Scranton closes narrow Howley Court passageway between downtown buildings

SCRANTON — The city closed the Howley Court narrow passageway between two buildings downtown to prevent loitering there.

A public right-of-way alley between Linden and Mulberry streets, the 8-foot-wide Howley Court is behind buildings in the 300 of block of Penn Avenue and along the west wall of the 317 Linden building.

Developer Don Mammano, who owns 317 Linden and the next-door GAR Building at the corner of Linden Street and Penn Avenue, received approval from the city to install gates on Howley Court to prevent loitering in the passageway.

Scranton City Council on Tuesday adopted an ordinance from the administration of Mayor Paige Gebhardt Cognetti to close part of Howley Court to public transit, according to Electric City Television simulcast and video of the meeting posted on YouTube. The closure is necessary because Howley Court “has become a public nuisance due to loitering,” the legislation said. Previously, council introduced the ordinance on May 12 and then advanced it on second reading on May 21.

Howley Court is not marked on Google maps and does not have street signs. It runs parallel to Oakford Court, which is on the east side of the 317 Linden building.

During a May 21 public hearing held by council on the closure of Howley Court, council Solicitor Tom Gilbride said, “For the record, this alleyway does not have any automobile traffic. It is a breezeway, a walkway.”

The gates will be equipped with “panic hardware” and abutting property owners and public safety personnel will have keys to the gates. Installation and maintenance of the gates will come at no cost to the city, the legislation says.

On March 12, the city’s Historical Architecture Review Board approved the gates proposed by Mammano, according to an ECTV video. He said owners of buildings abutting the court supported the idea of installing gates.

“I have buildings on both sides (of Howley Court) and it (loitering) is a problem,” Mammano told HARB.

Noting the court’s narrow width, Mammano said, “It’s definitely never going to have a vehicle drive down it.”

HARB Chairman Michael Muller added, “I think it was referred to as a cartway on paper. It’s probably the only one in the city.”

One gate would be along Linden Street and the other gate would go behind the AV Restaurant & Lounge, Mammano said.

Muller said, “I do know this is needed, because my office has been in this proximity for a while. There’s always people back there that probably shouldn’t be back there doing whatever they’re doing.”