Downtown Pittsburgh Stretch Of Penn Avenue Flourishes

A map of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania with its neighborhoods labeled. For use primarily in the list of Pittsburgh neighborhoods. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

A two-block Downtown stretch of Penn Avenue is undergoing a mini-renaissance.

New stores are opening, at least three developers have plans to build more residential units, and one school just moved in and another is expanding — all in 800 and 900 blocks of Penn.

“It seems like all the little gaps are starting to get filled in now,” said John Valentine, executive director of the Pittsburgh Downtown Community Development Corp.

The two blocks near the David L. Lawrence Convention Center weren’t shabby by any stretch, not with a Courtyard by Marriott hotel, the Penn Garrison and several bars and restaurants anchoring the area.

Read more: http://www.post-gazette.com/stories/local/neighborhoods-city/new-tenants-fill-gaps-on-penn-avenue-645419/#ixzz21Avqtakl

Easton’s Long-Defunct Pomeroy’s Building Rents Apartments, New Restaurant On Way

Skyline of Easton, PA from Lafayette College (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

For 35 years the hulking, empty Pomeroy’s building symbolized the decline of Easton’s downtown.

Once a flourishing department store, the property was shuttered in 1977 and sat untouched on Northampton Street just a few dozen yards from Centre Square.

But a $4 million rehab that created 22 apartments, retail space and a restaurant has reclaimed what Mayor Sal Panto Jr. called the city’s white elephant. New renters arrive June 1, the building’s first tenets since the original “Star Wars” movie was released.

William Vogt and Mark Mulligan, partners in VM Development and owners of Pomeroy’s, said the project is a risk, but they believe Easton is ripe for their mix of high-end apartments and large retail spaces. Mulligan said six of the apartments, one- and two-bedroom units with granite counters, wood flooring and 14-foot ceilings, have been leased without much marketing.

Read more:http://www.mcall.com/news/local/easton/mc-easton-pomeroy-building-leasing-apartments-20120511,0,3901989.story

GoggleWorks Apartments On Schedule In Downtown Reading

Crews working on the GoggleWorks Apartments are finishing the fifth floor of the six-floor, 59-unit building at Second and Washington streets.

Construction work is on schedule, despite hitting hard rock in digging the foundation, said Eric E. Burkey, president of Reading-based Burkey Construction Co. that’s got the building contract.

The crews are crane-lifting prefabricated panels to assemble the parts of the five apartment floors.

Read more: http://readingeagle.com/article.aspx?id=351867

Lancaster Mixed-Use Project Wrapping Up Phase One

Liberty North, a high-end, mixed-use project at 1060 North Charlotte Street in Lancaster is almost ready to have its first tenants move in.  The second-floor renovations are complete and 20 of 21 loft apartments are rented!  First-floor work starts this fall and will add more apartments and commercial space.

Apartments rent for $900 – $1800 a month and there are no shortage of takers; if the success rate on the second-floor is any indicator for the rest of the project.

Here is as link to the site for the project with all the information you could want and pictures: http://drogariscompanies.com/libertynorth

More Awesome Revitalization News From York!

A twenty-something duo has purchased a dilapidated silk mill in York.  They are turning the structure into high-end apartments for young professionals!  The building has been vacant for years and was dragging the neighborhood down (one crappy property will do that).

The two buddies purchased the building for $133,000 in 2009.  Now, the three-story, 15,000-square-foot building is home to five one-bedroom and ten two-bedroom apartments.  Both owners live in the building with their wives and a young attorney has also moved in.  Two more leases have been signed.

This is not the first project these two childhood friends have done together.  Prior to this large project they renovated and flipped seven houses.  They purchased the Felton general store, renovated it and used the equity to buy the silk mill.  In addition to doing the work themselves, both men have day jobs, then come home and work on the silk mill.  They are looking at this real estate as income for now and retirement.

Both men want to live in York and have used local services when possible.

An open house will be held on June 26^th at 1 pm.  The apartments are located at 1410 Monroe St., West York.

