W-B mayor says administration hasn’t forgotten Parsons section

WILKES-BARRE – The sign at the corner of George and Trethaway avenues is as faded as the memories of this once vibrant section of the city.

A rental property is littered with garbage and clutter. An old car and a bicycle are rusting in the backyard. Clothes hang from a small line on a second-story porch and weeds grow all around the property.

Across Trethaway Avenue is the former Citizens Bank. Scaffolding inside the bank lies idle as a dingy smell emanates through the broken windows.

Across from the bank is the damaged structure that once housed Tony’s Market and Balucha’s Karate studio, and the site of last year’s fatal fire.

Brad James owns James’ Brake and Alignment Service on the fourth corner. His dad started the business in 1972 when this neighborhood in Wilkes-Barre’s Parsons section was much different.

“This was its own little town,” James, 36, said. “It was self-sufficient; you could buy anything you needed. Now it’s going to hell.”

James said there was a pharmacy, a barber shop, a pizza place, a florist and a bank. All are gone.

Susan Premo’s family has owned Premo’s Bakery for 40 years. She sees the same deterioration.

“Why is there so much attention being given to the downtown and none here in the neighborhoods?” Premo asked. “There were so many businesses here and most of them are gone now.”

Premo, 45, said her bakery was one of several stops customers would make as they ran errands along George Avenue.

“Most of those stops are gone,” Premo said. “Now our customers have to make a special trip to our store.”

Mayor Tom Leighton said the city administration has not forgotten the neighborhoods. He said nearly $4 million has been spent paving the streets of Parsons, repairing the infrastructure and improving flood protection. He listed George Avenue and other streets – Govier, Oliver, Trethaway, Kresge, Matson, O’Brien, Wilcox, Flood, Everett, Brader, Virginia, Slattery, Gravel and Stucker – that have been paved.

“We are addressing the situation with the vacant properties there,” Leighton said. “One building has unresolved issues from the fire. I think we’ve started in the right direction.”

Leighton said the business owners and homeowners in the neighborhood should help out. Keeping the area clean and free of clutter helps in attracting new businesses and residents, he said.

Greg Barrouk, assistant to the mayor, recently toured Parsons and will be going back to look at securing some of the vacant buildings.

“We went down the alleys and saw the weeds and garbage piled up,” Barrouk said. “We will do what we can and we hope the residents will assist us. If they see problems, they can call my office and we will respond.”

Councilman Bill Barrett, who represents District D, including Parsons, said he and Barrett walked around the neighborhood.

“My concern was with the fire-damaged property; that it’s been allowed to stand for so long,” Barrett said. “I’m concerned about the safety of the structure.”

The building burned nearly a year and a half ago and the case is still under investigation, Barrouk said. Six-month-old Emily Hockenbury died in the fire.

“George Avenue is the Main Street of Parsons,” Barrett said. “I plan on asking for an update at next week’s council meeting.”

Barrett pointed to the Touch of Class at the Palace catering business that sits in the middle of the once-busy business district.

“The owners keep that property in great shape,” Barrett said. “It’s very presentable, yet other properties are allowed to remain in such deplorable condition.”

Barrett agreed with the concerned residents who fear their businesses may suffer if the neighborhood isn’t cleaned up.

“I want to see their concerns addressed and I need some answers soon,” Barrett said. “No one is going to want to invest when you have buildings like that burned-out structure standing untouched.”

“We’re not going anywhere,” said James, proprietor of the brake shop. “I plan to stay; my business is good so far. But if these other properties remain vacant, I’m afraid the neighborhood will really suffer.”

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