Letter to the Editor: Tony George offers fresh start for Wilkes-Barre, says city’s crime watch leader

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Wyoming Valley Youth nominees and winners

<p>WILKES-BARRE &#8212; One hotel is under construction near the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center and another is planned a short distance away along Mundy Street.</p><p>WoodSpring Suites, formerly known as Value Place, is being built along Bear Creek Boulevard on the border of Wilkes-Barre and Plains townships.</p><p>Joseph T. Posh, a developer from Bethlehem, is behind the project and Speedwell Construction of Manheim is the builder.</p><p>Keith Ebersole, a co-owner of Speedwell, referred specific questions about the project to Posh, who did not return a message Wednesday.</p><p>Ebersole said the builder worked with Posh on the Hyatt Place hotel in Bethlehem that opened in 2009.</p><p>Most of the WoodSpring Suites project falls within Plains Township which approved the construction.</p><p>Next week, Color Hospitality LLC, of Flemington, NJ, will have a public hearing with the Wilkes-Barre Township Zoning Hearing Board about a proposed hotel at 291 Mundy St. The company is appealing the township&#8217;s denial of its plans to build a four-story hotel near Orloski&#8217;s Car Wash &amp; Lube Shop.</p><p>Thomas Zedolik, the township&#8217;s zoning and code enforcement officer, said the company is seeking a variance for the height of the hotel. Township zoning sets a maximum three-story building height, Zedolik said. In addition, a minimum of 3 acres is required for hotels and the company&#8217;s project sits on 2.85 acres.</p><p>The meeting is set for 6 p.m. Oct. 13 in the council meeting room at the township municipal building, 150 Watson St.</p><p>Facility Design &amp; Development Ltd.&#8217;s Scranton office is working with Color Hospitality on the proposed hotel.</p><style>
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<div class="neCaption">Work continues on a WoodSprings Suite hotel along Bear Creek Boulevard at the border of Plains and Wilkes-Barre townships. Another hotel project has been proposed for nearby Mundy Street in Wilkes-Barre Township. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo0>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/web1_TTL100715feature11.jpg</photo0><caption0>Work continues on a WoodSprings Suite hotel along Bear Creek Boulevard at the border of Plains and Wilkes-Barre townships. Another hotel project has been proposed for nearby Mundy Street in Wilkes-Barre Township. </caption0><photoCredit0></photoCredit0></div></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>

Hotels springing up around the Wyoming Valley Mall