SCRANTON — Scranton City Council will determine whether Fidelity Bank can demolish a condemned building downtown at 324 N. Washington Ave. for parking for the bank’s new headquarters nearby.
On Feb. 12, the city’s Historical Architecture Review Board rejected Fidelity’s request to demolish the condemned, former Mattes & Mattes attorneys’ building to make way for a bank parking lot there.
HARB’s recommendation against demolition went before council Tuesday in the form of a resolution to uphold HARB.
Council unanimously introduced the resolution, with council President Tom Schuster, Patrick Flynn, Mark McAndrew, Sean McAndrew and Jessica Rothchild all in favor, according to an Electric City Television simulcast and video of that meeting posted on YouTube.
It’s not the last word on the matter. Council then tabled the resolution pending a public hearing on it this coming Tuesday, March 10, at 5:30 p.m. at City Hall.
Fidelity Bank is renovating the iconic Scranton Electric Building at 507 Linden St. into a headquarters, completion of which is expected in April. That will result in the Fidelity branch at 334-336 N. Washington Ave. being vacated and sold to the city, which intends to use it as an annex to City Hall at 340 N. Washington Ave. The bank branch will remain open until Fidelity completes its headquarters at the eight-story landmark topped with the iconic “Scranton, The Electric City” sign.
As part of the Scranton Electric Building renovation project and move, Fidelity bought the Mattes & Mattes building at 324 N. Washington Ave. to raze it to make way for parking there for bank employees relocating to the Scranton Electric Building.
Fidelity already owns the parking lot off North Washington Avenue between the Mattes building and the building at 312 N. Washington Ave., as well as the parking area behind Abe’s Deli at 326 N. Washington Ave. Fidelity also owns the parking area behind the Scranton Electric Building. Those parking lots are accessed via Dix Court.
But in rejecting the demolition of 324 N. Washington Ave., HARB members said they were learning for the first time that the Mattes building had been condemned by the city and Fidelity did not demonstrate it was beyond repair. They also don’t want a larger gap in the streetscape of North Washington Avenue that would result from the razing of the Mattes building, and there also is ample parking available in the Linden parking garage across the street from the Mattes building.
Residents speaking at Tuesday’s council meeting on the issue had mixed opinions.
Joan Hodowanitz cited an inspection report that the building was beyond repair. She also does not think the gap in the streetscape from demolition would be relatively small, and she’s glad that Fidelity is saving the Scranton Electric Building.
“I hope you do not approve HARB’s recommendation,” Hodowanitz said. “I don’t have a problem with them taking down that building.”
Tom Coyne said he thinks the city has a conflict of interest because it is buying the Fidelity branch and he urged council to back HARB.
“Let them (Fidelity) take it to court, where there’s not a conflict of interest,” Coyne said.
Sean McAndrew wanted council to find out why the city blocked off the sidewalk in front of the Mattes building, saying, “I think the timing of it looks a little weird.”
Council Solicitor Tom Gilbride said, “There’s basically nothing underneath the sidewalk … The building is structurally in terrible shape. That situation that you are seeing with the sidewalk is adding to that and the sidewalk itself is undermined.”
Schuster asked for council to get the Fidelity application for demolition that was submitted to HARB, and for council to forward to HARB information that council has on the building.
Rothchild said, “I also look forward to hearing from representatives from Fidelity Bank when they come in for the hearing and that will help me make my decision.”
Scranton has the sidewalk closed in front of the condemned building at 324 N. Washington Ave. downtown, on Wednesday, March 4, 2026. (JIM LOCKWOOD / STAFF PHOTO)
Scranton has the sidewalk closed in front of the condemned building at 324 N. Washington Ave. downtown, on Wednesday, March 4, 2026. (JIM LOCKWOOD / STAFF PHOTO)
Scranton has the sidewalk closed in front of the condemned building at 324 N. Washington Ave. downtown, on Wednesday, March 4, 2026. (JIM LOCKWOOD / STAFF PHOTO)
Scranton has the sidewalk closed in front of the condemned building at 324 N. Washington Ave. downtown, on Wednesday, March 4, 2026. Fidelity Bank wants to demolish the building and use the property for parking for the bank’s new headquarters going into the Scranton Electric Building, visible in background. (JIM LOCKWOOD / STAFF PHOTO)
Scranton has the sidewalk closed in front of the condemned building at 324 N. Washington Ave. downtown, on Wednesday, March 4, 2026. (JIM LOCKWOOD / STAFF PHOTO)
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Scranton has the sidewalk closed in front of the condemned building at 324 N. Washington Ave. downtown, on Wednesday, March 4, 2026. (JIM LOCKWOOD / STAFF PHOTO)