peter Bohlin of Bohlin Cywinski Jackson, the local firm that designed the downtown canopy and the celebrated Apple computer store in Manhattan, says the firm has entered a proposal for the Sterling's renovation.

Whatever firm is selected will have 10 weeks to design a final plan.

donybrx · #64 Posted **Dec 2, 2004, 3:05 PM**

Back to Scranton. Every little bit helps! .................
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12/02/2004
SRA Backs Downtown Developer's Vision
BY LYNNE SLACK SHEDLOCK THE SCRANTON TIMES

The Scranton Redevelopment Authority on Wednesday agreed to help a downtown developer obtain state money to renovate a building seen as an anchor to Wyoming Avenue restoration.
224 Development, headed by Jerry and Joe Ferrario, is partnering with Scranton Tomorrow's Main Street Manager program to seek a state Department of Community and Economic Development grant of up to $250,000. The money would be used to renovate 224 Wyoming Ave.

The SRA will apply for the competitive grant that would be loaned to 224 Development. Once repaid, the money could be loaned out again by the SRA for another project, said Paul Colaiezzi, Scranton Tomorrow executive director. The advantage of using the SRA as the lender is more flexibility concerning terms, he said.

Plans call for a historic renovation of the building's faade at an estimated cost of $100,000, Jerry Ferrario said. The project received a $25,000 matching grant from the city to help with the expense. Work is currently under way on the building's roof. Mr. Ferrario did not have an overall project cost.

The intent is to use the building for commercial development, including a small art gallery that has already committed, Mr. Ferrario said. The building has Keystone Opportunity Expansion Zone status, so businesses can operate there free of state and local taxes until 2013.

Mr. Colaiezzi said most of the city's redevelopment so far has been focused on Lackawanna Avenue.

"This opens up Wyoming Avenue as well," he said.

TIF SOUGHT

The SRA also followed the city Planning Commission's lead by designating 123-125 N. Washington Ave. a redevelopment area. The commission at its October meeting declared the building blighted. The designation allows developer John Wolfington to seek tax incremental financing from the city, the Scranton School District and Lackawanna County, SRA solicitor Carl Greco said.

Under a 20-year TIF designation, Mr. Wolfington would pay the taxes owed under the current assessment but the tax increase expected from the improvements would be used to pay debt service on a $2.7 million construction loan. The estimated increase on the taxes is $314,000 annually.

The $16 million Connell Building renovation will include 79 one- and two-bedroom apartments, underground parking for residents, and retail space on the first floor. Besides the TIF, financing includes historic tax credits, and grants for infrastructure, faade improvements and remediation, according to the developer's proposal. Projected rent for the apartments is $1,200 per month, not including utilities.

Finally, the SRA authorized application for a state Redevelopment Assistance Capital Grant to be used for the 500 Lackawanna Avenue project.

The $20 million project includes creation of an artist, caf and boutique enclave featuring a park, streetscape improvements and faade upgrades. The application is a procedural step needed to obtain the $9 million grant recently announced for the project by Gov. Ed Rendell.

donybrx · #65 Posted **Dec 7, 2004, 2:28 PM**

None too soon!!!!!!!!!
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12/07/2004
2 city projects may proceed: Redevelopment Authority conveys parcels
By Robert Kalinowski , Citizens' Voice Staff Writer

A solicitor for the Wilkes-Barre Redevelopment Authority made two big announcements at Monday's redevelopment authority monthly meeting - both billed as important parts of the revitalization of downtown Wilkes-Barre.
Attorney Frank Hoegan told authority members that the land sales for the South Washington Street and South Main Street development projects have both been closed within the last 30 days.

This means the developers now own the real estate on which the proposed projects will be built and can proceed with construction, he said.

The land on South Washington Street, the future site of a state Department of Labor and Industry building, was transferred in November to South Washington Renewal Associates LLC, operated by local developer Alan Finlay.

The area along South Main Street, the future home of a 14-screen movie theater, apartments, retail space and underground parking, was transferred to South Main Street Redevelopment LLC before Monday's meeting.

Hoegan actually made the pronouncement to the authority only hours after the final documents were signed and exchanged between the parties involved.

The deed will be recorded at the Luzerne County Courthouse today, he said.
Previously, both lots of land were co-owned by Wilkes-Barre City and the redevelopment authority.

There are only several inconsequential post-closing documents that might need to be signed, Hoegan said.
The authority approved a motion to allow Chairman Bill Brace to sign any such documents.

"I think it's a big load lifted," Brace said about the transactions.

"I think it's a major step forward in the revitalization of the downtown," he said.

�The Citizens Voice 2004

donybrx · #66 Posted **Dec 9, 2004, 2:51 PM**

Momentum is building in Wilkes-Barre???? Lets' hope this is just the beginning for a fine old town....also that the City fathers & mothers will hold out for the best projects that are well conceived and architected to return the city to an atmosphere of high quality, once imposed by the movers and shapers of the prosperous coal era..........................................................

In addition to the Hotel Sterling salvation, the Susquehanna River Museum, etc., the cineplex/loft apratment/ retail mentioned in previous post, two other projects are going ahead.....
*****************
( No architect's rendering appears in the ONline edition of the newspaper. If any In Wilkes-Barre notices and can scan the rendering, it'd be swell....)

12/09/2004
Fall groundbreaking eyed for downtown office building
By James Conmy , Citizens' Voice Staff Writer

An $8.5 million combination of brick, glass, steel and stone will erase one of Wilkes-Barre's biggest eyesores, city and redevelopment authority officials said Wednesday.
Sometime in the fall of 2005, those officials say a building rising three stories and invigorating the heart of the downtown will open as the new home for two state offices.

