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Pros and cons of mail ballots debated at Luzerne County legislative meeting

Mary Wilson, longest-reigning original Supreme, dies at 76

WILKES-BARRE TWP. — The shell is complete for the new Panera Bread restaurant in the Wilkes-Barre Township Commons and a certificate of occupancy has been issued.

Once the interior of the restaurant is finished, the restaurant and its drive-thru feature will open — probably by spring.

“The shell is done,” said Thomas Zedolik, Wilkes-Barre Township zoning and code enforcement officer. “They will now start on the inside. We will issue that permit soon.”

The opening of Panera Bread has been anticipated for months. The Wilkes-Barre Township Commons, located off of Mundy Street, was devastated by the tornado of June 2018 and the buildings that housed Panera and other retail stores were condemned and demolished. Panera will locate in a free-standing building and another building will be built to house several reality outlets.

The developer is Urban Edge Properties of New Jersey.

A 12,500 square foot Dollar Tree store, located adjacent to the Wilkes-Barre Township Commons, opened last year.

Developer Robert Tamburro of TFP Limited, said other new stores have recently opened in the Arena Hub Plaza.

“We leased a portion of the space formerly occupied by Pier 1 Imports to Gertrude Hawk Chocolates, that opened in January,” Tamburro said.

Gertrude Hawk is leasing 3,500 square feet of the space and Hand &amp; Stone Massage and Facial Spa is leasing 2,800 square feet, Tamburro said.

Tamburro said he is talking to several companies about building on the former Ashley Furniture site.

“We are excited to have new clients moving into these spaces,” Tamburro said.

Zedolik also said the planned Planet Fitness Center is under construction and it is expected to open next to Sam’s Club and Kohl’s Department Store in the spring.

“Planet Fitness couldn’t go in there until the lease expired,” Zedolik said. “Start of the project had to be delayed until 2021.”

The new Burger King at the intersection of Blackman Street and Route 309 is ready to open, Zedolik said, adding that the company is hiring staff.

Zedolik said the new Turkey Hill to be built across Blackman Street at Route 309 is moving forward.

“As far as we know, the project will be done,” he said.

The new Turkey Hill is expected to include a full convenience store, a fast food restaurant with a brand partner still to be named, a car wash and fuel stations.

The building that housed the former Bob Evans restaurant will be demolished, Zedolik said, and a discount tire store will be build in its place. Zedolik said he has not seen the final plans yet.

Zedolik also said that the building that was once home to Chili’s near the Wyoming Valley Mall has been purchased by the owners of Mirakuya Japanese Restaurant of the Pine Mall. He said he has not received much information on the plan to move into the building.

Several new businesses opening in Wilkes-Barre Township