Pocono News Section

Several Big Projects Highlight 2009 in Wilkes-Barre

Several Big Projects Highlight 2009 in Wilkes-Barre - Friday, January 2, 2009 at 5:16PM EST

Reported by: Mike Trim
Friday, Jan 2, 2009 @ 05:16pm EST
WILKES-BARRE, LUZERNE COUNTY- 2009 looks to be a busy year for Wilkes-Barre. Several projects are in the works and are expected to be finished before year's end.

Bulldozers were pushing mounds of dirt at the Coal Street Park project in Wilkes-Barre Friday afternoon. When finished, a hockey rink will host high school tournaments bringing in dozens of teams there.

Norm's Pizza down the street hopes it will help boost business. Owner Norm Zapusek says, "Every time I come to work and I drive by there I always look and think boy, it would be nice to do something for the kids, for something to be a little more nicer. I think this is going to be a wonderful thing I think for the whole community."

Coal Street Park is one of many projects expected to be finished this year in Wilkes-Barre. Take a look around at projects like the river levee project, and you'll see busy construction.

The levee will open this spring. A few blocks away downtown, Karen Lindsay was taking a look at empty space where new lofts are expected to go. Lindsay says, "It's something I might just consider myself."

Lindsay hopes the Northampton and Main project jump starts downtown. "What I hope for is more businesses to move in down here because I think it will be much more active. It's already more active," says Lindsay.

That's the goal says Mayor Tom Leighton. "Our goal from day one was to make Wilkes-Barre city, the downtown area an 18 hour downtown. And we're very close to that happening," says Leighton.

Another project in Wilkes-Barre is the intermodal facility. At that project site, big trucks are brining in oversized loads of concrete to lay the decks for the parking garage.

When finished by early summer, this facility will bring buses off of public square, and provide parking for the city's new attractions in '09.

The ice skating rink on Coal Street will also be open to the public.

And right in line with the new year, mayor Leighton says the city will push for a first night celebration to close out '09.