Progress

July 30, 2008

Pittston’s riverfront condominium tower project moves toward construction

Redevelopment Authority acquires former state building, which will be razed to make way for condos.

SHERRY LONG slong@timesleader.com

PITTSTON – The riverfront condominium project in downtown Pittston is one step closer to reality.

The city’s Redevelopment Authority is taking control of a state office building that will be razed to make room for luxury condominiums overlooking the Susquehanna River.

The authority acquired the former state Unemployment Compensation Board of Review Office, 300 Kennedy Blvd., after Gov. Edward Rendell recently signed a bill allowing the transfer.

Lackawanna County developer Daniel Siniawa & Associates plans to build twin, 10-story condominium towers on the site. When the $37 million project was unveiled in October 2005, Siniawa proposed building 98 condominiums, four penthouses, a restaurant and retail and office space.

With rising costs of building materials the developer might make some changes to the overall design, but that would depend on the amount of funding the firm is able to acquire.

“We are still in the process of looking for the various funding for the condos,” said Bob Sakosky, vice president of the development firm.

He said the developer plans to seek funding assistance from the city, county and state. The firm can’t apply for private funding until all other funding sources are in place, he said.

Using $341,000 from a state housing and redevelopment grant, the authority is purchasing the one-story building and its 1/2-acre lot, authority director Gerard Mullarkey said.

Eventually, the former state Department of Labor and Industry office building will be turned over or sold to the developer, Mullarkey said.

The building has been vacant since November, when those state employees were transferred to the Career Link offices in Wilkes-Barre, department spokesman Christopher Manlove said.

The 9,277-square-foot building is situated between B&G Beverage and a former dress factory. Those structures must also be acquired by the developer before construction can begin.

“By controlling that center parcel, we will be able to work more effectively with that developer in seeing proper development,” Mullarkey said.

Developers originally anticipated the towers would be occupied by the end of 2007, but a groundbreaking ceremony might be 12 to 18 months away.

Sherry Long, a Times Leader staff writer, may be reached at 829-7159.

Tweet	Follow @TLnews

Send Question or Remark to the Publisher

This story also appears on the following websites...