Funds Sought To Restore Wilkes-Barre Irem Temple

Map of Pennsylvania highlighting Luzerne County (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

WILKES-BARRE – The 107-year-old Irem Temple building, a historic landmark on North Franklin Street, once was Wilkes-Barre‘s primary public performance venue.

Today, the once-grand building has fallen into disrepair and has no heat, lights or electricity.  But city and chamber officials are trying to save it.

During a tour by flashlight Wednesday, Ross Macarty, vice president of community development, real estate and special projects for the Greater Wilkes-Barre Chamber of Business and Industry, showed that water damage has taken a toll on the deteriorating building and thieves have stolen copper and brass inside over the past two months.

The Greater Wilkes-Barre Development Corp., an arm of the Greater Wilkes-Barre Chamber of Business and Industry, bought the building in 2005 for $992,000, using a combination of federal, state and chamber funds.  The chamber and city are seeking $2.4 million in state gaming funds to bring the building up to code and return it to use.

Read more:  http://thetimes-tribune.com/news/business/funds-sought-to-restore-wilkes-barre-irem-temple-1.1434055

Kings College Reopens Today, September 11th

Kings College in Wilkes-Barre, PA will reopen today at noon!  The college evacuated their students and closed in the wake of the recent historic flooding in Wilkes-Barre.  Sunday sports and events are cancelled except for Mass in the chapel at 8 p.m.  Classes will resume Monday.

The City of Wilkes-Barre also lifted their mandatory evacuation order on Saturday for those areas unaffected by flooding.

More Wilkes-Barre/Wyoming Valley Hurricane Lee News

Image via Wikipedia

PPL Electric cut power to the Wilkes-Barre City flood zone at 5 pm today.  This was done to avoid a major power failure.  Water and electricity do not exactly mix well.

The Pierce Street Bridge between Wilkes-Barre and Kingston is closed to traffic along with the 8^th Street Bridge, Water Street Bridge, Stone Bridge, and the West Nanticoke Bridge.  The South Cross Valley Bridge has water near the Plymouth Township exit but it open.  The North Cross Valley Bridge is open.  Pictures on the Times Leader website show water getting close to the bottom of the Market Street Bridge at 11 am this morning.  The Market Street bridge also closed last night. To see their pictorial from around Wilkes-Barre, click here: http://www.timesleader.com/news/Images_from_evacuations.html

Kingston has set an 8 pm curfew until further notice.  No vehicular or pedestrian traffic will be permitted after 8 pm.  West Pittston has set an 8 pm curfew until further notice and Edwardsville has set a 9 pm curfew as well.

Another evacuation site is opening at Hanover Senior High School with a capacity of 500. The GAR shelter has reached capacity.  The Solomon Plains shelter may still have room.

Shickshinny evacuated 200 residents.  70 percent of buildings in the borough will be flooded if the river hits 38 feet.

Students at Wilkes University and Kings College were evacuated and the schools closed.

Wilkes-Barre General is open, safe and in emergency mode.  Other WVHCS facilities may be evacuated and/or closed.

Luzerne County has called for the evacuation of 50,000 residents in unprotected areas.

Downtown Wilkes-Barre Becomes A Destination – Kings And Wilkes Play Large Roll

Image via Wikipedia

In 2001, downtown Wilkes-Barre hit bottom.  There was no reason to go there and the merchants who remained wanted out.  Kings College and Wilkes University tried to keep students on campus and played down their downtown Wilkes-Barre locations.  Now, on the verge of 2011, things are reversed.  Businesses are relocating downtown, Wilkes and Kings proudly show prospective students downtown Wilkes-Barre and the downtown is now viewed as a “destination” by Wyoming Valley residents.

How did this miraculous transformation occur?  Four community meetings were held which drew 1,000 people.  These meetings spawned Diamond City Partnership, a public-private alliance for downtown revitalization http://www.wbdcp.com/about.htm.  After years of hard work and “seed planting” center city Wilkes-Barre is “the place to be” again.

King’s College and Wilkes University have invested over $30 million dollars in downtown Wilkes-Barre by expanding and renovating their campuses.  There are 6,500 students between both schools.  With the abundance of clubs, bars, restaurants, stores, coffee shops, the Kirby Center and a 14-screen Cineplex, downtown Wilkes-Barre is a draw for students and residents alike.  This renaissance is helping the recruitment efforts of both colleges and is attracting new downtown residents who are looking for city-living in a “walk to everything” environment.  More residents downtown will help spur more economic development.

I think this line sums it up.  A visitor at the Kirby Center was overheard saying “Wilkes-Barre?” “Who knew?”