Apartments rent for between $800 and $1000 a month.  The average size of the apartments is 1,000 square feet.   There are many amenities including a fitness center, off-street parking and a roof-top deck in is the works.  The apartments are conveniently located near the proposed Hanover extension of the York County rail trail.

For more information:

Call (717) 781-6360, e-mail askthemanagementcompany@gmail.com, or visit http://rtd4.com/24519.

Former Bank In Wilkes-Barre Given New Life

Image via Wikipedia

A former bank building on the fringe of downtown Wilkes-Barre is being transformed into a mixed-use residential/commercial property.

The former South Side Bank has been renovated and will feature 16 new apartments on the upper floors.  The apartments will be renting this summer.  The owner, Sam Johnson, is turning the first floor into a bar/restaurant/lounge.  The restaurant will be mid-priced and feature an All-American menu.

Johnson spent $2.2 million on this adaptive reuse project that began in 2009.  The apartments will feature hardwood floors, stainless appliances, central air, granite counter tops and other high-end features.  The apartments will be between 800 – 1000 square feet.

The building is at the corner of South Main and Ross Streets.  The restaurant and bar will be called South Side WB.

The South Side WB Facebook page with exterior picture: http://www.facebook.com/pages/South-Side-WB/180953501189#!/pages/South-Side-WB/180953501189?v=wall

Developer Charlie Jefferson: A Driving Force Behind Scranton’s Downtown Renaissance

 Connell Building exterior

My trip to Scranton included meeting and touring with Charlie Jefferson, along with Mayor Doherty.  Charlie is a Scranton developer who has a passion for his work and a desire to see Scranton blossom.  Charlie is responsible for the dramatic transformation of the Connell Building.  Charlie, like Mayor Doherty, is very down-to-earth and approachable.

Charlie took us inside the Connell Building.  The eight-story building sat vacant for 10 years before being developed.  The building’s occupancy rate was about 20 percent for ten years before becoming vacant.  Now there are 89 new 1 – 2 bedroom, market-priced, luxury loft apartments.  The building has been beautifully restored, while maintaining historical integrity and bringing the building up to code.  Every loft is rented.  There is a waiting list!  I have no interior pictures of any apartments because there is no model and Charlie was unable to contact anyone who might have let us tour and photograph their apartment home.  Maybe next trip!

The bottom two floors of the Connell Building will be used for commercial/retail/office.  This will be a great example of mixed-use development when this part is finished.  Charlie said he is working with a grocery store to move into the building along with other tenants to fill the remaining commercial/retail/office space.  Imagine the convenience of going down an elevator to the grocery store.  No driving, parking and traffic!  City living at its finest!

Another nice feature of the Connell Building is the attached parking garage.  Secure garage parking is available to all the residents of the Connell Building if they choose to rent a space.

Over 50% of the Connell Building’s tenants are new residents to Scranton and Lackawanna County.  There is a growing segment of people who want to live in a redeveloped heritage property.  These people are usually well-educated professionals who want the best urban living has to offer.  There are looking for walkable downtowns with fine restaurants, shopping, cultural events, services and entertainment.  Concentrated pockets of people in a downtown, with disposable income, will greatly increase the customer base for stores, restaurants and other businesses in general.  This phenomenon is not necessarily limited to the 20’s – 30’s demographic.  There are more middle-agers and seniors who want to sell the house, downsize and become urban dwellers entering this emerging market.

The Connell Building’s first tenant is a grandson of the building’s original owner.  He was very excited to see his family’s former building redeveloped and wanted to be part of the renaissance in Scranton.

Charlie’s newest project is the redevelopment of the former Chamber of Commerce Building, not far from the Connell Building.  The building is now vacant.  Like the Connell Building, the old Chamber Building was constructed during Scranton’s King Coal heyday.  It is very opulent.  Charlie plans to do the same thing with this building as he did with the Connell Building.  It is expected that Scranton will need 600 more apartments/condominiums in the next 5 years because of the medical college and spin-off development.  If the law school becomes a reality, that number will substantially increase. 

Charlie took us inside the old Chamber Building and we poked around.  Structurally it is in great shape and ripe for development.  The building has amazing architectural features and many of the apartments will feature spectacular views of downtown Scranton.  There will be balconies!  This project will rent out quickly because of the location and unique features of the space.  The success of the Connell Building has paved the way for further mixed-use development downtown.