Advertisement

Work is under way on the Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry building. An architect's rendering of the building offers a glimpse of the 70,000 square-foot structure.

The building will house the offices of the Bureau of Disability Determination and Department of Revenue's state lottery. The 280 jobs will relocate from Wilkes-Barre Township.

It also will fill the infamous "hole in the ground" left on South Washington Street when a proposed movie theater complex flopped.
The Wilkes-Barre Redevelopment Authority last spring sold the site for $175,000 to Washington Street Renewal Associates (WSRA), the company developing the building.

Redevelopment Authority Chairman Bill Brace said the architect's rendering and site preparation, including the dismantling of the old theater's concrete footers, mark the beginning of the downtown's restoration.

"The South Washington Street project has been a sore spot for several years," Brace said. "The hole in the ground is becoming a viable parcel."

Alan and Rob Finlay own Humford Equities, one of downtown Wilkes-Barre's largest commercial property holders, and WSRA.
An injunction filed by Humford Equities halted construction on the old theater project in 2001. The company claimed the project infringed on the Wilkes-Barre Center, another one of its buildings.

The easement concerns and a concrete development plan made Humford Equities the only choice, Brace said.
Humford Equities is eager to have another property in downtown, Rob Finlay said.

"There was no progress the previous eight years," Finlay said. "It's nice to finally get in the ground and get some dirt moving. I'm sure this project will generate interest in coming back to the city to lease office and retail space."

Finlay credited Mayor Tom Leighton's administration for providing a cleaner, safer city. The service improvements, coupled with infrastructure investments, will bring people back to downtown, he said.
The Bicentennial Building, another Humford Equities' office and retail complex on Public Square, has leased all available office space, Finlay said.

Leighton commended Gov. Ed Rendell and his administration for recognizing the need for a state office building in the downtown.

"Without the cooperation of the state and local government, along with private developers, the project would not have come to fruition," he said. "This building will bring people into our downtown who will visit our restaurants and stores."

and, a 10,000 Square foot office building, per this link:

http://www.timesleader.com/mld/times...printstory.jsp

�The Citizens Voice 2004

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Posted on Thu, Dec. 09, 2004

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donybrx · #67 Posted **Dec 9, 2004, 11:11 PM**

Scranton news.......The below notes the reinstallation of an enormous old sign on top of a tower in CC Scranton. I can't wait to see it lighted....Hope I can post a picture of it soon

***********************

Thursday, December 9, 4:35 p.m.
By Megan Dardanell
Historic Electric City Sign

People in Scranton will see something they haven't seen in years Thursday night and it's going to light up the city. The old Electric City sign will be re-lit, after decades in the dark.

Mary Ann Moran of the Lackawanna Historical Society in Scranton has a drawer full of old articles and pictures outlining the long history of the city's now famous Electric City sign above Linden Street on Courthouse Square. It was meant to symbolize the city's claim to fame, having the first electric powered street car in 1886.

Exactly when the sign went up is hard to nail down. "It's kind of a mystery. We know the building was built in 1896, built as the Board of Trade Building, the forerunner for the Chamber of Commerce. Then in 1926, the building was bought by the Scranton Electric Company," explained Moran.

Many people believed it was the electric company that installed the sign, but it was actually in 1916 that the sign was first lit. There is also a question of exactly when the sign went dark. The best guess is sometime in the early 1970's. That means there are a lot of people in the city, including Moran, who have never seen it lit.

Back in August the sign was dismantled and carefully lowered to the ground to make repairs in preparation for its comeback. Then last week came a sign that the day was nearing as the light bulbs were put in place.

Mary Ann Moran can't wait to see the finished product. "To see something so interesting as a sign lit up on the top of a building, that they've heard, talked about for years, but maybe haven't seen. Some people can remember it being lit. I can't. So, I'm looking forward to it," said Moran.

donybrx · #68 Posted **Dec 10, 2004, 1:24 AM**

here's a little fun, takes some patience...It's the Scranton live cam..........you'll need to click on this link...and put up with the rain .... at least tonight

http://www.scrantontimestribune.com/camera/camera4.htm

donybrx · #69 Posted **Dec 10, 2004, 2:38 PM**

Here's a link to some pics of the Scranton Electric Building & sign:
I cannot find any pictures that I am able 'paste' so links will have to suffice, sorry to say. This link is also show other local projects like the new terminal at W-B Scranton "International" (? wel,l they do have a customs arrival section..lol) Airport, etc.
The Scranton Electric sign is a genuine throwback, a dazzler from another day......... it'll be well visible from the surrounding mountains and hills, perhaps even from I-81 since the Central city situates in a valley.........have patience with this link, or right click if necessary over the photo frame area to force the pictures to reveal....

http://www.geocities.com/historicscr...ccitysign.html

donybrx · #70 Posted **Dec 10, 2004, 5:13 PM**

Wilkes-Barre. Breaking details re: riverfront park development ...

************************

Thursday, December 9, 5:45 p.m.
By Julie Sidoni
Waterfront Development Plan Gets Cash Infusion

Things are a little brighter in Wilkes-Barre tonight for the planners of a park project along the Susquehanna river. It's been on the drawing board for years and now new cash involved.

According to city and county officials, you'll see construction on riverfront park complete with landings and an amphitheater, starting in 2006. Now comes the announcement that funds from private donors are in the mix. "The feds have money involved. There's county money involved. We're going back to the state to get money involved but any time we can get private donations it takes some burden off the county as well," said Luzerne County engineer James Brozena.

