CLARKS SUMMIT — United Cerebral Palsy of Northeastern PA has been located at 423 Center St. since the mid-1980s, and the Miles Foundry and Miles Auto Parts Store were fixtures on Bedford Street in Clarks Summit for decades. That’s all set to change now that both of the property locations were recently purchased by Ron Parasole Jr. of Brick Ave LCC.
Parasole, a South Abington Township resident, plans to build a 36,000-square-foot apartment building on the former UCP property.
He said it will include 25 apartments — six one-bedroom and 19 two-bedroom units. Each will have a private balcony, central air and heat, and in-unit laundry. The building will include an elevator and trash chutes on every level. It will be pet-friendly with a dedicated dog park and dog wash stations. Plans also include a rooftop deck, outdoor kitchen, gas fire pit, pavilion, walking track with distance markers, community garden, wellness center, community coffee station, and parking for up to 50 vehicles.
The building will be constructed on a slab well above grade, with no basement, which places it above the floodplain to address prior flooding issues. The street’s stormwater infrastructure will be upgraded to provide additional flood protection.
Parasole, who has decades of experience as a local property manager, real estate broker, and general contractor, said he believes the new complex will be “the ultimate worry-free home for renters.”
“That means soundproof walls, thoughtfully designed layouts, energy efficiency, and durable, low-maintenance construction,” he said. “My own family will be living in one of the units, which reflects the level of confidence I have in what we are building. … This area has given so much to me, and I feel incredibly grateful for this opportunity and excited to bring this long-planned community-minded vision to life.”
Clarks Summit Borough officials said they look forward to the completion of the proposed construction.
“The building will be beautiful and will be good for Clarks Summit,” said Council President Gerri Carey.
Borough Manager Jennifer Basalyga agrees.
“The project will expand local housing options and is ideally located within walking distance of nearby businesses,” she said. “It is also expected to contribute to the borough’s tax base.”
UCP services to continue
United Cerebral Palsy of Northeastern PA uses the Center Street location for its Lekotek program and for its early intervention staff offices, according to CEO Sarah Drob. She said after deciding to sell the building, UCP has been looking at other potential sites to continue offering services.
UCP is the only Lekotek provider in the state, Drob said.
“Lekotek is a learn-through-play program for children with disabilities that incorporates the whole family in the learning process,” she said. “We also provide social/play group activities for children, adolescents, and young adults.”
Helping Hands, a private day care, also rented space in the building until February 2025, when it relocated after purchasing its own building.
Preserving local history
The Miles Foundry was opened in 1954 and was torn down in May 2025. The foundry made manhole covers that can be found all over the United States. Miles Auto Parts opened in 1932. Both locations were owned and operated by the late Chet Miles.
On March 27, 1975, the Miles Foundry caught fire, according to a Scranton Times article found on Newspapers.com. The fire, fanned by gusty winds, destroyed the foundry, including all of the small tools, patterns, electric motors, and welders. Miles Foundry employed 12 or 13 people at that time.
Parasole discussed the property’s importance to the area’s history.
“The former auto parts building was a long-standing fixture in the community,” he said. It’s important to me that the Miles family’s legacy is reflected in whatever ultimately moves forward, including the name “Miles Summit.” Any future use of the property will be shaped by site constraints, the approval process, and a desire to honor the history of the area and the Miles legacy. My intention is that whatever ultimately moves forward is something the community and the Miles family can be proud of.”
Carey remembers roller skating to Miles Auto Parts as a child.
“We had roller skates that fit over our shoes,” she said. “Chet Miles would oil and tighten our skates,” she said. “If he was busy with a customer, he’d stop what he was doing and take care of us. He always took care of all his customers.”
Robert Pawlukovich started working at Miles Foundry when he was 16.
“Chet Miles only hired me because my father, Gerald, worked there in the early ‘70s and knew my great-grandparents all his life — Roy and Sarah Dingee,” he said. “I was not permitted to be on the floor when the castings were being done. You had to be 18 legally to work there. I ground the castings with a large grinder. Chet Miles wanted me to learn as much as possible.”
Gerald Pawlukovich also shared about his time working at the Miles Foundry:
“I did a bit of everything, such as stacking molds and flat plates. The sand was stored outside, and by January and February, it was frozen. I was given a sledgehammer, a pick, a shovel, and a wheelbarrow and told to break up the sand. It was hard to do,” he said. “After a while, Chet Miles said it was cold and to take a break. He was a jokester and later showed me three wheelbarrows of sand. I thought there must be a trick. He probably took his backhoe to it. Chet Miles was a father to people, and if you needed something, he’d get it. He would look out for you.”
The Miles family declined to comment for this story.