The LuLac Edition #5, 544, January 14th, 2025

 

WRITE ON WEDNESDAY

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This week we reprise an article from Tony Calliao who tells us about plans for Pittston City under the Lombardo administration.

 

MAYOR LOMBARDO REFLECTS ON THE STATE OF PITTSTON

By Tony Callaio For Sunday Dispatch

 

Now that Michael Lombardo has been sworn in for his fifth nonconsecutive term as mayor of Pittston, he can focus his attention on the progression and improvements in the city that he started back in 1998 with his first term.

Only two other mayors of Pittston have served longer than Lombardo, Bob Loftus (1962-1980) and Tom Walsh (1980-1998), both serving 18 years. Lombardo served as mayor from 1998–2006 and then 2018 to present.

After being sworn in at noon on Jan. 5, along with incumbent council members Kenny Bangs and MaryPat Melvin Scarantino, and newcomer to council, Anthony “Tony” Guariglia by the Honorable Alex Kokura Kravitz, Lombardo said he was excited and eager to begin his fifth term.

“I’m very excited,” Lombardo said to his staff present. “I will tell you, actually, it’s probably more warning than a telling, coming into term five, I’ve got lots of ideas. I feel more motivated and energized than I did coming into term one and part of it is because all of you are around, and also because of the members of the staff that could sit here and I mean that sincerely to each one of you, to our both chiefs, to our other deputy administrators, and to our other department heads.”

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He continues, “This is going to be a challenging year. I will note that I used the word challenging as an exciting challenge, not as a scary challenge. Every year has a little bit of a scary challenge, but I think there are great things ahead of us. I’m super excited.”

Mayor Lombardo has plenty to be excited about with a major overhaul to the former Quinn’s Supermarket property as well as a seven-story retail, office, and residential tower with the addition of the new 650-seat American Theatre attached to it.

Quinn’s will be razed in the near future to make way for a four-story parkade with housing on two sides of the structure, including a large courtyard. The courtyard will meet up with the back of the American Theatre at the corner of Market and Kennedy Blvd.

Several years ago, Mayor Lombardo set a 100-house initiative in order to gain 100 more homes or apartments in the city. For his fifth term, he’s being even bolder.

“I’m upping the ante,” Lombard stated. “I’m moving the challenge up to 250 new units over the next four years. They’d either be single-family, which would be a total house rehab or a new build on an open lot, and townhouses, which we have some in the plans.”

Pittston Progress

Mayor Lombardo, now in his fifth term, unveils a bold vision for Pittston, including 250 new housing units over four years.

Plans for a new retail tower and community spaces are underway as Lombardo aims to revitalize the city.

Lombardo assures residents of tax relief and major developments, including improvements to the bridge and trails.

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Those plans include a project, touted as “Tailor Way,” paying homage to the garment industry that was so strong in the city for decades, will be located on Panama St. at the location of the ice skating rink behind the Convenient Food Mart on N. Main St.

According to Lombardo, the 40 units will consist of one to four bedrooms, complete with one community room.

Part of the 250 units will be included in the Pittston Hospital project, wherethe owner/developer John Basalyga plans on turning the existing structures on the property into housing.

Lombardo said there is room enough on the property to add additional housing.

The Pittston Hospital deal was a partnership between the city and Jenkins Twp. Pittston City owned a portion of the property and the rest by Jenkins Twp.

Basalyga purchased the property for $400,000, which the Pittston Redevelopment Authority will split the profit with Jenkins Twp. handing over $200,000 to the township.

In addition, the City of Pittston has agreed to share property tax revenue into perpetuity, giving Jenkins Twp. an estimated up to and beyond $30,000 per year.

The three standing buildings at the hospital could hold up to 70 apartments renting at approximately $1,800 to $2,600 each.

With the annexation of the Jenkins Twp. hospital property, Lombardo said the city has grown geographically since its existence.

“We just increased the homestead exemption again,” Lombardo added. “We’re going to see about 94% of our homeowners and seniors get a tax reduction this year.

Lombardo said he has secured money to redo the lower Tomato lot. It will be reconfigured, the center island will be removed, water drainage will be relocated, and a new permanent stage will be built at the east end of the lot.

Other projects in sight are townhouses on Broad Street, as well as lofts at the Bell Tower project (formerly the Presbyterian Church) on Broad Street.

On the mayor’s dream list would be retail space near the former Pittston Lumber location.

“I want to start to formulate Main Street too, which is, sort of, the expansion of the downtown into the junction section of the city,” Lombardo explained. “We’ve been talking to the rail company about that, but I think there are opportunities there for increased housing. I think there are opportunities there for increased retail. I really would love to create, with the train there, a little antiques district.”

Lombardo did not want to discount young or new first-time homebuyers in the future. A project is titled “Your Dream Starts Here.”

“I think there’s a possibility of a dual city partnership (with Wilkes-Barre) to roll out a really cool program where we can help,” said Lombardo. “This could help people with challenges of somebody who wants to get their first home.”

One big question that is on all of the minds of those living and working in Greater Pittston; when will there be movement on the two bridges crossing Pittston to West Pittston?

“I think at some point in the summer you’re going to start to see activity there,” Lombardo speculated. “We’ve cleared a bunch of the hurdles. So I’m excited about that.”

The long-overdue Fort Pittston project needs to get started this year at some point, according to the mayor.

“It’s got to get started this spring. It can’t go through another season and not be completed and I think we’re overall the hurdles. And my understanding is we’re going to start to see some activity in March and April.”

Lombardo said he would like to turn his attention to the trail system along the rail bed connecting to the highly used Lackawanna County Heritage Trail. The city has $2 million set aside in funds to finish the project.

The property known as the Open Space, across from the Tomato Festival lower lot were nearly completed office space could open as early as Feb. 2026.

Lombardo mentioned the partnership with the Greater Pittston YMCA with the building at the corner of Main and William Streets.

“That give us a couple more loft units downtown in the upper building of the former LaFocca Dentist building,” Lombardo said. The YMCA will do the renovations on the first and lower floor to expand the childcare. They’re also working on the rehab of the front of the Y building.”

There are several other projects on the back burner, and it is a bit too premature to bring them to the forefront, Lombardo said.

“I’m grateful to our taxpayers,” Lombardo admitted, on being elected to a fifth term. “I’m going to continue to fight hard to make sure that we do the things we’re supposed to do for the good of the city and the residents.”