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County manager: Sell Market Street Square complex
Luzerne County Manager Robert Lawton is proposing a new course of action for the train station at the Market Street Square complex in Wilkes-Barre.
On Tuesday, Lawton said he does not support a prior decision to spend $2
million renovating the station and asked the county redevelopment authority to
sell the 5 acres of land, train station and its properties in the complex.
Why the county bought this pile of junk from Thom Greco for $5.8 million was a mystery to me and many others, the Bond Brothers made that deal.
In 2010, Greco was sentenced to two years probation for failing to tell
federal agents he was the victim of a shakedown by former county Commissioner
Greg Skrepenak.
Greco said Skrepenak refused to pay a bill of more than $10,000 for
televisions supplied to a sports bar run by Skrepenak's father, and prosecutors
said the televisions were a reward for helping with the purchase of the train
station complex.
Lawton has decided not to piss away more money on a property that is a total mess which is a good call. The idea that a visitors center could be built or the miracle of restored train service is not in the cards. The main building has been neglected for so long it is probably in similar shape as the Hotel Sterling. Steve Urban thinks it's all about him
"He is retaliating against me personally because I'm a supporter of the project," said Urban, who did not attend the meeting. "Anything we started he wants to destroy."
I always liked Steve when he was the minority commissioner willing to to say NO to stupid spending but he seems to go off the rails on this one.
Luzerne County is broke, it is less than broke with almost $500 million in debt obligations so spending on new projects is out out the question.
3 comments:
Something must be wrong for you and Lawton to be so right. Hey Steve, I was against Home Rule too, but it's here, we have to make the best of it. When they're right they're right.
Don't expect much demand for the station/lot. Not now, anyway- but don't want to see it end up back in the hands of that scumbag Greco again for a song. And Urban SR- Your ship has sailed. Go swim after it, and take JR with you....
People may want to hear it but when the county moved all those offices toPenn Place, it created a terrible parking situations for both the public and county employees. There simply is no open space for parking other than that particular property. The entire picture must be viewed before decisions can be made.
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