Local developer John Basalyga sees opportunity in Carbondale and strives to transform the vacant, former Marian Community Hospital property into a bustling space.
Basalyga, owner of JBAS Realty, purchased the former hospital property and four other parcels for $1.395 million, according to a deed recorded Tuesday in Lackawanna County.
Marian Community Hospital, created in 1992 through the merger of Carbondale General Hospital and St. Joseph’s Hospital, closed in February 2012, terminating the jobs of 233 people.
The Just Believe Recovery Center — a drug and alcohol rehabilitation clinic — opened in the space in May 2015 before eventually being evicted from the property about seven years later.
“It’s been sitting vacant for a while and I think resurrecting that building will really turn Carbondale around,” Basalyga said. “I’ve been watching the property for probably four years and the timing became right.”
While keeping his options open, Basalyga intends to target medical tenants for the five-floor, more than 43,000-square-foot former hospital building at 100 Lincoln Ave.
“My plan is to try to bring some of that back to the property because it’s truly built for it,” Basalyga said. “It needs some updates and things, but it’s in really good shape. There was some vandalism and some aesthetics that need to be cleaned up, but I’m thinking some medical and maybe some mixed-use as well just to fill it up. We’re reaching out to some people and hopefully some people reach out to us.”
A nighttime rendering of developer John Basalyga’s planned transformation of the former Marian Community Hospital property at 100 Lincoln Ave. in Carbondale. (COURTESY JBAS REALTY)
The purchase also included a three-floor, nearly 17,000-square-foot professional building at 141 Salem Ave. that was formerly occupied by Wayne Memorial Hospital. Basalyga envisions a medical use for that property, too.
“We’re probably going to start with that building,” Basalyga said. “We’ll clean it up, make sure everything is running right, update the fire, mechanical, electrical and plumbing systems, and get it ready to lease out.”
Among the other properties associated with the sale are a former convent at 24 Park St.
While the hospital project represents Basalyga’s first major task in Carbondale, he purchased the former Community Bank building on Salem Avenue last year and seeks a tenant for the space.
“I’ve been keeping an eye on Carbondale for a little bit because there are a lot of great buildings up there and a lot of open square footage,” he said. “I think if a couple good things happen, it could spur some development and get people interested because it’s a great little downtown. I’ve met with the mayor of Carbondale (Michele Bannon) multiple times and she’s super supportive of anything we do that benefits the town.”
Bannon trusts Basalyga’s vision for the campus, which nearly encompasses an entire city block.
“I always say that words are one thing, but action is another,” she said. “When you look at his track record, he’s done such a great job in all the other communities he’s been in. I’m very excited about having him on such a prominent, substantial property within the city of Carbondale. He does a fantastic job of moving into a community and knowing what needs to be done.”
Early conversations with Basalyga regarding the scope of the work have been promising, Bannon said.
“Thankfully, the city has done tons of studies over the past couple years that have come from the public and statistical data, and all that information has been shared with Mr. Basalyga,” she said. “There is a plethora of things we need and we always want to hear what our residents want. We’re very excited because the hospital is smack dab in the middle of a neighborhood. We’re thrilled that our neighbors up there will have new life going into their neighborhood and into the city itself. On the municipal level, we’re committed to sharing information with the residents and being a great partner with Mr. Basalyga at the same time.”
While Bannon looks forward to seeing the properties beautified, she’s also thankful for Basalyga’s commitment to keeping the hospital area secure.
“It was a safety concern for us, for the last several years, and I’m very relieved to know there is an owner on the property that cares about that aspect of it and wants to make it better,” she said.