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Pa. upholds TL records appeal for Crestwood documents

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Beekman: Kirby lights will continue to shine

<p>WILKES-BARRE &#8212; City council Thursday night pulled a vote on a proposed development from the agenda and asked for more specific plans on another project about to get underway.</p><p>A resolution authorizing the city to apply for a $718,000 state grant to clean up a contaminated property on South Main Street proposed for an adult day care facility run by Geisinger might come up for a vote at council&#8217;s combined work session and meeting on May 20, City Clerk Jim Ryan said.</p><p>The former Henry Shapiro and Co. scrapyard sat on the site which South Main Street Plaza, L.P. wants to develop, project engineer George Albert told council at Tuesday night&#8217;s work session. Albert said Marvin Slomowitz owns the property and was seeking an Industrial Sites Reuse Program grant from the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development.</p><p>But the hotel and convention center Sphere International LLC wants to build on South Main and West Northampton streets closer to the center of downtown drew the attention of councilman Tony Brooks and some residents, however.</p><p>&#8220;While I am pleased to learn the developer is beginning to work on this project, I also want to go on record and express concern,&#8221; Brooks read from a prepared statement.</p><p>Brooks sought answers about whether the Flemington, N.J.-based company undertaking the development still intends to incorporate the facades of buildings to be demolished into the new construction as required by the city. The Diamond City Partnership and the Downtown Residents&#8217; Association put up $35,000 toward the facade preservation, Brooks said.</p><p>Mayor Tony George issued a project update prior to council&#8217;s meeting that said asbestos removal is ongoing and when that&#8217;s done demolition will begin. Sphere International has been approved a boutique hotel brand by the International Hotel Group and a project architect is being finalized, the update said.</p><p>Brooks said he would &#8220;like to see concrete evidence&#8221; of the developer&#8217;s plans because it appears the project has changed since it was first announced in October 2015. He asked that the city hold off on issuing any additional permits for the project until Sphere International presents those plans.</p><p>&#8220;Why don&#8217;t I see if I can get in touch with the attorney for Sphere and coordinate some kind of meeting,&#8221; city attorney Tim Henry suggested.</p><p><strong>Feral cats</strong></p><p>Council heard of another off-agenda item, this one dealing with the feral cats residents said are ruining their properties.</p><p>City animal enforcement officer Adam Olver said he provided city officials with copies of an ordinance he prepared to address the cat problem.</p><p>The city has a temporary agreement that allows two organizations to trap, neuter and return the cats into the neighborhoods where they were taken from. Olver said he supports TNR if it&#8217;s done properly. The ordinance, cobbled together from other places that have one, calls for neighborhood approval of TNR.</p><p>&#8220;I think we should put it in the hands of the neighborhood and let the neighborhood decide,&#8221; Olver said.</p><style>
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<div class="neCaption">Brooks </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo0>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/web1_TTL122918Museum_3.jpg</photo0><caption0>Brooks </caption0><photoCredit0></photoCredit0></div></div>
<div class="metaInfo"><subheadMeta>Councilman wants to see hotel developer&#8217;s plans for historic facades</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 @TLJerryLynott.</p></shirttailMeta></div>

Brooks raises preservation concerns about hotel project