Posted February 8, 200916 yr Well since I stumbled across Evergrey's Williamsport thread over on SSP, and after receiving suggestions from ColDayMan, this thread is dedicated to the major developments in the beautiful City of Williamsport, Pennsylvania. Many things have changed within the past 5 years for Downtown Billtown; including a street-scaping project, a major bridge replacement, and a massive revitalization effort that continues to this day. Here is a map that features the major projects that are in the works right now, and it also includes some recently completed projects: Development Map I will update this thread with press articles, and I'll try to compliment the articles with photos of the area in question. Stay tuned!!
February 8, 200916 yr Central Business District expansion on City Council’s agenda Thursday By R.A. WALKER [email protected] POSTED: February 4, 2009 The long-anticipated expansion of the Central Business District is on the agenda of City Council's meeting Thursday night. The expansion was proposed by Mayor Gabriel J. Campana soon after he took office but put on hold for further study. As proposed, it would expand the downtown business area east from Mulberry Street to the area of Chatham Street between the Beltway and East Third Street and in time for the proposed construction of a new hotel-conference center complex in the area of the former Eureka Paper Box facility. More info @ http://www.sungazette.com/page/content.detail/id/522212.html Development Map
February 8, 200916 yr Business district expansion appears to have the support of city council By R.A. WALKER - [email protected] POSTED: February 7, 2009 Expansion of the Central Business District probably will occur, but not just yet. There were no voices raised by citizens for or against the expansion during a public hearing Thursday night. The only people talking during the hearing were city officials and council members. Council Vice President J. Michael Wiley said the matter would probably be coming before council soon for a vote along with several other amendments to the zoning ordinance and zoning map. More info @ http://www.sungazette.com/page/content.detail/id/522402.html Development Map
February 8, 200916 yr Another somewhat older article, but this project has been a long time coming. City approves design work for parking decks By MIKE REUTHER [email protected] POSTED: January 23, 2009 Williamsport City Council Thursday night gave the go-ahead for design work on the two downtown parking deck projects. The $459,000 design contract with L. Robert Kimball & Associates of Ebensburg clears the way to move forward with securing funding for the Church Street Transportation Center and phase two of the Trade and Transit Centre. Officials from the engineering group briefed council on plans for the two projects. Lawrence C. Bickford, senior vice president and program manager, told council that project plans have been considered from among more than a dozen options. More info @ http://www.sungazette.com/page/content.detail/id/521697.html Development Map Here is the garage that is being replaced. I'm going to be sad to see this go:
February 8, 200916 yr Yeah I know. It makes it so hard to do anything along the water front. They have a riverwalk planned, but that is basically the only thing they can do. The new bridge, though, has improved it a lot. They built the bridge, then narrowed the street running parallel to the highway and replaced the intersections with roundabouts. So it's a lot prettier than what the google map shows. I wish google would update their satellite imagery for this area. It's wayyy outdated. Too bad I didn't start this thread a year or two ago when they were replacing the bridge. That whole neighborhood is totally different now and the water front is nicer than it ever was before.
