W-b Man Charged In Store Robbery 
Several Other Robberies With A Similar Pattern Are Still Under Investigation,
Police Say.

Andrew Fetsko

By JOLYN RESNICK jolynr@leader.net
 Wednesday, May 23, 2001 &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Page: 1A 





WILKES-BARRE - It was never Camelot. But the Sterling Hotel was, in its
heyday, an edifice that housed U.S. presidents and high society. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 There were Sunday brunches and graduation parties. And, at one time, the
Sterling was THE place to get married. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Unless the decaying eyesore is sealed from the elements in the next year or
so, some experts say they believe memories are all that will remain of the
Sterling. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 The Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission's Bureau for Historic
Preservation told the city months ago that the water damage inside the
building was relatively minimal and suggested the Sterling be ``mothballed''
to preserve it for rehabilitation. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Nothing has been done. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Mothballing, according to the U.S. Department of the Interior, National
Park Service, is a long-term solution to stop deterioration when immediate
restoration is not possible. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 It will not be inexpensive nor simple to mothball the Sterling. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Holes in the roof must be repaired. Loose bricks must be mortared and
broken windows must be replaced or covered to keep out both the weather and
trespassers. Several rooms damaged in an arson last year must be repaired. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Pigeons that have taken up residence have to be removed. Dead pigeons on
stairways and corrosive pigeon droppings on handrails must be cleaned up, said
Carl Handman, a local architect involved with restoring historic structures. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 The city has sealed off the Sterling's adjacent annex building. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Handman and an urban planner say it's time to do the same with the Sterling
before it must be razed like the Hotel Casey in Scranton. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Handman estimated it could cost about $100,000 to mothball the Sterling.
``It's a small amount of money in what would be a multi-million dollar
restoration project. But, there is money available from the Keystone Historic
Preservation grant program.'' &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 The Sterling's owner, Neil Camera, has declared bankruptcy, putting the
fate of the hotel and its possible restoration in limbo. Camera owes more than
$3 million in back taxes. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 The hotel's once luxurious lobby retains some splendor. Its marble floor
and pillars are unmarred. Most of the mosaic tiles decorating the walls
remain. The sweeping wooden staircase that brought visitors to the second
floor banquet halls is solid. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 In the 14th-floor penthouse - a 20-room, 6,000-square-foot residence where
former state Sen. Andrew J. Sordoni lived - water has heaved up the wood
parquet flooring. Looking at photos of the damage, Handman said the floor
appears repairable. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Except for stained glass windows in the penthouse - which were removed
about a year ago - much of the original flooring, tile, and other decorative
items remain. Restoring them would be easy, Handman said. ``You're not forced
to play detective.'' &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 He said the peeling paint that hangs like icicles in the lobby, corridors
and most of the rooms is only surface damage caused by the cold and moisture. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Problems that Mayor Tom McGroarty has said would make restoring the hotel
an exorbitant venture - such as lead paint and asbestos - might not be so bad,
Handman said. Paint can easily be scraped off. And the asbestos must be
removed whether the hotel is razed or repaired. Handman said the asbestos
removal might cost less if the building is saved because some can be
encapsulated. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Cleaning the hotel would include the removal of refrigerators, kitchen
appliances, chairs, tables, mattresses and other furniture. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 U.S. Rep. Paul E. Kanjorski, D-Nanticoke, possesses renderings of a
revamped riverfront with a modern glass skyscraper where the Sterling stands. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 ``I feel strongly that the Sterling should be preserved and restored,''
Handman said. ``The plans have nothing to do with River Street and historic
downtown Wilkes-Barre.'' &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Urban planner Larry Newman said the Sterling is in a National Register
District and cannot be demolished unless the Historical Commission gives
approval. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 For The Record: 5/24/01 A story o page 1A Wednesday needs clarification.
Architect Carl Handman has not been retained to perform an in-depth survey of
the Sterling Hotel. His $100,000 estimate to mothball the hotel is an educated
guess.

$100,000 Could Preserve Decaying Hotel For Future Rehab/ Experts Pitch To Put Sterling In Mothballs