I am looking forward to the completion of Charlie’s newest project.  It promises to be amazing.

Having a great developer, like Charlie Jefferson, to work with is a huge part of the redevelopment process.  Mayor Doherty has surrounded himself with some very competent people to help turn his vision for Scranton into a reality.

 

Chamber Building pictures below, currently vacant awaiting development!

Center City Living In Scranton Is Taking Off

Image via Wikipedia

The demand for Center City Scranton housing is heating up.  Another blighted landmark building in Central Scranton is being converted into more than 35 apartments with retail space on the first floor.  The 5-story Chamber of Commerce Building was built in grand style in 1926.  Brass rails, marble floors, 14-foot tall built-in bookcases and rollout doors are featured in the beautiful interior.  The building served the Scranton Chamber of Commerce until 1998.

Developer Charlie Jefferson, is the force behind this transformation.  Jefferson was also responsible for the Connell Building’s transformation into loft apartments.  All of the loft apartments were leased before anyone moved in.  Jefferson’s total investment in downtown Scranton is $35 million.  This Chamber of Commerce building sale was some where in the vicinity of $1 million according to Jefferson.

The former East Scranton Junior High School will be converted into 24 apartments.  A $3 million grant from Ed Rendell will help to transform this property into more apartments.  The school has been closed since 2001, according to a Facebook alumni page.

The construction of The Commonwealth Medical College is going to drive demand for 600 additional apartments in central Scranton in the next five years.  The amount of recent development in Scranton has been astonishing given the economic downtown during the last several years.  An increased population in the central business district will spawn the need for stores, restaurants, clubs and services like banks, dry cleaners, grocery stores and other conveniences for residents.  The Commonwealth Medical College is building an 180,000 square foot building in downtown Scranton that is opening this year.  The new facility will house the school’s educational and research programs.

Mayor Chris Doherty said “the success of the city will come from life downtown, and the trend is well on its way.”

Downtown Wilkes-Barre Becomes A Destination – Kings And Wilkes Play Large Roll

Image via Wikipedia

In 2001, downtown Wilkes-Barre hit bottom.  There was no reason to go there and the merchants who remained wanted out.  Kings College and Wilkes University tried to keep students on campus and played down their downtown Wilkes-Barre locations.  Now, on the verge of 2011, things are reversed.  Businesses are relocating downtown, Wilkes and Kings proudly show prospective students downtown Wilkes-Barre and the downtown is now viewed as a “destination” by Wyoming Valley residents.

How did this miraculous transformation occur?  Four community meetings were held which drew 1,000 people.  These meetings spawned Diamond City Partnership, a public-private alliance for downtown revitalization http://www.wbdcp.com/about.htm.  After years of hard work and “seed planting” center city Wilkes-Barre is “the place to be” again.

King’s College and Wilkes University have invested over $30 million dollars in downtown Wilkes-Barre by expanding and renovating their campuses.  There are 6,500 students between both schools.  With the abundance of clubs, bars, restaurants, stores, coffee shops, the Kirby Center and a 14-screen Cineplex, downtown Wilkes-Barre is a draw for students and residents alike.  This renaissance is helping the recruitment efforts of both colleges and is attracting new downtown residents who are looking for city-living in a “walk to everything” environment.  More residents downtown will help spur more economic development.

I think this line sums it up.  A visitor at the Kirby Center was overheard saying “Wilkes-Barre?” “Who knew?”

Norristown Takes A Giant Step Forward

Norristown Borough Council took a giant step into the light Tuesday evening.  The council unanimously voted to end multi-family apartment conversions for single-family homes!  BRAVO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The measure does allow for mixed-use meaning commercial use on the first floor and apartments on the upper floors.

Council has wisely decided to stop the madness.  By curbing the carving up of single-family homes into high density apartments, Norristown is demonstrating their desire to attract homeowners and shore up their tax base.

This is a big step in the right direction.

We applaud Norristown Borough Council for walking the talk!