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<p>WILKES-BARRE &#8212; Almost two years after a $28 million hotel and conference center was announced for the downtown, only vacant buildings and empty lots occupy the site.</p><p>Private and city-owned properties have been sold to Sphere International LLC, the New Jersey-based developer behind the 10-story building proposed for prime real estate at the intersection of South Main and West Northampton streets.</p><p>One property remains to be sold, but the sale price isn&#8217;t holding up the project, said Michaelene Coffee. Her mother, Barbara, owns Place 1 at the Hollywood located at 67 S. Main St.</p><p>Coffee voiced a concern shared with others on why the project, announced at a press conference Oct. 31, 2015, has progressed at such a slow pace.</p><p>&#8220;It&#8217;s very, very frustrating,&#8221; Coffee said Friday.</p><p>&#8220;We&#8217;ve come to a price a long time ago,&#8221; she added.</p><p>Coffee said she&#8217;s met with and spoken to three members of the development group a few weeks ago who stated that the building would go up on the site.</p><p>&#8220;They assured me that they are committed to the project.&#8221;</p><p>Attorney John Dean, who represents Sphere International, said the development is still alive and within the next 10 days Mayor Tony George is scheduled to receive an update.</p><p>&#8220;I have a meeting set up with the mayor and Sphere to discuss the progress and plans,&#8221; Dean said.</p><p>Another attorney in his law firm of Elliott Greenleaf &amp; Dean is negotiating the final terms of the sale of the Coffee property, Dean noted.</p><p>Sphere bought the former Frank Clark Jeweler building next door for $265,000 from Ken L. Pollock Inc. in July 2016. The city sold its parcels in November 2016 for $500,000 in a structured deal, $250,000 upfront and the remainder to be made in five $50,000 annual payments.</p><p>The city condemned its properties and ordered emergency demolitions because of the danger the dilapidated buildings posed. They were razed in November 2013. But the demolition forced the temporary closure of the neighboring shops. A jewelry store in the Frank Clark Jeweler building reopened and later closed. The Place 1 at the Hollywood closed and relocated to its Scranton store.</p><style>
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<div class="neCaption">In this 2013 photo, heavy equipment is seen at the site of an emergency demolition on South Main and West Northampton streets in Wilkes-Barre. The vacant buildings left standing and the adjoining lots could be home to a proposed $28 million hotel and conference center that&#8217;s still on track to be built, according to people with knowledge of the project.  </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo0>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/web1_southmaindemo01.jpg</photo0><caption0>In this 2013 photo, heavy equipment is seen at the site of an emergency demolition on South Main and West Northampton streets in Wilkes-Barre. The vacant buildings left standing and the adjoining lots could be home to a proposed $28 million hotel and conference center that&#8217;s still on track to be built, according to people with knowledge of the project.  </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 @TLJerryLynott.</p></shirttailMeta></div>

Attorney says developer still committed to downtown Wilkes-Barre project