When a fire ripped through the former Pasqualichio Brothers building on Franklin Avenue in Scranton in May 2024, some initial thoughts were to tear it down.

John Basalyga, who purchased the building at 115 Franklin Ave. for $450,000 in June 2021, didn’t want to see that happen.

“That day, they wanted to bring in bulldozers and knock it down,” he said. “I was like, ‘No, we can’t do it yet. I want to look into it.’ I was glad I did all that because, at the end of the day, we have a great building downtown. We don’t need any more empty lots or dilapidated properties, so I was kind of proud we were able to save it. It was a good win for our company and it was a good win for the city.”

Upon learning of the blaze, Basalyga said he first thought about the safety of those involved before shifting his focus to finding a new temporary home for the employees of the Wylam & Georgetti law firm.

“I saw the smoke coming up, and when you see something like that, you just get sick to your stomach,” he said. “When I get the call, the first thing is always if everybody is OK, because nothing else matters. Buildings can be rebuilt, but you have to figure out what you have to do for your tenant, because they need to go back to work the next day, or the next Monday. We were able to move them over to the Southern Union building pretty quickly. We had space that was open and built for offices. Albeit not perfect, they were able to operate their business.”

Wylam & Georgetti staff members moved back into the Franklin Avenue building about a month ago, Basalyga said.

“We’re finishing up some work over there, we have to add sconces to the front, but I just think it’s a cool story of resilience,” he said. “It shows these guys wanted to be downtown for their business.”

The building, which had its roof and first floor badly damaged in the fire, spans the length of the alley from Franklin to Mifflin avenues and is composed of an original structure and additions.

Basalyga decided to demolish the middle section and renovate the front box portion fronting on Franklin Aveue and the rear section on Mifflin Avenue, making additional room for Wylam & Georgetti.

“They were expanding at the time of the fire toward the middle of the warehouse,” he said. “We were able to accommodate the extra space they needed in the lower level of that structure.”

Basalyga noted there is a lot of potential for the back part of the building, which once housed a meat processing and distribution company.

“It’s a really neat space,” he said. “When you walk in the back garage door, there is an area where they used to bring the animals into the building. Once we get some other projects out of the way, we’ll probably look at doing something there. It could be a salon or clothing store, or some type of lounge; it could be basically anything.”

Paul Wylam, a founding partner of Wylam & Georgetti, praised Basalyga and his team for their quick action to find a short-term solution and their perseverance in rehabbing the fire-damaged structure.

“From the day of the fire, we walked straight up the alley to the Southern Union building and they showed us the space,” Wylam said. “The fire was on a Saturday and we were up and running in that building by Tuesday or Wednesday. We’re very pleased to be back in, and I think those who work in my office tell people it’s even better than when we first moved in.”

Wylam treasures the unique character of the building and feels it provides a welcoming atmosphere.

“It’s a unique building, and you don’t have a lot of that downtown,” he said. “We wanted something different and that’s what it provided. It has the old brick exterior on a lot of the interior walls and steel staircases on the inside. It’s kind of homey to come into and work every day. It’s a pleasant place, it’s not your typical office setting.”

Monday Update

THEN: Fire heavily damaged the former Pasqualichio Brothers building at 115 Franklin Ave. in Scranton in May 2024.

NOW: After extensive renovation by building owner and developer John Basalyga, the structure is once again home to the Wylam & Georgetti law firm.

115 Franklin Ave. in Scranton on Friday, Nov. 07, 2025. (REBECCA PARTICKA/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER)115 Franklin Ave. in Scranton on Friday, Nov. 07, 2025. (REBECCA PARTICKA/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER)
115 Franklin Ave. in Scranton on Friday, Nov. 07, 2025. (REBECCA PARTICKA/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER)115 Franklin Ave. in Scranton on Friday, Nov. 07, 2025. (REBECCA PARTICKA/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER)