Nuke plant remains at top of highest assessed property list

By Jennifer Learn-Andes jandes@timesleader.comLuzerne County Reporter

The PPL nuclear power plant in Salem Township remains Luzerne County’s highest assessed commercial property by leaps and bounds, with a value of $248 million, according to a list of the top rankings prepared by the county assessor’s office.

That equates to a 2009 property tax bill of about $3.8 million.

But the company isn’t complaining. It’s still a reduction from last year’s $4.01 million tax bill.

Before reassessment, the plant’s $12.5 million assessment was the equivalent of a $250 million market value.

“We’ll look at it in the future and evaluate that as needed, but we have no plans to appeal that portion,” said PPL spokesman Joe Scopelliti.

Number two on the list – the Wyoming Valley Mall – is assessed at $89.1 million.

Reassessment company 21st Century Appraisals Inc. originally valued the mall at $98 million, and the mall obtained an $8.9 million reduction through a formal appeal.

The mall had been valued at the equivalent of $73 million before reassessment, which means the tax bill will increase.

School, county and local taxes on the mall were about $1.5 million last year, compared to this year’s estimated bill of $1.8 million.

The TJ Maxx distribution center on Sathers Road in Pittston Township ranked third, with an assessment of $43.1 million.

Its owner, NBC Seventh Realty Corp., fought 21st Century’s original $50.9 million value through a formal appeal and won a $7.8 million reduction on the building portion of the assessment.

The Laurel Mall in Hazle Township has the fourth highest value – $30.6 million – followed by the Lowe’s Home Centers Inc. commercial warehouse on CenterPoint Boulevard in Jenkins Township, which has a value of $28.6 million.

The Lowe’s facility had received a $108,500 reduction through a revised notice issued by 21st Century.

The assessments of the remaining properties on the top 10 list have not changed since they were issued last year:

Terminal Freight Handling Co., Hanover Township, $25.6 million; the Arena Hub Plaza, Wilkes-Barre Township, $23.9 million; Fairchild Semiconductor Corp., Wright Township, $21.49 million; Pittston Industrial LLC, Jenkins Township, $21.3 million; and the Sunshine Market Inc. strip mall on Highland Park Boulevard in Wilkes-Barre Township, which includes the Wal-Mart store, $21.1 million.