Work starts for elevator, stair tower at Wilkes-Barre City Hall

WILKES-BARRE — Work on the new elevator and stair tower addition project at City Hall began Wednesday.

An excavator demolished the Americans with Disabilities Act ramp and entrance at the rear of the building and dug into the parking lot across from the police headquarters on North Washington Street.

The new elevator will replace one that has been subject to frequent breakdowns due to its age, providing a more dependable means of access to the four floors of City Hall.

The four-story addition will be installed separately from the more than century-old City Hall and have a stairwell and landing area on each level, said Mayor George Brown.

D&M Construction of Dalton was awarded the contract. The project costing $1.7 million will be paid with money left over from the Solomon Creek wall reconstruction project and Community Development Block Grant funding, Brown said.

Last year City Council approved an amendment to a $52 million bond deal so what remained from the $4.4 million designated for the creek wall reconstruction could be used for capital projects. As a result approximately $1 million was available for the elevator and stair tower and other projects.

Butch Frati, the city’s Director of Operations and Deputy City Administrator, said barring any problems obtaining materials and elevator parts, the project is expected to take six months to complete.

The elevator and stairwell will service all four floors and meet ADA and health safety standards. ADA accessibility will be at the ground-floor level. A temporary ADA ramp was built at the North Washington Street entrance.

The new addition also will be include stone lintels above the windows and exterior brick to match the historical features of City Hall, which was built in the 1890s.

In 2019, the exterior fire escape was deemed unsafe and removed by a contractor.

The existing elevator has broken down numerous times because of its age. It’s more than 100 years old and finding replacement parts has been difficult and costly.

During one break down lasting several weeks last year Brown moved the administrative offices to the Innovation Center on South Main Street rather than have people climb four flights of stairs. Likewise, City Council held its public meetings at the center because of accessibility issues until the elevator was fixed.

The existing elevator will be classified as a service elevator, Brown said.