The former Fort Pittston School is on schedule for revitalization. The proposed 13-apartment complex will have some units with lofts.
Tony Callaio | For Sunday Dispatch
The 3D model of what the cityscape will look like at the completion of Market & Main tower and a parkade for downtown Pittston.
Tony Callaio | For Sunday Dispatch
The former First Presbyterian Church, Broad Street, Pittston, as depicted in this architect’s rendition, is moving forward with remodeling that will house a community room, small theater stage, and four loft apartments.
Submitted Artwork
This cutout shows the apartments on the second floor and community space on the first floor of the former First Presbyterian Church, Broad St., Pittston.
Submitted Artwork
The latest section of streetscaping in the City of Pittston involves the Junction. The view shown above is looking south on Main St. from in front of Our Lady of the Eucharist Church.
Tony Callaio | For Sunday Dispatch
The former Quinn’s Supermarket will eventually be leveled to make way for a four-story parking garage to include residential and retail. The future parkade will be located at Market Street and Kennedy Boulevard. Pittston Mayor Michael Lombardo said the parkade will be pivotal piece to the development of Downtown Pittston.
Tony Callaio | For Sunday Dispatch
PITTSTON — The City of Pittston is about to go through another transformation, and according to Mayor Michael Lombardo, things will be looking up in the next two years that will change the landscape of Pittston.
The Mayor is referring to the Market & Main project, a seven-story building with housing and retail with the new 540-seat American Theatre attached at the rear of the building.
Testing has been completed at the site on the corner of Market and Main Streets, leaving the funding and bidding process next.
“We’re probably a month and a half out on the bidding of the theatre,” Lombardo said. “Once that happens, there’s no turning around, and whatever it is, we have to pay for. We have about six or seven months to get the remaining grants to get the project underway.”
In addition to the new high rise coming to Downtown Pittston, the four-story parkade will be built behind the theatre at the site of the former Quinn’s Market.
The structure will tentatively include the parkade, retail space and additional housing.
Lombardo said the two new projects could be completed sometime in 2027.
Another project waiting in the wings is a partnership between the city and the Greater Pittston YMCA, expanding the Y to create much-needed space, particularly in the daycare area.
“We are looking at a few options that would include the parking lot behind the YMCA,” Lombardo revealed.
Lombardo wasn’t at liberty to disclose the parking lot possibilities but hinted a permanent structure could be built there with parking at the ground level.
An acquisition from 2024, the purchase of the former Grablick’s Dairy Bar and ice cream plant, will be moving forward.
The dairy bar building was demolished last year and with a developer interested in the project, additional housing would be converted from the ice cream plant.
“My targets for 2026 are, Grablick’s, the YMCA project and the former Pittston Hospital project,” Lombardo acknowledged. “With the hospital project, we’ve been working with Jenkins Twp. and will be moving forward with ordinances on both sides and some form of a public meeting most likely held in Jenkins Twp. just to bring everyone up to speed on the project. It’s been a lot of work and I’m excited to get this done.”
Recently completed in the city was streetscaping from the Duryea line to the Junction section. The project included period piece lighting, curbing, sidewalks and driveways.
The next phase of streetscaping will go from Esther Street to Curtis Street.
“We have the funding in place for that and bids will go out and hopefully start the project sometime in the fall,” Lombardo said. “The next phase would be the straightening of the curve across from the Convenient Store.”
One project Lombardo is excited to get underway is the former Fort Pittston School conversion to housing.
Property has been acquired behind the school, which in turn will utilized for an access driveway to parking for tenants of the building, essentially having access to parking from Main St. and Parsonage St.
Lombardo said the Fort Pittston project would have approximately 13 units. Some of the apartments will include second floor lofts.
The Pittston Lumber project, not an official city project but private, is still moving along. Lombardo believes the site may be earmarked for a restaurant in the current standing building.
Financially speaking, the city will not have a tax increase, which residents have been accustomed to for many years. One of Lombardo’s pledges to the city was to keep taxes at bay during his tenure while continuing to improve the landscape of Pittston.
One big announcement, while details have not been finalized, is the savings on trash fees.
“We will be rolling out a new garbage program in the next two months that will be a significant reduction for our taxpayers, particularly our seniors,” Lombardo said. “With the new plan, seniors could see a 50% reduction or more per year on their garbage fees.”
The last project Mayor Lombardo was willing to release is adding a second floor to the church on Broad St.
Two more projects Lombardo wasn’t willing to discuss is two more separate housing projects on Broad St.
