Plans have come and gone over the last decade about what to do with the former Scranton Center along Adams Avenue.
“We tried to sell it, we were looking for different partners, and then late last year, John Basalyga came along and said that he was interested in potentially doing a partnership with us,” said Lackawanna College Vice President of External Affairs, Brian Costanzo.
Brian Costanzo with Lackawanna College says a deal with local developer John Basalyga will allow the school’s footprint to expand. “We’ve had some mergers, we’ve added some new programs, and our Health Science programs are bursting at the seams, and we just did not have enough space on our current campus footprint to be able to allow those programs to grow to the point where they could take more students annually.”
Instead of burdening students with higher tuition to cover renovation costs, Costanzo says the college sold the property to Basalyga and signed a long-term lease.
He says that will allow the school to expand its already at-capacity learning courses and help bolster its transition from a junior college to a Division II athletic program.
“Division II joining the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference is a big venture for us,” said Costanzo. “That’s going to bring a whole new population of students. Some of those students are now in four-year programs, so some of the majors we’re going to need to add or expand will play a part in that expansion.”
The building’s redevelopment would create potential for student dorms, apartments, office and professional space, and retail opportunities.
In a statement to Newswatch16, owner John Basalyga says, “Teaming up with Lackawanna College on this new venture is truly exciting—it revives a long-dormant project and demonstrates the power of collaboration for the benefit of our community. To me, there’s simply no better investment than in my hometown.”
Work is underway at the old Scranton Center.
College staff expect the project to wrap up sometime later this year.