Train station renovation in Wilkes-Barre expected to begin next month

WILKES-BARRE — A project years in the making has a tentative start date of next month.

Engineer and developer George Albert said he’s received bids and has the financing in place to begin restoration of the historic train station on the former Market Street Square complex.

“We’re anticipating the start of construction in February,” Albert said Monday. The cost for the project is $1.2 million.

The more than 150-year-0ld Central Railroad of New Jersey passenger depot will be used for public and private use, Albert said.

Visit Luzerne County, the tourism promotion agency for the county, is interested in leasing first floor space.

”It’s been our intention all along,” said Ted Wampole, executive director of the agency. But the final say rests with Luzerne County Council, he said Tuesday.

There’s room on the first floor for memorabilia from Planters Peanuts. The company began as the Planters Nut and Chocolate Co. in 1906 in Wilkes-Barre by Amedeo Obici and Mario Peruzzi. The city was home to the company’s headquarters from 1925 until 1961. The building at 632 S. Main St. has been vacant for years.

The second floor will contain private office space, Albert said.

Albert also said a Family Dollar store will be built near the McDonald’s fast food restaurant on the corner East Northampton Street and South Wilkes-Barre Boulevard.

Albert and a group of investors make up Market Square Properties Development LLC that purchased the complex in 2016 for $1.2 million from the Luzerne County Redevelopment Authority.

Litigation and a dispute with the city over transferring a $1 million state grant initially awarded for another project Albert proposed for the former First National Bank building on Public Square downtown have delayed the development.

Without the state aid the train station project was in jeopardy and Albert warned the building could further deteriorate beyond repair. Wilkes-Barre Mayor George Brown, who took office in January 2020, supported the transfer of funds for the train station renovation and said the state Office of the Budget reprogrammed the grant.