The former Elmer L. Meyers High School would be transformed into a multi-use space including apartments, a public auditorium and swimming pool, a weight gym, pickleball and basketball courts, and a proposed retail space if approved by the Wilkes-Barre Zoning Hearing Board.
Hannah Simerson | Times Leader
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WILKES-BARRE — The former Elmer L. Meyers High School building could see new life if zoning variances are approved by the City of Wilkes-Barre Zoning Hearing Board.
According to the board’s agenda for a hearing later this month, Carey Holdings seeks variances for the adaptive reuse of the vacant school.
Contingent on the board’s approval, the building, which sits at 341 Carey Ave., would host 103 apartments, a public auditorium and public swimming pool, a weight gym, and pickleball and basketball courts.
Casey Holdings also proposes utilizing almost 13,000 square feet of the property as retail space, as well as adding a parking lot with over 300 spaces.
In June 2021, Wilkes-Barre Area School District closed Meyers and Coughlin high schools, opening the Wilkes-Barre Area High School in Plains Township as a replacement. The new school welcomed students from the areas of the former Meyers, Coughlin, and GAR high schools.
After over 90 years in operation, Meyers lay empty — but its prospects drew in developers looking to re-purpose the space.
After a bidding war for the property broke out in April of 2022 between Developer John Basalyga and YMSF Family Partnership, the parent company of Carey Holdings, YMSF Family Partnership upped their previous bid of $2.8 million to $3.2 million to increase chances of getting the sale, which was unanimously approved by the school board.
Contingent on the approval of the zoning requests, Carey Holdings will purchase the 250,000-square foot property, including the Wilkes-Barre Memorial Stadium, from the Wilkes-Barre Area School District for the approved amount of $3.2 million.
Efforts to reach officials with Carey Holdings were unsuccessful.
The board also is scheduled to hear from:
• Quisqueyana Multiservice for the property located within an R-1 zone at 112 Scott St., which currently contains five apartments, a barber shop, and approximately 1,165 square feet of vacant commercial space. Quisqueyana Multiservice hopes to transform the vacant commercial space into a multi-service/ tax preparation office.
• Sal A. Laban for the property located within an R-2 zone at 263 North River St. for a variance to convert a two-family dwelling into a three-unit dwelling. Laban will also seek a variance to waive two parking spaces for the proposed use and a variance to waive the minimum lot area per dwelling unit from 3,500 sq. ft. decreased to 1,149 sq. ft. per unit.
The hearings will take place on Wednesday, Dec. 20 at 4:30 p.m. in City Council Chambers, located on the fourth floor of Wilkes-Barre City Hall.
