Latest news with #RedevelopmentAssistanceCapitalProgram
Yahoo
7 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Remodel or replace? Johnstown considers 'way overdue' options for nearly century-old Public Safety Building
JOHNSTOWN, Pa. – As the Johnstown Public Safety Building closes in on the centennial anniversary of its dedication, the structure appears headed toward one of two fates over the coming years. City officials expect to either rehabilitate the facility to make it a clean, modern and structurally sound home for the police and fire departments. Or the structure could be rejected, razed and replaced with a brand-new building somewhere else in the city. Johnstown City Council's ultimate decision about what to do will, in large part, come down to money. A rehab is estimated to cost $10 million or more. Constructing a new building would likely top $20 million. Right now, Johnstown has $5 million for the project – $2.5 million apiece in federal American Rescue Plan Act for COVID-19 pandemic relief money and in state Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program grant funding. 'One of the drawbacks we have there is the funding stack,' Johnstown City Manager Art Martynuska said. 'We have a little, but not enough to do even a remodel.' Public Safety Building | Downtown Johnstown Public Safety Building on Washington Street in downtown Johnstown on Thursday, June 12, 2025. The building, 401 Washington St., was constructed and equipped at an approximate cost of $500,000, according to a Johnstown Tribune article from 1926. Work was done throughout 1925 – the year carved in stone on the front of the building – and 1926. It was formally dedicated Dec. 16, 1926. Sine then, the building has served as home to the fire and police departments that have protected city and regional residents in day-to-day times of need and during major events such as the 1936 and 1977 floods. But the building is now in disrepair. In recent years, the city has done mold remediation, water-proofing of the basement with new drains and sump pumps, and HVAC improvements to make it 'a little bit of a safer facility,' as Martynuska said. 'That's what we've been doing – patching it,' Johnstown City Councilman Ricky Britt said. 'Patches here, patches there. After a while, you don't have anywhere to put a patch. You can only patch it so many times.' Britt said 'the old building has served its use' and 'that the project there is way overdue.' 'We've definitely got our usage out of it,' Britt said. 'Hopefully we find the proper location and come up with the right amount of funds to build a new building.' Britt is among a group of city officials who support a new structure. That would involve finding a site, possibly dealing with floodplain issues in the downtown, and likely needing to knock down the current building so it does not become yet another vacant property in the municipality. Others, including City Councilwoman Laura Huchel, favor upgrading and modernizing the existing structure. 'I feel and think, based on some contributions from the planning commission, that the Public Safety Building can be rehabbed and retrofitted to be exactly what Johnstown needs out of a public safety building,' Huchel said. 'It's a very large building. It's more than we need for our current staff, so there are some rental opportunities there if we make it a welcoming space. 'The expense of doing that, while significant, does not even approach the expense of creating a brand-new building and then being faced with needing to demolish the old one.'
Yahoo
11-06-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Carbondale City Hall foyer to get facelift, display donated historic items
Carbondale native Frank 'Chauncey' Zazzera donated four handmade models of historic Carbondale buildings to the city to honor his late best friend and share the history of his hometown. While the 81-year-old who now lives in Fell Twp. hoped the city would display the replicas — the former Carbondale viaduct, a Delaware and Hudson Gravity Railroad roundhouse that was once in the city, Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church and the Pugliano building at Enterprise Drive and Dundaff Street — his donation inspired a renovation project to give Carbondale's 130-year-old-plus City Hall a revitalized foyer. The replicas were all handcrafted by fellow Carbondale native Harold Ort, and Zazzera donated them to the city in honor of his longtime best friend, Roy Miley of Carbondale, who died in 2023. 'I'd just like the people of Carbondale to really enjoy it. I just don't want them to stay in my attic. Who's going to see them up there?' Zazzera said. 'This way, everybody can see them and reminisce.' Models that were inspired by churches in Carbondale will be displayed in the foyer of Carbondale City Hall Tuesday, June 10, 2025. (SEAN MCKEAG / STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER) Built in 1892-1894, Carbondale City Hall at 1 N. Main St. is a Romanesque Revival-style brick and bluestone building that has been on the National Register of Historic Places since 1983, according to a building study in January by Martina Bacarella Architect, a Scranton-based architecture studio. City Hall underwent a comprehensive renovation project in 1996 that included upgrading the fire-suppression system, redesigning the council chambers, installing an elevator and enclosing a staircase in the rear of the building for accessibility, but the improvements didn't touch the foyer aside from adding the current oak doors into City Hall, Mayor Michele Bannon said. The front of Carbondale City Hall Tuesday. (SEAN MCKEAG / STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER) When Zazzera approached her about donating his collection of replicas to display in City Hall, Bannon thought it would be the perfect opportunity to upgrade the foyer. 'When you walk into a grand building like City Hall … you want it to be beautiful. You want it to be opulent,' she said. 