Mercury putting on rare show Monday, parading across the sun

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<p>A mammoth Nanticoke eyesore was snatched up by an arm of city government in Thursday&#8217;s Luzerne County back-tax auction, with officials assuring residents the move will ensure the troubled property is finally addressed.</p><p>&#8220;We made a good first step in acquisition of this property,&#8221; said Kenneth Malia, who made the lone auction bid on behalf of the Nanticoke Municipal Authority. &#8220;I think the residents will be ecstatic when they hear about this.&#8221;</p><p>The former L.S. Bowl-A-Rama closed about 14 years ago and was found to be the site of a marijuana growing operation during a raid a decade ago this month, records show. A Hazleton-based company bought the property from a 2014 tax auction for $70,000 but never carried out promises to remove the structure so the 1.6-acre parcel could be developed, officials said. The accrual of $24,233 in unpaid real estate taxes dating back to 2015 brought the property to auction again.</p><p>City officials say the property has been plagued with code issues.</p><p>The decaying structure dominates a largely residential neighborhood because it is nearly 122,000 square feet and runs the entire length of East Washington Street between South Prospect and South Walnut streets.</p><p>The municipal authority, which was established to focus on city improvement initiatives, secured the property for the minimum bid of $1,803 with no competition in the free-and-clear auction held at the King&#8217;s College Scandlon Physical Education Center in Wilkes-Barre.</p><p>Malia, an authority board member, said a consultant will help the board come up with a feasibility plan and funding options. He anticipates demolition will be necessary, saying the structure appears to be &#8220;too far gone.&#8221; The authority has no specific plans for reuse yet, he said.</p><p>&#8220;It will be something for the overall good of the community,&#8221; he said.</p><p>Authority Solicitor Christopher Slusser said Thursday he is &#8220;excited&#8221; to be involved in addressing the problem.</p><p>&#8220;What a source of consternation that building has been for the community over the last several years,&#8221; Slusser said.</p><p>City Manager Donna Wall said city officials have been trying to come up with a plan for years to address the property, which she described as a &#8220;threat to public safety.&#8221;</p><p>&#8220;It&#8217;s been a long ride with that building, and finally we&#8217;ll have an opportunity to work as a team to get rid of this eyesore.&#8221;</p><p>The municipal authority currently owns approximately 17 properties in the city, including several linked to a proposed housing and public transportation project on East Main Street called the &#8220;Nantego Development.&#8221; Praised by some, that project also received criticism from some property owners impacted by an eminent domain effort to make way for the development. Malia said Thursday those project plans are still ongoing.</p><p><strong>Other sales</strong></p><p>Thursday&#8217;s auction generated approximately $214,000, including transfer tax, from the sale of 28 parcels, according to Sean Shamany, a representative of county tax-claim overseer Northeast Revenue Service LLC.</p><p>The highest purchase was for a two-story commercial property at 34-36 E. Broad St. in downtown Hazleton that has most recently been occupied by Living Savior Church, records show.</p><p>Bidding started at $3,500, and Hazleton resident Francia Fischer prevailed after intense competition with a high bid of $92,000, records show. That means taxing bodies will recoup the nearly $42,000 in delinquent taxes. The prior owner losing the property will receive proceeds after back taxes and some other liens are paid, officials have said.</p><p>Another popular property was a residential structure at 264 Hazle Street in Wilkes-Barre.</p><p>Bids started at $1,518. Wilkes-Barre resident Angel Quizhpi Guaman submitted the high bid of $37,000, which also surpassed the $18,800 tax delinquency.</p><style>
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<div class="neCaption">The former L.S. Bowl-A-Rama in Nanticoke was purchased at Thursday&#8217;s Luzerne County back-tax auction. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo0>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/web1_IMG_20191104_153852615_HDR-2-.jpg</photo0><caption0>The former L.S. Bowl-A-Rama in Nanticoke was purchased at Thursday&#8217;s Luzerne County back-tax auction. </caption0><photoCredit0>Tamara Dunn|Times Leader </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>

Eyesore former bowling alley in Nanticoke sold in tax auction