SCRANTON, LACKAWANNA COUNTY (WBRE/WYOU) — For 10 years, the historic Scranton Electric Building stood neglected in the heart of Scranton. Now, renovations are underway to help bring economic growth and community to the downtown.

On Wednesday, a $30 million renovation was attached to the site in downtown Scranton.

“We owe so much to this community. This community supports us in a big way. So, to give that back space is very small in the relationship to what we get. It just seemed like the right thing to do,” said President and CEO of Fidelity Bank, Daniel Santaniello.

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Fidelity and the state of Pennsylvania funded the project. The renovations started about a year ago. Most floors will serve as the new home of Fidelity’s headquarters, but the eighth floor will be a space for the community to use for other purposes.

“The room we are standing in right now, it was a former assembly room because it was the board of trade back in 1896. Dan is absolutely determined that this will be a space for the community to come use for meetings, a ballroom, use it for whatever you want. But this is a space for the community,” said Michele Dempsey, architect at Layerx.

For Dempsey, it was a dream for her to be working on the project. The goal for everyone involved was to weave the old woodwork with the new feel the building will bring.

That challenge is well worth it for Dempsey.

“As we peeled back the layers of the onion, we saw so much beauty. So much history, and we were just like, ‘we are just going to resurrect it all.’ We are going to keep all that beauty and all that history while also making this a place for today and tomorrow,” said Dempsey.

Even before the bank bought the building, Fidelity committed financial resources to turn the lights back on for the Scranton Electric City sign.

“Being a native of Scranton, it’s an honor,” said Santaniello.

The renovated space is expected to be completed in the early part of 2026, with Fidelity moving their headquarters there shortly after.

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