A group called the Luzerne Foundation is the first non-government group to offer help with the park's multi-million dollar price tag. Its 225 Millennium Circle members have each given $2,000 for the effort. They're looking for more people to do the same. There will be a tribute to the private donors who helped at the entrance of the park.

Wilkes University student Jeremy Zuckero said he's happy to hear it. The Scranton native thinks Wilkes-Barre hasn't done enough to play up its assets. 'There's plenty of good things to capitalize on; the river, the colleges, the square. It's a good idea in general," he said.

"There's going to be a lot of construction. This is going to be a beautiful city," said Wilkes-Barre Mayor Tom Leighton.

Bids on the riverfront park project are set to go out next year.

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donybrx · #71 Posted **Dec 14, 2004, 2:38 PM**

Excellent news re: The Hotel Sterling renovation: 3 high profile firms will take a 'crack' at it...2 from Philly, actually 2.5 cuz the Bohlin firm is in both that city and W-B:

12/14/2004
3 firms to work on design phase of Hotel Sterling
By Elizabeth Skrapits , Citizens' Voice Staff Writer

The competition to give an old building a new life is about to begin, with the selection of three nationally known architectural firms to work on the design phase of the Hotel Sterling on River Street in Wilkes-Barre.

CityVest, a Wilkes-Barre based non-profit community development organization, issued a request for proposals to architectural firms throughout the U.S., and nine responded.

"From that group, we have selected three firms to participate in what we are calling a concept plan and design competition," said Alex Rogers, CityVest executive director.

The three firms are Bohlin Cywinski Jackson of Wilkes-Barre (www.bcj.com), Bower Lewis Thrower of Philadelphia (www.blta.com), and Cope Linder, also of Philadelphia (www.cope-linder.com). All three were founded in the 1960s and have designed award-winning properties throughout the U.S.

Rogers advised going to the firms' Web sites to see samples of the projects the firms have worked on, including downtown redevelopment projects similar to that of the Hotel Sterling.

"The projects are what I would describe as very inspiring and creative re-use of older buildings," he said.
Rogers compared the redesign process for the Sterling to that for federal courthouses, where the government awards the design to multiple architectural firms.

"Given the importance of this site and the project, we wanted to encourage the greatest creative and design minds to develop plans for the site as they envision it," Rogers said.

The three architectural firms will now be tasked with preparing a concept plan, which must include a site plan, elevations, and floor plans.

"What we are asking these firms to do is prepare a detailed drawing for the site, consistent with CityVest plans for the site to be a mixed-use commercial and residential zone," Rogers said.

CityVest will have a kickoff meeting in early January, after which the firms will have a 12-week period to complete their work. The expense is capped at $30,000 per firm for all costs associated with the project.

There will be a public presentation of the three plans after the competition, but before the winner is selected. The chosen firm will prepare the final construction drawings for the Hotel Sterling, based on the completed design.

CityVest acquired the Hotel Sterling in November 2002. Since then, the organization has stabilized the building and its roof to prevent further decay, restored electricity, and conducted structural and environmental inspections.

CityVest also prepared drawings and specifications of the existing buildings, engaged Lincoln Property Co. to provide real estate development services, and raised capital for the revitalization project.

"In the overall budget of the project, we view this as a worthwhile investment, to develop a concept plan and drawings," Rogers said.
�The Citizens Voice 2004

donybrx · #72 Posted **Dec 14, 2004, 8:17 PM**

And a little more news on the South Main St./ Northampton st. cineplex/loft housing/reatail project: finally, construction fencing!

Posted on Tue, Dec. 14, 2004
Now showing: Some action on W-B theater project
Placement of fence marks beginning on work to make demolition site safe.
By LANE FILLER
lfiller@leader.net

WILKES-BARRE - Contractors on Monday erected a chain-link fence along South Main and Northampton streets to keep the rubble in and the curious out.
The new theater project is under way with selective demolition coming soon - and the last thing the city wants is someone to get hurt.

The 14-screen theater complex will sit at South Main and Northampton streets and include parking and retail/residential space.

The placement of the fence marks the beginning of a very aggressive schedule designed to deliver the theater in time for a Thanksgiving 2005 opening, said Larry Newman, Greater Wilkes-Barre Chamber of Business and Industry vice president of economic and community development.

"Environmental abatement is just about to begin, and that's one of the most difficult parts of the project," he said.

Five vacant buildings must be cleared of lead paint, mold, insulation and floor and ceiling tiles and be emptied of debris.

Then they must be knocked down, which would be easy - if they were completely knocked down.

"It's very tricky," Newman said. "We are demolishing the backs of the buildings, but not the fronts, so we can tie in the new buildings to the old facades.

"The soil is very tricky; it's never been packed down properly. And at least one building is filled with trash because it was party central for the homeless for quite a while," he said.

The buildings, from 62 S. Main to 78 S. Main, and the fence will hide much of the progress from public view, but Newman promised feverish if not visible activity.

And though Newman acknowledged that time is growing short, he said an opening date less than 12 months away remains the goal, circumstances permitting.

"Anyone will tell you this is an aggressive ambitious schedule, and there are a lot of variables, including weather, but we are still shooting for November of next year."

The fencing work comes just a week after workers began site preparation on the "theater hole," which will contain the state Labor and Industry building on South Washington Street, which will be home to 280 workers.

