SCRANTON — United Neighborhood Centers of Northeastern Pennsylvania plans to unveil Friday its latest improvement project in the Pine Brook neighborhood.
The nonprofit agency completed a project called the Matzo Development, a renovation and conversion of the Matzo building at 1001 Capouse Ave. into mixed-use housing. A ribbon-cutting is scheduled for 2 p.m.
UNC leads a long-term revitalization plan underway in Pine Brook, a neighborhood known for industry, businesses, tight housing and diversity.
A five-year UNC revitalization plan for Pine Brook issued in April 2021 is similar to UNC’s revitalization of part of South Scranton several years ago. The Pine Brook plan has an overall goal of creating a stronger, more attractive neighborhood with buy-in from residents and businesses.
A key project in Pine Brook’s ongoing revitalization, “the Matzo Development represents a significant step forward in UNC’s long-term commitment to strengthening Pine Brook through high-quality, affordable housing and deliberate neighborhood investment,” the organization said in an announcement. “The project supports UNC’s vision of creating a vibrant, inclusive community where residents have access to safe housing, essential services, and economic opportunity.”
Renovations started a year ago at the Matzo building across Ash Street from the John Adams Elementary School.
Local officials and community leaders recently gathered for the groundbreaking of the Matzo Development, a mixed-use housing project in Scranton’s Pine Brook neighborhood. The project, part of United Neighborhood Center’s Pine Brook Revitalization, will provide both housing and commercial space to the area. From left: Martin Fotta, UNC chief operating officer; James Caffrey, UNCDC board chair; Jaime Ryan, PNC Bank; Lisa Durkin, UNC president and CEO; state Rep. Bridget Kosierowski; Shelby Rexrode, Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency; state Rep. Kyle Donahue; state Sen. Marty Flynn; Patti Monahan, NEPA regional manager for U.S. Sen. Bob Casey; and Lackawanna County Commissioner Bill Gaughan. (SUBMITTED)
The formerly vacant Matzo building previously had been a grocery store many years ago and more recently a sporting goods store.
The building also was once home to actress Lizabeth Scott, whose real name was Emma Matzo. She graduated from Scranton Central High School and attended Marywood College, before going on to co-star with Humphrey Bogart in the 1947 film noir classic “Dead Reckoning” and portray Elvis Presley’s manager in the 1966 film “Loving You.”
Scranton native and actress Lizabeth Scott and Elvis Presley at Paramount Studios in Hollywood in 1957. (TIMES-TRIBUNE / FILE PHOTO)
Other recent UNC improvements in Pine Brook have included: opening in June 2023 a pocket park called “Capouse Corner” at 1371 Capouse Ave. at New York Street; and helping facilitate a facade improvement in April 2024 at Nearra’s Pizzeria at 1439 Capouse Ave.
In January, UNC also embarked on plans to transform a blighted gateway of the Pine Brook neighborhood with a $22.5 million project to build 41 units of multi-family affordable housing on a 2-acre site on Capouse Avenue at Olive Street. This project called for demolishing structures at a junkyard at 601 Capouse Ave. and constructing a pair of three-story buildings, parking lots, walkways and landscaping on the property.
The Matzo building at 1001 Capouse Ave. in Scranton, which is part of the United Neighborhood Centers of Northeastern Pennsylvania’s Pine Brook Community Revitalization project, shown here on May 27, 2025, under renovation by UNC into mixed-use housing. (JIM LOCKWOOD / STAFF PHOTO)
The Matzo building at 1001 Capouse Ave. in Scranton, which is part of the United Neighborhood Centers of Northeastern Pennsylvania’s Pine Brook Community Revitalization project, shown here on May 27, 2025, under renovation by UNC into mixed-use housing. (JIM LOCKWOOD / STAFF PHOTO)
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The Matzo building at 1001 Capouse Ave. in Scranton, which is part of the United Neighborhood Centers of Northeastern Pennsylvania’s Pine Brook Community Revitalization project, shown here on May 27, 2025, under renovation by UNC into mixed-use housing. (JIM LOCKWOOD / STAFF PHOTO)