'I thought that'd be a great way to show off our history, but at the same time, make it an elegant piece of the building.' Now, work is underway to upgrade the foyer's interior, with Bannon hoping to finish the improvements by the end of the month using a $3,000 grant from the Lackawanna Heritage Valley Authority. The city is also in the engineering phase of a project to upgrade its police station, which is in City Hall, including upgraded workstations for officers and enhanced security, she said. The police station project will use $300,000 in funds from the state's Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program, or RACP, Bannon said. She hopes to complete the police station project this year, though it could spill over into 2026. A view of the interior of Carbondale City Hall Tuesday, June 10, 2025. (SEAN MCKEAG / STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER) City Hall's foyer is currently being repainted, with other work including new furniture like railroad-style benches, displays for Zazzera's donations, revitalized tile flooring and potentially more lighting, said Bannon, who lauded the donated labor the city has received. For interior design, a local woman, Lynn Wallis, toured the foyer and gave the city suggestions for color palettes, furniture and displays. Adams Cable donated large, framed prints of historic Carbondale scenes to display; Councilman Walter Martzen refurbished and re-plastered a water-damaged wall; city zoning and code enforcement officer Doug Calzola, who is also a contractor, is overseeing the project; residents Margie Famularo and Marjanie Hellman provided technical assistance and support; and inmates from SCI Waymart are painting the interior, Bannon said. 'Everything is volunteer — the only thing we've paid for are materials,' she said. 'Every single person has donated their time, their treasures and their talent.' For Zazzera, displaying the replicas will showcase pieces of Carbondale's history that younger generations never got to see, especially regarding the D&H Railroad and its history. 'It's part of our history, and it's never going to go away,' Zazzera said. Zazzera recalled Ort, who he knew since the 1960s, building the models himself as part of a sprawling Lionel model train collection. Ort was a master electrician, Zazzera said. 'He was a very clever fellow,' he said, noting the viaduct and roundhouse were both made to scale. 'He had so many switches and components in that roundhouse that the actual turntable inside the roundhouse would turn.' After Ort died in 2018, Zazzera and his late best friend, Miley, approached Ort's wife to buy some of the buildings from his collection. When Miley passed away in 2023, Zazzera reached out to the Carbondale Historical Society about donating the items, but with the society tucked away on the third floor of City Hall, he hoped more people could see them, prompting him to contact Bannon. 'I want them someplace that people could see and appreciate what this is,' he said. The displays will be in memory of Miley while crediting Ort for making them, Zazzera said. In the future, Bannon wants to seek grant funding to address City Hall's exterior, with the largest expense being to replace its single-pane windows, which are original to the building. Several years ago, the city received an estimate that replacing the windows would cost nearly $1 million, she said. 'How can we expect developers and investors and existing business owners to make improvements in their properties if we're not willing to do them in ours?' Bannon said, emphasizing the need to use grants, donations and volunteerism to avoid overburdening taxpayers. 'I can't embellish enough how blessed we are to have so many people who want to see us thrive.'
Yahoo
09-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
New Carnegie Classification recognizes Behrend as a ‘Higher Earnings' college
ERIE — Penn State Behrend has received a new Carnegie Classification as a 'Higher Earnings' institution — a reflection of the return on investment for Behrend graduates. Just 10 percent of all U.S. colleges and universities received the 2025 designation, which measures graduates' earnings eight years after they enroll at a college. The designation, part of a new Student Access and Earnings Classification, is awarded by the American Council on Education and the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching; it also assessed student access at the institutions that were evaluated. 'This new designation reinforces what we consistently hear from our graduates, who find success and competitive compensation in their chosen careers,' Chancellor Ralph Ford said. 'That measure is important not only to our graduates, but to prospective students who are just beginning their college experience and want to be strategic with that investment.' In February, Penn State Behrend and Penn State Harrisburg received the Carnegie Classification for 'Research Colleges and Universities,' a new designation for high-achieving research institutions that do not award Ph.D. degrees. To qualify, a college must produce at least $2.5 million in annual research and development spending. At Behrend, the research enterprise now generates nearly $10 million in sponsored research every year. Highlights from the last year include: • $6.5 million from the commonwealth's Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program to begin construction of the Center for Manufacturing Competitiveness, an industry-facing research facility that will feature specialized plastics, metal-casting and manufacturing labs. • $4.4 million from the Department of Defense and the Institute for Advanced Composites Manufacturing Innovation to develop metals-based manufacturing programs. • $2.5 million in federal funding for a battery-testing rig that will be used to study thermal runaway — a chain-reaction that can occur when lithium-ion batteries overheat. 'Research opportunities are a pillar of Penn State Behrend's 'Open Lab' approach to learning,' Ford said. 'For students — especially undergraduates — a research experience can be a differentiator. In the lab or in the field, students more fully understand the nature of their work, and they see firsthand how they can make a difference.'