TIMES LEADER STAFF PHOTO/DON CAREY

New fencing signals the start of serious work at the site of Wilkes-Barre's new downtown movie theater. The project also includes parking and retail/residential space and is scheduled to be completed by Thanksgiving 2005--------------

� 2004 Times Leader and wire service sources. All Rights Reserved.
http://www.timesleader.com

donybrx · #73 Posted **Dec 17, 2004, 1:42 PM**

Back in time: Some old-fashioned civic laws: check out the "hokey pokey' thing......

--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Posted on Fri, Dec. 17, 2004

Out with the old - W-B laws, that is
City abolishes license fees onactivities such as butchering animals and collecting rags.
By LANE FILLER
lfiller@leader.net

WILKES-BARRE - If you own a street piano or a hurdy gurdy, now is your chance to make a killing.

City council recently updated license fees on trades and amusement devices in an ordinance that hadn't been touched since 1945.

Some fees went up, others were unchanged, and a whole bunch were removed as part of a housekeeping measure.

A look at those old fees conjures up a different Wilkes-Barre.

"A hurdy gurdy was a street organ, where the operator would have a monkey," said Wilkes-Barre native Curtis Montz, 93, remembering bygone days. "The monkey would come around with a hat and you would put in a penny."

For the privilege of operating a hurdy gurdy or a street piano, the city fathers demanded $2.50 per month.

The rules for places of amusement still exist, but the ordinance no longer singles out penny arcades, nickelets and "Edisonians" as needing to fork over a fee.

"Edisonian" machines allowed folks to watch simple films for a penny. Movie theaters were sometimes referred to as nickelets when admission cost a nickle.

In 1945, anyone who wanted to operate a trackless trolley paid the city $100 per year, but a street railway car incurred only a $50 fee.

"I remember when they were still on the square," Montz said of the electric trolleys, "and cars would have to circle Public Square for 20 minutes looking for an open parking space, one of the diagonal ones we had back then."

Companies producing steam heat paid $25 per year for every mile of pipe. Four types of street salesmen ponied up as well: Hawkers, hucksters, vendors and peddlers.

Before the ice cream truck came the "Hokey Pokey" men, fellows who sold ice cream out of carts for a penny and shouted, "Hokey Pokey, a penny a lump, the more you eat the more you jump."

They must have sold plenty because the city charged them 2,500 pennies per year for the privilege.

Whole professions have disappeared from the landscape during the intervening decades. Bill posting companies, paid to hang advertisements for new movies, stage shows or politicians, paid the city a $50 fee each year.

Slaughter houses, also known as abattoirs, dotted Wilkes-Barre, paying $100 per year. The last, a chicken-processing plant, closed in the 1980s.

"Curbstone Markets" operated day-to-day, forking over 50 cents per day to the city to sell their wares.

"I remember when the milkmen had horses, and glass bottles," Montz said. "and when the steam heat went away, an awful lot of folks had to put furnaces in their house."

Today, ice cream sits in the supermarket freezer, arcade games are played at home on TV, and the movie theater could be more accurately called an 'eightdollaret."

No one comes to the house to sell vegetables or buy rags.

But you can still board a carrier pigeon at your home or office. Just pay $30 per year for the license and have fun.

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� 2004 Times Leader and wire service sources. All Rights Reserved.
http://www.timesleader.com

donybrx · #74 Posted **Dec 19, 2004, 2:26 PM**

--Look for Scranton on the tube soon..at least a televised facsimile.... lol------------------------------------------------------

Posted on Sun, Dec. 19, 2004

Scranton prepares for its TV debut as backdrop for "The Office"

JOSH MCAULIFFE
Associated Press

SCRANTON, Pa. - Greg Daniels isn't from Scranton.

As far as he knows, he's never even set foot in the city.

And yet, the acclaimed television writer and producer thinks he can successfully translate The Electric City to the small screen this winter. As many of you already know, Scranton will serve as the backdrop for the upcoming American version of the hit British sitcom "The Office." "The Office: An American Workplace" will begin airing on NBC sometime in early 2005.

The idea to set the show in The Electric City came from Daniels, the show's executive producer and "show runner," the showbiz term for a sitcom's head writer.

A quick glance of Daniels' resume is reason enough to believe the show has a fighting chance of being funny, if not a bona fide hit.

An alum of Harvard University's famed humor magazine The Lampoon, a breeding ground for countless sitcom writers, Daniels has written for "Saturday Night Live" (where his writing partner was Conan O'Brien), "The Simpsons" and the long-running Fox animated comedy, "King of the Hill," which he co-created with "Beavis and Butt-head" and "Office Space" creator Mike Judge.

During a recent telephone interview from his Los Angeles office, Daniels, 41, said he was inspired in several ways to give Scranton the TV treatment.

"You know those Valentine's Day cards and Halloween cards you get when you're a kid?" said Daniels, a New York City native whose closest contact with Scranton has been a trip or two to the Poconos. "You'd turn them to the back and they'd say, 'Made in Scranton.'"

Turns out, those cards are produced at the Scranton-based Paper Magic Group. This is significant in that "The Office: An American Workplace" takes place at the fictitious Dunder-Mifflin paper distribution company (on the British version, whose reruns air on the cable channel BBC-America, the company's name is Wernham-Hogg).

"We were thrilled. We're so excited about it," said Karen Rickaby, a human resources specialist at Paper Magic.

She said a team of production people from the show met with officials from the Paper Magic Group several months ago to learn more about the business and gather details about life in northeastern Pennsylvania. "At first we didn't know whether to take them seriously. We made them show us all their credentials," she said with a laugh.

