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<p style="text-align: left;">Three big-ticket Luzerne County commercial assessment reductions were awarded in July and August through court-level settlement agreements, according to newly posted county reports.</p><p>Topping the list was the 16-story Daniel J. Flood Tower senior apartment building on Wyoming Avenue in Kingston, with an assessment lowered by $2.3 million.</p><p>Owned by California-based Daniel Flood Preservation Limited Partnership, the property&#8217;s value was reduced from $16.06 million to $13.75 million.</p><p>The value is only for the 154,680-square-foot structure because the land is part of another parcel, assessment records say. Originally constructed in 1974, the building has 210 units, according to an online marketing brochure.</p><p>With the change, Daniel Flood Preservation will pay $333,787 in combined school, county and municipal real estate taxes on the structure annually based on current rates, or $56,154 less.</p><p>Refunds date back to the year an appeal was filed. In this case, the county had to return $23,794 in real estate taxes to the company for 2017.</p><p><strong>Other cuts</strong></p><p>The second highest reduction &#8212; $2.18 million &#8212; was granted to the Highland Park Senior Living facility on Schechter Drive in Wilkes-Barre Township, records show.</p><p>Its assessment was lowered from $7.13 million to $4.95 million, resulting in a $12,780 refund of county taxes paid in 2017.</p><p>The property is owned by Clarks Summit-based Highland Park Senior Living LP and includes 7.36 acres and a structure totaling 74,300 square feet, records show.</p><p>Under current rates, the company will pay $126,778 in combined taxes, or $55,905 less.</p><p>Also in Wilkes-Barre Township, the Arena Hub Plaza commercial space housing Ulta and Five Below received a $1.15 million value reduction, lowering the assessment from $3.9 million to $2.75 million.</p><p>This parcel is 2.17 acres, with the structure measuring 17,500 square feet, records show. It is owned by TFP Limited II LP.</p><p>Because the assessment court challenge was filed in 2014, the refund covers taxes paid from 2015 through 2017, totaling $25,212.</p><p>TFP&#8217;s combined tax bill on this parcel will be $70,466, or $29,420 less.</p><p><strong>Budget tally</strong></p><p>The county earmarked $550,000 to pay assessment challenge refunds this year.</p><p>At the end of August, $325,078 was spent, or 59 percent, said county Budget/Finance Division Head Brian Swetz.</p><p>County Manager C. David Pedri has said the county may spend the full budget allocation for refunds this year as both new and lingering past cases are resolved.</p><p>Officials have been pushing for the closeout of multiple-year assessment challenges, particularly involving larger commercial sites, to minimize the hit to government finances.</p><p>Some of the other commercial reductions granted this year, along with the old and new assessments, according to records:</p><p>&#8226; Quaker Oats Co. plant, Wright Township, $10.5 million to $9.8 million</p><p>&#8226; Insteel Wire Products plant, Hazle Township, $3.46 million to $2.25 million</p><p>&#8226; Keystone Automotive Operations Inc.&#8217;s warehouse and office, Exeter, $11.45 million to $6.385 million</p><p>&#8226; Inland Container Corp.&#8217;s plant, Hazle Township, $3.95 million to $3.1 million</p><p>&#8226; UGI Penn Natural Gas Inc. complex, Wilkes-Barre, $8.89 million to $5 million</p><style>
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<div class="neCaption">Luzerne County Courthouse </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo0>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/web1_luzcocourthouse01-10.jpg</photo0><caption0>Luzerne County Courthouse </caption0><photoCredit0></photoCredit0></div></div>
<div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta><p>By Jennifer Learn-Andes</p><p>jandes@www.timesleader.com</p></bylineMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><shirttailMeta><p>Reach Jennifer Learn-Andes at 570-991-6388 or on Twitter @TLJenLearnAndes.</p></shirttailMeta></div>

More large commercial assessment reductions granted in Luzerne County