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Glodzik federal bank fraud trial delayed until next month

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Activist Stilp calls for recusal of disciplinary board members connected to embattled AG Kane

<p>WILKES-BARRE &#8212; With plans in hand about what a potential developer has in mind for the site of the former Hotel Sterling site, city officials will review them and decide the next step.</p><p>City Administrator Greg Barrouk said one proposal was received by the 4:30 p.m. deadline Friday. He would not identify who submitted the proposal.</p><p>&#8220;We&#8217;ll review them &#8230; sit down and get a team of individuals together to confirm the validity of the project,&#8221; Barrouk said.</p><p>The city advertised for &#8220;an experienced developer to undertake a signature mixed-use development, in one or multiple phases, at this strategic location&#8221; that serves as a gateway to the downtown.</p><p>The submission, which included financial details, was the last deadline to meet in the schedule of the Request for Proposals. On June 19 the city advertised the RFP and set a July 17 deadline to submit a notice of intent to propose and received responses from two local groups.</p><p>Efforts to develop the hotel cover a much longer time period.</p><p>By the time the nonprofit development corporation CityVest acquired the hotel in 2002, it was empty and condemned. CityVest removed the asbestos and gutted the interior.</p><p>In preparation for making the property suitable for developers, the asbestos was removed, the building gutted, a connecting building and tower were demolished and adjoining parcels were acquired. But CityVest ran out of funds in 2011 to see its plans through and the building deteriorated to the point that the city declared it a hazard and placed traffic barriers around it.</p><p>The shell of the hotel was demolished in 2013 and a legal fight ensued over ownership of the site. The city took ownership of two parcels from CityVest in June after the corporation obtained court approval to disburse its assets. Luzerne County had received a parcel that CityVest used for parking and gave that to the city, but was allowed to keep parking revenues until the property was sold.</p><p>The city can retain $570,000 from what it receives from the sale of the site with the remainder going to the county&#8217;s Community Development fund to recoup a portion of the $6 million loan that CityVest defaulted on. The city takes first spot ahead of the county to receive payment due to a demolition lien placed on the property.</p><style>
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<div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/web1_Sterling1.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Wilkes-Barre officials Friday received a proposal to develop the site of the Hotel Sterling that was demolished in 2013. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo0>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/web1_Sterling1.jpg</photo0><caption0>Wilkes-Barre officials Friday received a proposal to develop the site of the Hotel Sterling that was demolished in 2013. </caption0><photoCredit0>Clark Van Orden | Times Leader file </photoCredit0></div></div>
<div class="metaInfo"><subheadMeta>Developer, plan remain secret</subheadMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta><p>By Jerry Lynott</p><p>jlynott@www.timesleader.com</p></bylineMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><shirttailMeta><p>Reach Jerry Lynott at 570-991-6120 or on Twitter @TLNews</p></shirttailMeta></div>

Undisclosed developer submits proposal to city for former Hotel Sterling site in Wilkes-Barre