Another contributing factor to the show being set in Scranton was Daniels' reverence for the writer John O'Hara, who set many of his short stories in Gibbsville, a fictional town modeled heavily after another eastern Pennsylvania city known for its coal mining days - Pottsville.

In this respect, Daniels saw a natural correlation between Scranton and the backdrop of the original "Office," the English industrial town of Slough, located about 25 miles west of London.

"It seems to me that the people (of Scranton) have had an industrial history that's similar to England," he said.

"Also, it's close to New York, but not close enough that people would commute," Daniels continued, noting his assumption that most Scrantonians don't visit New York all that much, just like the residents of Slough don't often travel to London.

Finally, Daniels said, Scranton is "a great name. It sounds good." So that explains Daniels' reasoning behind picking it. But that still leaves an important question - How does he intend to depict Scranton?

It's no secret the city has been the butt of wisecracks on shows like "All in the Family," "The Sopranos," "The Simpsons" and "Friends." Daniels, who claims ignorance of TV's penchant for Scranton slights, said his representation of Scranton would be neither good nor bad, but "realistic."

Makes sense, considering "The Office" is shot in faux-documentary style and Daniels has taken pains to capture the look and feel of contemporary Texas with "King of the Hill." "King of the Hill" is set in Arlen, Texas, which doesn't exist but is largely based on a suburb of Austin. Daniels and the show's writers have all visited Austin to get the nuances of the area and its people right.

"It helps with the tone of the show," he said. "When you pick a specific place, you tend to use stuff that's true about that specific place."

While Daniels hasn't visited Scranton yet, he has every intention of coming here should NBC renew the show after its initial run. One of the show's stars, John Krasinski, traveled to the city a few months ago with a small documentary crew and shot the outside of the building where Paper Magic is located and the long-closed downtown bar The Office. Coincidentally, the two buildings are located right across the street from each other on Adams Avenue.

"Seemed like good karma," Daniels said.

Daniels said another camera crew will soon travel to Scranton for additional exterior shots.

"Do you have any suggestions?" he asked a reporter.

The city won't come up a tremendous amount in the show's first six episodes, but Daniels assured its presence will be felt. Through the Greater Scranton Chamber of Commerce, the show has received a number of Scranton-specific props - newspapers, phone books, posters - that have been incorporated into the scripts.

For instance, in one episode, a character becomes obsessed with Red Barons Bobblehead dolls. In another, the office staff orders lunch from Cugino's in Dunmore.

"We found Cugino's right in the phone book," Daniels said.

However, since the taping of each show exceeds the standard sitcom length of 22 minutes, Daniels couldn't guarantee that those scenes will make it past the editing process.

One thing he can guarantee is a concerted effort to foster the kind of viewer familiarity achieved by "The Drew Carey Show" and its backdrop, Cleveland. That show proved beneficial to the Ohio city, which, like Scranton, was once a perennial entertainment industry doormat.

"We certainly hope people know it's set in Scranton," Daniels said. "It feels good to me to put it in Scranton."

We'll find out in a few months if the feeling is mutual.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

� 2004 AP Wire and wire service sources. All Rights Reserved.
http://www.timesleader.com

donybrx · #75 Posted **Dec 21, 2004, 1:31 AM**

A story about some very enterprising women with confidence in Wilkes-Barre's revivification (too much caffeine...)

12/20/2004
Mansion buyers hope to preserve downtown 'gem'
By Denise Allabaugh , Citizens' Voice Staff Writer

The five women who purchased the historic Wilkes-Barre mansion that formerly housed the Wyoming Valley chapter of the American Red Cross are weighing options for the building's future.

Pat Finan of Quinary Group, one of the five who purchased the building at 156 S. Franklin St., said the group is considering a plan that would turn the structure into an apartment building with office space.

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In addition to Finan, the Quinary Group consists of Janet Flack, Mary Louise Faber, Maureen Straub and Kathleen Goodwin. Their goal is to revitalize downtown Wilkes-Barre, Finan said.

"We have been together for about one year now," Finan said. "We really got together to be part of the revitalization of the downtown. We are very interested in historic buildings."

Finan would not say how much it cost to purchase the Red Cross building, which was the former home of the Stegmaier family. The deed has not yet been filed in Luzerne County Court.

Plans for the building have not been finalized, Finan said.

"We're going to try to maintain it so that it is still be a gem within the City of Wilkes-Barre," Finan said.

Finan, a private health care consultant, is chairwoman of the Children's Service Center board and a member of the Osterhout Library board. She is the former president and CEO of Wyoming Valley Health Care System.

Flack is the owner of Janet Flack Interiors in Wyoming. Faber is a retired lawyer. Straub is senior vice president of First Federal Bank in Shavertown. Goodwin is an accountant.

"We are all dedicated to this area and we feel strongly the city is coming back," Finan said. "All of us are very active in the community."

On Jan. 5, the Wyoming Valley chapter of the American Red Cross will move from the former Stegmaier family mansion to a bigger location at 256 N. Sherman St. in Wilkes-Barre.

The new property was previously owned by Commonwealth Communications.

The Red Cross served the people of the Wyoming Valley from their South Franklin Street location for 51 years.

Mike Zimmerman, executive director of the Red Cross, said their current site measures 13,000 square feet, but only has 9,500 square feet of usable space and 18 parking spaces.

The new location on North Sherman Street has 17,500 square feet of usable space and 110 parking spaces, Zimmerman said. It will provide more space for the 19 paid Red Cross staff members and the more than 1,400 volunteers. It also will allow the Red Cross to offer more services, including blood drives and shelter for flood victims, he said.

