Sep. 12—SCRANTON — Potentially acquiring and expanding city government's footprint to include the Fidelity Bank building beside City Hall would solidify Scranton's presence and administrative operations downtown, Mayor Paige Gebhardt Cognetti said.
But if and when Scranton would pursue such a project remains to be seen, and Cognetti emphasized nothing is set in stone.
The mayor discussed that and other potential projects Tuesday during a city council caucus on Scranton's proposed 2024 capital budget. Saturday's devastating storm, flooding that ravaged areas of the city and Scranton's ongoing response to the destruction it wrought dominated the beginning of the caucus, which is available in full via ECTV's YouTube channel.
Essentially a planning tool to track projects and purchases Scranton may pursue in the coming years, the capital budget proposal includes a $125,000 City Hall operations/facility usage study and the estimated $1.8 million facility acquisition and operations expansion. It also includes the next phase of a substantial City Hall restoration and repair project currently out for bid.
Noting city government has largely exhausted its capacity at City Hall, Cognetti described the adjacent Fidelity Bank building in the 300 block of North Washington Avenue as modern, Americans with Disabilities Act-accessible and conducive to the needs of residents seeking city services.
The building is not currently for sale, but Fidelity purchased and will eventually move its corporate headquarters to the Scranton Electric Building overlooking Courthouse Square. The North Washington Avenue building will be available when Fidelity makes that move, Fidelity President and CEO Dan Santaniello confirmed in a phone call late Tuesday.
If the city has interest, "it certainly would be a logical fit right next to City Hall," Santaniello said.
Council members voiced skepticism about the potential building acquisition and expansion project last week, when they introduced the city's 2024 capital budget.
Councilman Mark McAndrew is opposed to such a purchase. Both Councilman Tom Schuster and Councilwoman Jessica Rothchild said they want to see planned City Hall renovations completed before the city considers expanding.
Without committing to an expansion project, Cognetti said it's something officials should at least explore. The capital budget breaks the estimated $1.8 million cost down over three years, with $600,000 tentatively earmarked for 2024, 2025 and 2026, respectively.
Scranton would look to use state Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program grant money and other funding sources to purchase a building, should it pursue the project.