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WILKES-BARRE — Six months after it was denied zoning approval for a methadone clinic in one section of the city, Pinnacle Treatment Centers filed another application for a different location close to the downtown.

The Mt. Laurel, New Jersey-based company chose 90 E. Union St., the former Thomas C. Thomas building, as the site of the proposed clinic.

The property is being developed by LHC Construction Management of Pittston. Its owner Joseph Rinkus was going to <a href="https://www.timesleader.com/news/807041/wb-zoning-hearing-board-denies-application-for-hazle-st-methadone-clinic" target="_blank" rel="noopener">lease space in a vacant Hazle Street property last year to </a><a href="https://www.timesleader.com/news/807041/wb-zoning-hearing-board-denies-application-for-hazle-st-methadone-clinic" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Pinnacle</a>, looking to relocate from its clinic in Ashley operating at full capacity.

A message left Tuesday with Rinkus was not returned. Pinnacle’s Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Chris Johnston, said he would check with others at the company about commenting on the latest application. However, no one replied Tuesday.

Pinnacle applied for a special exception to establish the clinic in the property zoned for office use. The Wilkes-Barre Zoning Hearing Board set a public hearing on Pinnacle’s application for 4:30 p.m. on April 28 in the Princess Room of Genetti’s Best Western Plus Hotel at 77 E. Market St., Wilkes-Barre.

For more than 10 years, Pinnacle has operated the Miners Medical treatment center in Ashley to dispense methadone and other medications to patients with opiate use disorder. Pinnacle officials testified at the Oct. 21, 2020 zoning hearing the clinic proposed for Hazle Street offered more room for counseling and treatment, had easy access to public transportation and was within walking distance for patients. They also said medication-assisted treatment reduced crime.

In their testimony at the hearing, residents acknowledged the need for a treatment center in the area, just not at the proposed location. They were concerned about traffic and safety despite Pinnacle’s promise approximately 150 people would visit the clinic daily for between five and 10 minutes at a time and it would have security measures in place such as a fence, an on-site security guard and cameras.

Methadone clinic eyed for downtown Wilkes-Barre