web1_Rivers.jpg

Chargers lead Pro Bowl selections

web1_wvsa3_faa.jpg

County flood authority airs grievances over stormwater-fee project

<p>WILKES-BARRE &#8212; A two-year lease for parking spaces at the James F. Conahan Intermodal Transportation Facility downtown would generate more than $800,000 for the city, according to a lease waiting council&#8217;s approval.</p><p>The deal for 752 spaces at $45 a month would essentially commit the Intermodal to employees in Berskshire Hathaway GUARD Insurance Companies corporate headquarters on Public Square for 2019 and 2020.</p><p>&#8220;To the best of my recollection, that&#8217;s every single space,&#8221; city Administrator Rick Gazenski said during a discussion at council&#8217;s work session Tuesday.</p><p>John Malta, assistant vice president of corporate real estate management for GUARD, said the number of employees has grown from 441 to 636 since mid-August in connection with the relocation of the headquarters downtown.</p><p>&#8220;We just don&#8217;t want to be stuck without parking,&#8221; Malta said.</p><p>WestGUARD, the entity leasing the spaces, has agreed to pay for them upfront. &#8220;Prepayment of two years, it&#8217;s a pretty good amount of money there,&#8221; Malta said.</p><p>The lease worth $812,160 with WestGUARD is on the agenda for council&#8217;s public meeting Thursday.</p><p>Gazenski said tenants in the neighboring Luzerne Bank building who park in the center will not be affected by the lease. It will affect the employees who work in the state Labor &amp; Industry building and park in the center, however. They will be moved to the Park &amp; Lock Central garage that&#8217;s connected to the center. &#8220;L&amp;I, the most they would have to walk is maybe 50 to 75 yards more,&#8221; Gazenski said.</p><p>Council also heard from Mark Robinson about his proposal to build a gym/recreation center on the site of the former Carlo&#8217;s sports bar on Carey Avenue. Robinson has been in contact with city Attorney Tim Henry about obtaining an assessment for the property.</p><p>&#8220;I want to put it there so the kids that&#8217;s in that neighborhood can come there and not have to really worry about paying for something,&#8221; Robinson said.</p><p>Thursday&#8217;s agenda is also filled with requests for the city to submit applications to the state for Local Share Account grants funded by gambling revenue.</p><p>Among the projects seeking funding:</p><p>&#8226; $732,799 for Wilkes-Barre City Hall renovations.</p><p>&#8226; $771,650 for upgrades to the city&#8217;s Hollenback Golf Course.</p><p>&#8226; $167,805 for a new heating, ventilation and air conditioning unit for the F.M. Kirby Center for the Performing Arts.</p><p>&#8226; $250,000 for renovations at the Volunteers in Medicine building to expand services.</p><p>&#8226; $650,000 for a data center located downtown to provide cloud computing services.</p><p>&#8226; $500,000 for the Irem Temple Restoration Project.</p><p>&#8226; $500,000 for restoration of the historic Central Railroad of New Jersey train station on South Wilkes-Barre Boulevard.</p><p>&#8226; $250,000 for restoration of the historic Rainbow Road on the 14th floor of the Citizens Bank building for use as banquet/conference space.</p><style>
.neFileBlock {
	margin-bottom: 20px;
}
.neFileBlock p {
	margin: 0px 0px 0px 0px;
}
.neFileBlock .neFile {
	border-bottom: 1px dotted #aaa;
	padding-bottom: 5px;
	padding-top: 10px;
}
.neFileBlock .neCaption {
	font-size: 85%;
}
</style>
<div class='neFileBlock'>
<div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/web1_TTL120618Gazenski1.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Gazenski </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo0>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/web1_TTL120618Gazenski1.jpg</photo0><caption0>Gazenski </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>

WB council to consider two-year lease for Conahan Intermodal parking spaces