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Blueprint for PA: State leaders tour Pittston, see site of planned theater, other future projects

City officials show state leaders the site of the theater project planned for Pittston.
Sarah Hofius Hall
/
WVIA News
City officials show state leaders the site of the theater project planned for Pittston.

Bundled on a frigid January morning, state and local leaders could see their breath as they walked down Pittston’s Main Street.

The city’s mayor could see progress and potential.

Michael Lombardo hosted the leaders on Tuesday, showing Department of Community and Economic Development Secretary Rick Siger how state funds have helped the city revitalize downtown. He also provided an update on the Pittston Redevelopment Authority’s proposed theater project, which he hopes to break ground on later this year.

“We've had great support from our partners. And the other thing is, I would say that I have a fantastic team. I can't say enough about the team,” Lombardo said. “If you stick with the plan, you can move the needle forward.”

The mayor led Siger and others, including state Sen. Marty Flynn and state Rep. Jim Haddock, past bright murals to projects supported with state funds.

In the 1930s and 40s, the Waterfront Warehouse was home to one of the nation’s largest manufacturers of women’s undergarments. At one time, there were 88 garment operations in the city. The former 150,000-square-foot factory now includes residential and commercial space along with two restaurants, and was converted with the assistance of state funding.

The Waterfront Warehouse was once home to one of the nation’s largest manufacturers of women’s undergarments in the 1930s and '40s. The building is now home to businesses, restaurants and apartments.
Sarah Hofius Hall
/
WVIA News
The Waterfront Warehouse was once home to one of the nation’s largest manufacturers of women’s undergarments in the 1930s and '40s. The building is now home to businesses, restaurants and apartments.

Pittston can provide a “blueprint” for other towns in Pennsylvania, Siger said.

“With the right plan, with focused investments, with support from the state, with local commitment, private sector commitment … you can pull together a really outstanding set of outcomes,” Siger said. “We're excited to be here to learn and also to talk more about how we can help other communities achieve the same kind of success Pittston’s had.”

Siger took the opportunity to promote Gov. Josh Shapiro’s new $20 million Main Street Matters program to support downtowns, main streets and surrounding neighborhoods across Pennsylvania.

“The formula works … public, private partnerships, casino money,” Flynn said. “The mayor's done a great job putting things together here and having successful projects done.”

The redevelopment has helped lead to new business, and thus, an increase in the earned income tax collected by the city. As a result, city property taxes haven’t increased in 16 years, Lombardo said.

At the corner of Main and Market streets, the group stopped and Lombardo explained what he hopes will soon bring even more people to Pittston.

Lombardo hopes to break ground on the New American Theater project later this year — a $32 million project of the Pittston Redevelopment Authority.

Officials hope to break ground on the New American Theater at Market and Main streets in Pittston later this year.
Courtesy of OOMBRA Architects
Officials hope to break ground on the New American Theater at Market and Main streets in Pittston later this year.

Along with a 630-seat theater — the first in Pittston since the original American Theater was demolished in 1993, the building would include residential and office space.

It would connect to another project planned for the former Quinn’s market property, acquired by the city last year with the assistance of a state program. The city wants to build a parking garage that has both commercial and residential space and an outdoor plaza.

Other projects in the works include the redevelopment of the former Pittston Hospital, which includes annexing the property from Jenkins Twp. to Pittston. Lombardo said he would be able to provide more details soon. He also hopes to convert Main Street and Kennedy Boulevard from one-way to two-way traffic, which city officials believe will help with economic growth.

A mural in Pittston depicts the region's former coal, garment and railroad industries.
Sarah Hofius Hall
/
WVIA News
A mural in Pittston depicts the region's former coal, garment and railroad industries.

Sarah Hofius Hall worked at The Times-Tribune in Scranton since 2006. For nearly all of that time, Hall covered education, visiting the region's classrooms and reporting on issues important to students, teachers, families and taxpayers.

You can email Sarah at sarahhall@wvia.org