The Stegmaier mansion was built in 1911 and designed by architects Knapp and Bosworth, said Jesse Teitelbaum, executive director of the Luzerne County Historical Society. It cost about $1 million to construct, Red Cross officials said.

The Stegmaier mansion sits next to several other historic buildings, which Wilkes University purchased. The former home of Frederick Weckesser, a top executive with the Woolworth Company, is next door to the former Stegmaier home.

Weckesser's home at 170 S. Franklin St. underwent many transformations through the years. It is now the site of Wilkes University's Weckesser Hall.

dallabaugh@citizensvoice.com

�The Citizens Voice 2004

donybrx · #76 Posted **Dec 21, 2004, 2:14 PM**

Lackawanna County Stadium; naming rights available: current prospect...Jack Willliam's Tires for $5.3M, 15 year deal.
This beautiful smaller stadium is home to the Wilkes-Barre- Scranton Red Barons (originally the WB Barons as in coal barons) tripleA Phillies farm team. Iis located near Scranton at Montage Mountain, below the Montage ski Resort and a 20,000 seat concert venue (summer) that draws big name international bands.
Here's a link with great photos...

http://www.small-parks.com/Lackawanna.htm

donybrx · #77 Posted **Dec 21, 2004, 2:18 PM**

While I'm at it re: ^^^^^, here's Montage Mountain link with pics:

http://www.skimontage.com/showsection.asp?ID=1

donybrx · #78 Posted **Jan 1, 2005, 2:57 PM**

Slots parlors in PA: let the fun begin! Here's a look at Scranton businessman Louis DeNaples entry..and his problem....given his $25M purchase of Mt. Airy Lodge in the nearby POCONOS>>>
*****************************
Pocono slots plan tainted
New owner of Mt. Airy Lodge linked to mob
By CHRIS BRENNAN
brennac@phillynews.com

A Northeastern Pennsylvania businessman named in a 2001 federal document as having ties to organized crime purchased the defunct Mount Airy Lodge yesterday and has expressed interest in seeking a slot machine license.

The upside for businessman Louis DeNaples: He also has close ties to William Conaboy, a member of the new state Gaming Control Board, which will implement and regulate slot machine gambling.

The downside: Federal and state investigators, as part of a 2001 probe into illegal gambling, extortion and money laundering, linked DeNaples to William "Big Billy" D'Elia, the reputed head of the Bufalino Crime family in Northeastern Pennsylvania.

The Gaming Control Board, in its first meeting earlier this month, spent hours discussing ways to keep organized crime from infiltrating what is expected to be a $3 billion industry.

Gov. Rendell signed a law in July legalizing 61,000 slot machines at 14 venues across the state.

Conaboy refused to comment on the alleged connection between DeNaples and D'Elia.

Through a Gaming Control Board spokesman, Conaboy said he has served as DeNaples' attorney and considers him a friend.

"If and when Mr. DeNaples applies for a license to operate a gaming facility in Pennsylvania, or any other license under the jurisdiction of the Gaming Control Board, I will bring this information to the attention of the board and its counsel and seek their advice on how to proceed," he said.

Tad Decker, the board's chairman, said he doesn't know if the alleged links between DeNaples and D'Elia are true.

"That's going to be something we find out if and when Mr. DeNaples applies for a license," Decker said. "He's going to have a background check like anyone else."

An IRS criminal investigator and a State Police trooper from the organized crime unit in May 2001 submitted a 46-page affidavit to a federal magistrate to authorize several search warrants.

The investigators cited information from four confidential informants. They also described following D'Elia and another man, Sam Marranca, three times to DeNaples' office in Dunmore, Pa.

Among the allegations made in the affidavit:

� One informant, described as a gambler who paid part of his debts by acting as a cash courier, said all of the illegal gambling proceeds in Northeastern Pennsylvania go through D'Elia, who has strong ties to organized crime in Philadelphia and New York.

� That informant said DeNaples made "good will" payments to D'Elia. "D'Elia, for the payments received, would occasionally do whatever DeNaples needed."

� That informant said D'Elia sent him to DeNaples' home in October 1996, where DeNaples gave him a nylon bag and paid him $10,000 to take it to a restaurant in New Jersey.

� Another informant said DeNaples paid D'Elia to keep other mobsters away from his business.

"DeNaples and his company, Keystone Landfill, have been paying D'Elia 'protection money' for a number of years."

� A third informant said D'Elia has sold future rights to dumping at Keystone Landfill in Dunmore, known as "airspace."

That allegation is backed up in the 1990 Pennsylvania Crime Commission report, which described D'Elia as a "waste broker."

� A fourth informant tipped investigators to a 1997 meeting D'Elia set up in Philadelphia with Joseph "Skinny Joey" Merlino and other local mob figures. Investigators observed the meeting.

D'Elia, who did not return phone calls, was not charged in the investigation.

New Jersey's Casino Control Commission last year banned D'Elia from Atlantic City casinos, citing his ties to organized crime.

The warrant did not ask for permission to search DeNaples' home or office. He was not charged with a crime in the case.

DeNaples did not respond to a request for an interview.

A D'Elia associate named in the affidavit, Sam Marranca of Forty Fort, Pa., pleaded guilty last year to a charge of conspiracy to commit money laundering and was sentenced to 46 months in prison.

Gordon Zubrod, the assistant U.S. Attorney in the case, declined yesterday to say if there is still an active investigation under way involving the affidavit.