Yahoo
27-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
State awards Sharon Regional $2 million for improvements
SHARON, Pa. (WKBN) — A $2 million infrastructure improvement grant has been awarded to Sharon Regional Medical Center. Sen. Michele Brooks (R-50) made the announcement on Friday. The grant is being awarded through the Commonwealth's Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program (RACP). 'This funding for Sharon Regional demonstrates the commitment at the state level to ensure additional quality healthcare remains sustainable and available to the residents of Sharon and surrounding region,' Brooks said in a news release. 'The successful reopening of Sharon Regional Medical Center has been a critical victory for increased capacity, and the overall health and safety of our community; in addition, the investment of these funds will continue the established commitment from local and state leaders to help the hospital grow and thrive.' The release said a minimum of $500,000 will be for enhancements to the hospital's catheterization laboratory, and the remaining funds will be to enhance the hospital's physical plant. Medical Properties Trust, the company Sharon Regional leases the hospital's property from, is also working on projects such as replacing the hospital's roof. 'These infrastructure upgrades are an important step forward for Sharon Regional,' said Butch Eavenson, interim CEO of Sharon Regional, in the release. 'They lay the foundation for consistent, high-quality care and reflect the commitment of those working hard to restore essential services in our community.' Patient care services will continue during construction. Timelines for construction are still being finalized. 'The work underway at Sharon Regional is focused on creating a strong and sustainable foundation for care delivery,' said Radha Savitala, founder of Tenor Health Foundation. 'Investing in the facility is a critical part of ensuring patients can rely on the care they need, close to home.' The RACP is a Commonwealth grant program administered by the Office of the Budget for the design, acquisition, and construction of regional economic, cultural, civic, recreational, and historical improvement projects. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
11-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Wilkes-Barre council approves alcohol exceptions for Fine Arts Fiesta, Rockin' the River
Apr. 11—WILKES-BARRE — City council members unanimously approved temporary alcohol suspensions for two of the local area's biggest cultural events: the Fine Arts Fiesta on Public Square and the Rockin' the River series of concerts on the River Common. The Fine Arts Fiesta exception was noted as being for the wine-tasting area and only applies to wine. Malted or brewed beverages and liquors will still be prohibited on Public Square when the fiesta takes place from Thursday, May 15, to Sunday, May 18. The Rockin' the River exception is for three consecutive Fridays — July 11, 18, and 25 — this summer. The council's resolution on the matter notes that the designated area for open consumption of alcoholic beverages will be clearly identified on those dates by the event's sponsors, the Luzerne County Convention & Visitors Bureau. Public comment Mayor George Brown received significant backlash from residents in attendance at Thursday's meeting for his comments — which were recently printed in a local publication — regarding the city's strategies for handling homelessness. Residents April Pahler, Anthony Farah and Jasmine Rodriguez each took an opportunity to poke at the city's homelessness policy, specifically the methods with which a homeless camp was removed in Kirby Park in July 2024. The residents and council members came to some understanding about the resources available to the city's homeless population, and Brown defended his comments and policies. "If you saw the pictures or if you were over along the river and saw what the two encampments had done over there and put my firefighters and my police officers in danger — going over there at night with no lights and trying to walk through buckets of feces, buckets of urine, needles, and everything else that was over there that's going to create a safety hazard for these people that are trying to provide first aid and try to help them out — yeah, I think I did the right thing, and I would do it again," Brown said. During Brown's response to the residents' concerns, one meeting attendee stood up and shouted at the Mayor. "Absolutely inhuman [how] you're treating our neighbors here. Absolutely disrespectful. You should be ashamed of yourself. This council should be ashamed of yourselves by the way you treat the most vulnerable people in our community," the resident hollered as he was escorted from the council's chambers by police. Additional resolutions In addition to the alcohol allowances, the council also: —Approved the celebration of Earth Day on Tuesday, April 22, and the promotion of earth-friendly foods and a healthier food system in the city. —Reappointed Patricia Unvarsky to the Traffic Committee. —Authorized the proper city officials to file a Project Management Proposal with the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, for a Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program (RACP) Grant in the amount of $750,000 for assistance with King's College Student Success Center Project. —Authorized the proper city officials to sign any and all necessary documents related to awarding the contract to the lowest responsible bidder, Stell Enterprises, for the Bog Phase II All-Inclusive Playground/Park Project in the amount of $431,532.
