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Construction likely to begin within month for long-awaited culinary arts institute.
NANTICOKE – An agreement to allow Mark Construction Services to build the Culinary Arts Institute for Luzerne County Community College moved forward Tuesday when two members of the Nanticoke Planning Commission approved the engineering plans.
The approval was conditional, based on the development company receiving letters from the Wyoming Valley Sanitary Authority noting it would provide sewage treatment.
Also, the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection must approve WVSA as the treatment facility, officials said.
Commission solicitor Mark McNealis went over questions raised in a letter from Leonard Engineering, which the city hired to review the construction company’s engineering work.
Pasonick Engineering is the city’s engineer and under most cases would have also served as the commission’s engineer, but could not in this instance because Pasonick was hired by Mark Construction Services to serve as its engineer.
Most of the questions raised by Leonard Engineering were typographical fixes, including adding a symbol noting the northern direction on one page of the architectural plans.
Planning Commission Chairman John Grontkowski and member Steve Wanchisen asked a few other questions regarding parking and water flow and water pressure during the 30-minute meeting.
William Rinaldi, president of Mark Construction Services, did not attend the meeting. Architect Scott Douglas Allen of SDA Architects in Scranton and Pasonick Engineer Thomas Barna attended the meeting on Rinaldi’s behalf to answer the board members’ questions.
Barna told Grontkowski the site contained adequate storm water drains and fire hydrants.
The storm water drains are tied into the city’s existing pipes to prevent any possible flooding issues.
The hydrants are “within 50 feet” of the building and would provide enough water pressure if the fire department needed to tap into those lines, Barna said.
Wanchisen expressed concern over the lack of parking spaces for the facility.
There would be no parking at the site, so people entering the institute will have to use other parking lots in town.
Wanchisen pointed out there is not much parking available in the Weis Grocery store parking lot down the street.
McNealis explained the planning board approves engineering plans to make sure there is adequate sewer, water and other utilities to service the building.
The commission does not have the power to address parking issues. Those issues must be decided by the zoning board and city council. McNealis said he will make note in his letter of approval that the commission strongly urged the city to review the parking situation for this site.
Grontowski explained he didn’t want anyone in the future to think they had not considered all possible issues and scenarios for the location.
“You guys always raise good issues, but sometimes it must be handled by others,” McNealis said.
Barna said the plans will be submitted to Nanticoke Fire Chief Michael Bohan for his approval before any work begins on the site.
The institute, which will include a clock tower, will sit on the corner of Main and Market streets after the former Nanticoke Senior Citizens Center and the Susquehanna Coal Company building are torn down.
Allen said they hope to begin tearing down the buildings and start construction within the next month.
Then it will typically take nine to 12 months to finish the building before the college can move in, he said.