Greater Wyoming Valley YMCA purchases Pittston building for $550,000

WILKES-BARRE — The Greater Wyoming Valley YMCA purchased a property adjacent to the Greater Pittston YMCA to expand child care services and create six loft-style apartments.

The property at the corner of William and North Main streets in Pittston was purchased by the organization for $555,000, according to a deed recorded with Luzerne County on March 20.

The property was sold by Santo T. LaFoca, the deed said.

“We didn’t want to lose that space, and we intend to expand our child care services,” said Jim Thomas, Greater Wyoming Valley YMCA CEO.

Thomas said the project will not begin immediately, and he expects the expanded space and services to take one year to complete.

Thomas said the Greater Pittston YMCA child care program has 30 children enrolled and 50 more on a waiting list. He said he hopes the expanded space will allow all those on the waiting list to enter the program.

Thomas said acquiring the adjacent building will also include creating six loft-style apartments on the second and third floors. The building houses a dental office on the first floor.

Thomas said the Greater Pittston YMCA has used part of the building for its child care services for approximately 10 years.

Pittston City Mayor Mike Lombardo said he and the administration have been working with the YMCA on the project.

Mayor Lombardo said the city’s redevelopment authority or designated representative sub-entity is partnering with the Greater Wyoming Valley YMCA on a mixed-use redevelopment project on the property at 20 N. Main St.

“The city and its authorities have always maintained that the path to progress has its base in strong synergistic partnerships,” Mayor Lombardo said. “This project is consistent with that ideology, in that the city and the YMCA will be redeveloping an existing property and bringing its utilization to 100%.”

Mayor Lombardo said the project will result in increased space for the YMCA to expand its successful and high-demand child care program, while affording the opportunity for the city to continue its mission of increased residential units on the upper floors of downtown properties.

The mayor said the initial projections are for expansion of day care space to street level (first floor) and the build-out of six loft-style apartments on floors 2 and 3.

“As mayor, I am excited about this collaboration and several extremely forward outcomes that will be achieved upon project completion,” he said. “It is always rewarding to partner with strong entities like the YMCA to create new opportunities and added value to existing assets. I am grateful to the YMCA Board for their forward thinking.”