Progress

July 30, 2008

Murray Complex project gets green light

Development agreement approved for W-B project, with 14-to-18-month timeline.

By Bill O'Boyle boboyle@timesleader.com
Times Leader Staff Writer
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WILKES-BARRE – A $20 million development project in the former Murray Complex took a major step forward Thursday night.

City council approved a development agreement that outlines the financing for the project and details design and construction plans.

The city entered into the agreement with Siniawa 16 L.P. of Dickson City. Daniel Siniawa is the principal owner of the firm. Robert Sakosky, the company’s vice president, attended the council meeting and he discussed the project.

“We can’t wait to get started,” Sakosky said after the meeting. “We hope to begin demolition within 30 days and the entire project should be ready for occupancy within 14 to 18 months.”

Siniawa purchased the entire Murray Complex for $1.5 million from Thomas Murray at a bankruptcy auction in March 2004. He purchased the 16-acre complex with the intent to construct 55 loft-style condominiums, expand the dining for the former Murray’s Inn, add two more restaurants with courtyards and create 50,000-60,000 square feet of retail space.

Sakosky said the buildings on the site to the right of Ross Street will be taken down. Bricks have been falling from the deteriorating walls, creating an unsafe condition, said council Chairwoman Kathy Kane.

“We intend to renovate the former Murray’s Inn,” Sakosky said. “We want to make it more of a restaurant/bar than a bar/restaurant. We want it to be more conducive to a residential area.”

In other business, Kane asked all city residents for their input on the Luzerne County reassessment. City residents recently received their new property assessments as part of the countywide reassessment, but the city hasn’t decided whether to accept the new county figures established by 21st Century Appraisals Inc. The uncertainty affects only city tax bills. Wilkes-Barre residents’ property taxes for the school and county will be based on the new figures.

Mayor Tom Leighton, who did not attend the meeting, has said he is concerned about the city’s 2009 budget, which is due a month before the Nov. 15 deadline for county assessment appeals. The decision, however, isn’t up to the mayor; council must vote on whether to go with the new figures.

The 2008 city budget totals $37 million and the taxing rate is 73.63 mills. A mill is a $1 tax for every $1,000 of assessed value.

“We do not have to do anything at this time,” Kane said. “We want to gather input from our residents and then make our decision wisely.”

She urged residents to call City Hall and offer their views on the issue.

Walter Griffith of Simpson Street said the city should let taxpayers know as soon as possible whether the county figures will be accepted by the city.

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