Pocono News Section

Hotel Project Further Proof of Borough Expansion

Hotel Project Further Proof of Borough Expansion - Thursday, March 25, 2010 at 04:10AM EST

Reported by: Mark Hiller
Thursday March 25 2010
DICKSON CITY - A new hotel project is moving closer to completion in Lackawanna County.

A construction crew was busy Thursday morning doing window framing work on what will be the new Microtel Inn and Suites in Dickson City. The project has come a long way since work started in December. The 3-story, 62-room economy hotel is in an ideal location to attract travelers. It's located at a corner propertyon Main street at the junction with Interstate 81.

The on site manager says work on the hotel project had remained on schedule until rain in recent weeks backed things up a bit. But once the roof is complete in the next one to two weeks, there should be nothing stopping progress. The timetable to open the hotel has been pushed back from Memorial Day to mid-June.

"It's nice to see that there was some construction going on throughout the winter and now in the spring," said Dickson City Borough Controller Bob MacCallum. He's also a firefighter of more than 25-years at Eagle Hose Company Number One. Expansion like the hotel project means increased response calls. Dickson City voters approved buying this three-quarter of a million dollar ladder truck in recent years to handle a growing borough -- and potentially growing emergencies. "You always want to stay at least a little bit ahead of development and anything that's going on," said MacCallum.

Across the street from the hotel site at Lackawanna Executive Park, some businesses can hardly wait. "It's going to be definitely a good thing for the area. For me," said Carol Sohns, the owner of Main Street Bagel, She opened her business about four years ago. She already likes her location near the highway and the busy Dickson City shopping district. She expects increased foot traffic from people who'll stay at the new hotel. She hopes to even bring her business to Microtel. "If they decided to do continental breakfast, you now, I'd be right there. I'd be right there trying to get my foot in the door," said Ms. Sohns.

This is the first Microtel Inn and Suites being built in northeastern Pennsylvania -- but it's not the only hotel construction you'll see this year in Dickson City. Ground will soon be broken for a Holiday Inn Express along Commerce Boulevard.