Scranton City Council advanced legislation Thursday from Mayor Paige Gebhardt Cognetti to fund the city’s $1.88 million purchase of a building next to City Hall for a municipal annex that includes a police “Real Time Crime Center.”
Council introduced an ordinance from the mayor on June 30 to assemble $1 million in city funds for the purchase of the former Fidelity Bank branch at 334-346 N. Washington Ave. A prior council authorized the purchase in December and the city executed a contract and paid a 10% deposit. A closing is expected to be held Aug. 2.
After introducing the ordinance, council tabled it to get more information in a caucus with members of the administration about costs and plans for use of the annex.
Council held that caucus on July 7. The city plans to move into the annex first floor some departments in City Hall that regularly interact with the public, including treasury and inspections/code enforcement. A “Real Time Crime Center” of the Police Department would occupy the second floor. The city does not currently need the third floor space and plans to rent that floor out to an as-yet unidentified tenant, to raise revenue.
On Thursday, council removed the ordinance from the table and advanced it on second reading in a 4-1 vote, with council President Tom Schuster, Mark McAndrew, Patrick Flynn and Jessica Rothchild all voting yes, and Sean McAndrew voting no.
Schuster, Flynn and the McAndrews each expressed reservations about the city taking on an annex, questioning the purchase approval in December by a lame-duck council, and whether an annex is needed and or if the city could afford it.
The prior council authorized the purchase of the bank branch in December in a 3-2 vote, with Schuster and Mark McAndrew voting no, and Rothchild and former members Gerald Smurl and Bill King voting yes to approve the purchase. At that time, Sean McAndrew spoke out against the purchase.
On Thursday, Schuster, Flynn and Mark McAndrew each said that while they have reservations, they each would vote to advance the funding to complete the purchase because it was set in motion last year and is too far along to reverse without significant ramifications. Voting down the funds would mean the city would lose its $188,000 deposit and potentially expose the city to costly litigation, they said.
The ordinance likely would come back before council for a third vote on adoption at council’s next weekly meeting Tuesday at 6:30 p.m. at City Hall.
Fidelity Bank recently vacated the branch as part of its conversion of the Scranton Electric Building at 507 Linden St. into the bank’s new headquarters.
The former Fidelity Bank branch at 334-346 N. Washington Ave. in downtown Scranton, in foreground, and which the city is buying for a municipal annex next door to the historic 1888 City Hall at 340 N. Washington Ave., in background, shown here on Tuesday, July 7, 2026. (JIM LOCKWOOD / STAFF PHOTO)
The lobby of the former Fidelity Bank branch at 334-346 N. Washington Ave. in downtown Scranton, which the city is buying for a municipal annex next door to the historic 1888 City Hall at 340 N. Washington Ave.; with photo taken Tuesday, July 7, 2026. (JIM LOCKWOOD / STAFF PHOTO)
The former Fidelity Bank branch at 334-346 N. Washington Ave. in downtown Scranton, which the city is buying for a municipal annex next door to the historic 1888 City Hall at 340 N. Washington Ave., with the branch shown here on Tuesday, July 7, 2026, already having the Fidelity name off of the facade. (JIM LOCKWOOD / STAFF PHOTO)
An office in the former Fidelity Bank branch at 334-346 N. Washington Ave. in downtown Scranton, which the city is buying for a municipal annex next door to the historic 1888 City Hall at 340 N. Washington Ave., with photo taken Tuesday, July 7, 2026. The window looks out on North Washington Avenue. (JIM LOCKWOOD / STAFF PHOTO)
An office in the former Fidelity Bank branch at 334-346 N. Washington Ave. in downtown Scranton, which the city is buying for a municipal annex next door to the historic 1888 City Hall at 340 N. Washington Ave., a wall of which is visible through the window, shown here on Tuesday, July 7, 2026. (JIM LOCKWOOD / STAFF PHOTO)
The lobby of the former Fidelity Bank branch at 334-346 N. Washington Ave. in downtown Scranton, which the city is buying for a municipal annex next door to the historic 1888 City Hall at 340 N. Washington Ave., with photo taken Tuesday, July 7, 2026. (JIM LOCKWOOD / STAFF PHOTO)
Slide show image of reallocation of space on part of first floor of Scranton City Hall, after offices there move next door to an annex the city is buying from Fidelity Bank. Slide was part of presentation by administration of Mayor Paige G. Cognetti to Scranton City Council on Tuesday, July 7, 2026. (IMAGE COURTESY OF CITY OF SCRANTON)
The first floor lobby in the former Fidelity Bank building on N. Washington Ave. in downtown Scranton Tuesday, July 7, 2026. (SEAN MCKEAG / STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER)
The outside of the Fidelity Bank building on N. Washington Ave. in downtown Scranton Tuesday, July 7, 2026. (SEAN MCKEAG / STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER)
Show Caption
1 of 9
The former Fidelity Bank branch at 334-346 N. Washington Ave. in downtown Scranton, in foreground, and which the city is buying for a municipal annex next door to the historic 1888 City Hall at 340 N. Washington Ave., in background, shown here on Tuesday, July 7, 2026. (JIM LOCKWOOD / STAFF PHOTO)