State Sen. Bob Mellow selected Conaboy for the Gaming Control Board. The connection between Conaboy and DeNaples is not a problem, he said.

"He's as honest as today is Thursday," Mellow said yesterday. "If there's a conflict of interest, he can always recuse himself. He doesn't have to participate."

Conaboy is also general counsel for Allied Services, a Scranton health care company. DeNaples serves on that company's board.

Conaboy also serves on the board of First National Community Bank, where DeNaples is chairman. Federal records show Conaboy made $95,960 last year by exercising options on 8,000 shares of bank stock.

Mellow, who has advocated for at least one of the slots licenses being placed in Northeastern Pennsylvania, praised the DeNaples' family as "very astute business individuals" active in charity.

"I'm sure if there's any impropriety, through a background investigation, it's all going to come out," Mellow said.

Mt. Airy No. 1 LLC, run from DeNaples' offices, paid $25,100,000 for the 1,200-acre Mount Airy Lodge in Mount Pocono, according to paperwork filed yesterday in the Monroe County Register-Recorder's office.

This is not the first time the taint of organized crime has caused problems for the Gaming Control Board.

Rendell's first pick for the chairman's post, Frank Friel, stepped down before starting after the Daily News revealed he helped an alleged mob associate from Philadelphia regain a boxing license at a Connecticut casino.

A company operated out of DeNaples offices, RAM Consultants, contributed $125,000 to Rendell's run for governor.

Rendell's spokeswoman, Kate Philips, would only say: "There are hundreds of people from across the state who supported the governor's bid for office."

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

� 2004 Philadelphia Daily News and wire service sources. All Rights Reserved.
http://www.philly.com

donybrx · #79 Posted **Jan 1, 2005, 4:38 PM**

Local boy makes good: native of Kingston (the historic small city across the Susquehanna from Central Wilkes-Barre and home of notable private school Wyoming Seminary: I'm not sure this case is what I would want to be noted for...

01/01/2005
Kingston native defending 'Baretta' star in murder case
By Tim Gulla , Citizens' Voice Staff Writer

Attorney M. Gerald Schwartzbach is far removed from his days growing up in Kingston yet he continues to carry a piece of the Wyoming Valley with him every day.
There's a smile in his voice as he talks about playing basketball, baseball, or attending Kingston schools as a youngster and he remembers the street names with clarity.

A lawyer who has made a name for himself with some high-profile cases, Schwartzbach now can be seen at the side of actor Robert Blake, who's currently on trial in Van Nuys, California, for the murder of his Blake's wife, Bonny Lee Bakley. Trial of the former "Baretta" star is on break for the holidays and will resume Jan. 4.

Schwartzbach, born in Wilkes-Barre General Hospital in 1944, grew up on North Dawes Avenue in Kingston. He hasn't been back to the Wyoming Valley, though, since 2002, when there was a 40th class reunion of Wyoming Seminary graduates. When he came back, he spent his time with lifelong friend Dr. David Greenwald, who grew up only a block away from Schwartzbach.

"It was a wonderful place to grow up," Schwartzbach said of Kingston.
"I frequently tell people the values that I learned, the values that motivated me to be the type of lawyer I try to be and always tried to be, were instilled in me both by my family and the values that I received growing up in a small town."

Though it may sound "trite," he said, "It's true."
Schwartzbach left the area to go to college in Pittsburgh and, later, Washington D.C., where he earned his law degree in 1969. He subsequently joined VISTA - Volunteers in Service to America - and was sent to Detroit to perform volunteer legal work. He later settled in the San Francisco area.

Since March, however, he's been spending most of his time in Los Angeles area to represent Robert Blake.
A recent experience reminded him of the peace and tranquility of his younger days. " I had my apartment broken into in Los Angeles recently," he said. "As a child, I never had a key to my house. The doors were always unlocked."

Reflections on his days in Kingston sparked memories of coal deliveries, milkmen, and people going door to door selling huckleberries.

"I'm very thankful I had an opportunity to grow up in that environment," he said.

donybrx · #80 Posted **Jan 6, 2005, 12:50 AM**

Here's some more 'skinny' re: Scranton businessman Louis DeNaples, his purchase of Mt. Airy Lodge in the Poconos and the smell test facing the Commonwealth in selecting from among those who are expected to try to obtain licenses for slots parlors as soon as the mechanisms for choosing are in place....
This might be a good time to indiccate that Northeastern PA has quite a history with organized crime figures from years back..the Bufalino family etc. originally having to do with rackteering in the coal business: I wouldn't venture to say that Mr. DeNaples falls within the same context. We'll see how it plays out......

Posted on Wed, Jan. 05, 2005

Potential slots applicant shows what board faces

By John Sullivan and Mark Fazlollah
Inquirer Staff Writers

Louis A. DeNaples, a Scranton-area businessman who wants to build a gambling hall at a defunct Mount Pocono resort he recently bought, might test some of the issues that the state's new gambling control board will face as it awards slots licenses.

The board, which is not expected to receive applications for licenses for many months, would have to navigate many aspects of DeNaples' activities, should he seek one.

DeNaples has had ties to politicians, giving heavily to their campaigns; to a gambling-board member; and - law enforcement officials say - to a reputed organized-crime figure.

And he has a federal felony conviction for fraud from 1978.

DeNaples did not return calls Monday and yesterday seeking comment.

"If Mr. DeNaples decides to apply for a license, he'll face the same scrutiny as anyone else who applies," Nick Hays, a spokesman for gambling board chairman Thomas A. "Tad" Decker, said yesterday.

Former gambling commissioners in other states said that any gambling control board must consider all relevant information in determining the fitness of an applicant.

"A person's background, including criminal history, financial dealings, and reputation in the community, are among the factors that are considered by every and any gaming-licensing authority," said Carl Zeitz, a former member of the New Jersey Casino Control Commission.

Zeitz, who would not speak directly to the DeNaples case, said that in New Jersey licensing decisions the standards of proof are substantially less than those in criminal courts.

"Evidence is given the weight regulators believe it should be afforded, unless there's something clearly disqualifying" an applicant, he said.

Pennsylvania's new gambling law stipulates that a criminal conviction automatically knocks out a slots applicant if the conviction occurred within the last 15 years.

Otherwise, the board must decide.

One of the members of the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board who might be asked to do so is William P. Conaboy, a Scranton-area lawyer with close personal and financial ties to DeNaples.

The two men have been friends for 25 years.

Conaboy also sits on the board of the First National Community Bank in Dunmore, Pa.; DeNaples is the bank's director and its single largest shareholder.

Conaboy has earned $95,960 from the sale of bank stock, according to financial records. He also has a home mortgage through the bank.

Long before DeNaples purchased the Pocono resort - the 1,000-acre Mount Airy Lodge - he was mentioned by insiders at the state Capitol as someone interested in seeking a slots license. Less than two weeks after the legislature passed a bill allowing slot machines at 14 locations across the state, DeNaples and Scranton-area accountant Robert Rossi organized Mount Airy No. 1 L.L.C., the company that purchased the lodge for $25 million.

Since the purchase, reports of DeNaples' organized-crime connections have come to light, including his alleged association with William "Big Billy" D'Elia, whom law-enforcement have identified as the head of the Bufalino crime family in northeastern Pennsylvania. But many of those allegations have been circulating since the 1980s.

Between 1983 and 1990, DeNaples' name has appeared in three Pennsylvania Crime Commission reports alleging some association between him and suspected mob figures.

In one instance, the commission cited the involvement of a mob associate, James Osticco, in attempting to fix a trial in which DeNaples and three Lackawanna County government employees were charged with defrauding the federal government. DeNaples and the three others entered no-contest pleas on April 5, 1978, to federal charges of conspiracy to defraud the government. Each was given a three-year suspended sentenced and fined, the Crime Commission said.

James Kanavy, a former special agent with the Crime Commission, said he remembered DeNaples. "Based on Crime Commission surveillance reports, during the time of the surveillance D'Elia went to DeNaples Auto Parts on an almost daily basis," Kanavy said in an interview yesterday.

In 2003, the New Jersey Casino Control Commission banned D'Elia from doing business with any casino in the state, saying he had ties to the mob, according to the New Jersey Division of Gambling Enforcement.

"D'Elia has been identified by the Pennsylvania Crime Commission and the Federal Bureau of Investigation as a soldier in the Bufalino organized-crime family of La Cosa Nostra, otherwise known as the Pittston La Cosa Nostra family," said Daniel Heneghan, a spokesman for the New Jersey Casino Control Commission.

D'Elia filed a response to the ban in which he denied the charges, but he did not fight them, saying instead he would apply at a later date.

Other alleged contacts that D'Elia had with DeNaples were detailed in a 46-page affidavit submitted in May 2001 at a federal court in Harrisburg. The information in it was gathered by an IRS investigator and a member of the state police's organized-crime unit seeking search warrants in a federal investigation into an illegal multi-state gambling operation.

Four confidential informants alleged in the affidavit that DeNaples made payments to D'Elia and that in return D'Elia would do "whatever DeNaples needed," according to the affidavit. The document provided no further details.

Another informant said DeNaples made protection payments of an unspecified amount to D'Elia to keep the mob away from his businesses.

The affidavit also said that D'Elia worked as an independent middleman selling space in a DeNaples landfill.

No charges were ever filed against DeNaples or D'Elia in the case from which the affidavit arose.

Phillip Gelso, a Wilkes-Barre lawyer who represents D'Elia, declined to comment.

For years, DeNaples has made substantial contributions to local, state and national campaigns, both Democratic and Republican, according to state campaign records. During the last four years alone, DeNaples, his wife and his brother have jointly contributed more than $1 million to political campaigns through a variety of entities.

They gave $184,000 to the Republican National Committee and the Republican Congressional Committee, and an additional $24,000 to the Bush-Cheney drive and other federal campaigns.

They have given $262,550 to state and local candidates through their D&L Realty, including $50,000 to Mayor Street.

DeNaples' firm RAM Consultants gave $345,000 to state campaigns, including $115,000 to Gov. Rendell. And in their own names, they have made $212,000 in contributions in the last four years to Pennsylvania races.

DeNaples' partner in the Pocono project, Rossi, has also been a major contributor.

In the mid-1990s, Rossi was a heavy contributor to the political action committee of Philadelphia lawyer Ronald A. White, who died last year after his federal indictment on corruption charges.

Rossi and two associates gave money to Rendell's campaign for governor in 2001, donating a total of $30,000 that year and another $30,000 the next year.

Kate Philips, a spokeswoman for Rendell, who has long been a proponent of legalized gambling in the state, said DeNaples is just one among many contributors to the $42 million campaign fund he used in his run for governor.

Rossi did not respond to a request for comment.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Contact staff writer John Sullivan at 717-787-5934 or johnsullivan@phillynews.com. Inquirer staff writer George Anastasia contributed to this article.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

� 2005 Philadelphia Inquirer and wire service sources. All Rights Reserved.
http://www.philly.com