February 9, 200916 yr See, I told ya! "You don't just walk into a bar and mix it up by calling a girl fat" - buildingcincinnati speaking about new forumers
February 16, 200916 yr Drilling for natural gas has been a pretty hot topic in my region. I'm glad to see it center in Williamsport. Oil bureau office to open in city By DAVID THOMPSON - [email protected] POSTED: February 15, 2009 With up to 250 gas wells expected to be drilled in the county by this summer, the state's Bureau of Oil and Gas Management plans to open a satellite office here, according to Robert Yowell, regional director of the northcentral regional office of the state Department of Environmental Protection. Yowell was among those on a Lycoming College panel this past week who took up environmental issues surrounding drilling into the Marcellus Shale to extract natural gas. The bureau is under the DEP umbrella and is charged with issuing drilling permits and inspecting sites to make sure they comply with agency regulations, Yowell said. It has had offices previously only in Pittsburgh and Meadville. By this summer, there should be 17 staff members in the office, as well as another 20 staff in the western Pennsylvania offices, he said. More info @ http://www.sungazette.com/page/content.detail/id/522759.html?nav=5011
March 27, 200916 yr Local Greenway path encourages river use By PATRICK DONLIN - [email protected] POSTED: March 27, 2009 Anyone looking for reasons to enjoy the Susquehanna River will get more opportunities. Future public meetings will unveil details about a trail network linking Jersey Shore to Williamsport and Montoursville to Muncy, but county transportation planner Mark Murawski said during remarks on the Susquehanna Greenway Plan presented in Shamokin Dam Tuesday that a feasibility study has been conducted and the plan will be accomplished in several stages. "It could be for bikes, it could be for walking, it could be for rollerblading, it could be for a variety of things," Murawski said, adding the trailway would be accessible to the disabled, but motorized vehicles would be barred from use. More info @ http://www.sungazette.com/page/content.detail/id/524666.html?nav=5011 Development Map
April 18, 200916 yr One step closer!!! It's nice to hear this instead of some suburb expanding!! City nearing business district expansion By R.A. WALKER - [email protected] POSTED: April 18, 2009 It's almost official, the city's Central Business District is on the verge of expansion. The expansion would move the city's official downtown business district's eastern boundary east from Mullberry Street to the Chatham Street area between East Third Street and the Beltway. Thursday night, City Council approved, on first reading, both the expansion of the district and a series of ordinance changes making Central Business District design standards mandatory, rather than advisory. More info @ http://www.sungazette.com/page/content.detail/id/525650.html?nav=5011 Development Map
April 18, 200916 yr This will mean I will be able to ride my bike from Montoursville, all the way to Downtown without even touching a surface street. Riverwalk bids come in under budget Work on the county project could start in June By DAVID THOMPSON [email protected] POSTED: April 17, 2009 The Susquehanna Riverwalk is ready to move forward and could be completed under budget, if construction bids are any indication. According to county transportation planner Mark Murawski, construction bids were opened Thursday in Harrisburg by state Department of Transportation staff. The low bid, by Eastern Industries of Center Valley, came in at just less than $2 million - about $200,000 below the engineer's estimate of what the project would cost, Murawski said. "We anticipated it would come in around $2.2 million, which is what we were budgeted through federal and state grants," he said. "We have enough money to build the project." More info @ http://www.sungazette.com/page/content.detail/id/525552.html?nav=5011 Development Map
June 27, 200915 yr Interesting, as I never knew this place was abandoned. I am trying to get permission from SEDA-COG to take more extensive photos of the complex, since I was trespassing today to get these photos. Abandoned Housing project to become Industrial Space An abandoned housing project in Williamsport is being given new life as a site for industrial development. The city and SEDA-COG Joint Rail Authority (JRA) are working together to convert the former Kennedy-King Manor into a rail-served industrial site of nearly nine acres. The project cost is approximately $1,357,000. The now-vacant housing development is off of Foresman Avenue in the city’s west end, near the Rail Authority’s Newberry Rail Yard. Kennedy-King was constructed in the 1970s and, by 2007, was in need of significant rehabilitation. Lycoming County’s Housing Authority elected to turn it over to the city in exchange for other property. In the summer of 2007 the housing project was abandoned. The site is surrounded by light manufacturing on three sides. As part of the new project, the housing units will be demolished and the zoning was changed from residential to industrial. With the JRA’s help, the city has received a $250,000 Rail Freight Assistance grant from PennDOT, which will be used for a 1,100-foot rail siding at the new industrial site. In further support of the project the Rail Authority itself secured a million dollar Community Revitalization grant from the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development. It will be used for numerous improvements in and around Kennedy-King. The JRA will sub-grant a portion of the $1 million grant to the city for site preparation work on the Kennedy-King site. The Williamsport Industrial Track, which will serve the site, will be realigned and two grade crossings will be installed, providing access to the site. Portions of Trenton Avenue will be repaved as will roadways serving several adjacent industries. Additional costs include water and sewer work and engineering fees. As a result of the project, Williamsport will gain nearly nine acres of rail-served, developable land. Access to and from adjacent industries will also be improved, making the entire Rail Yard more attractive to firms seeking to locate or expand there. For more information contact: Name: Steve Kusheloff Title: Manager Office: Public Information Email: [email protected] Voice: 570-524-4491 Some photos of the neighborhood:
October 17, 200915 yr Finally. I was waiting for this project to get started. Parking deck project gets green light By R.A. WALKER - [email protected] POSTED: October 17, 2009 The $8 million Church Street Transportation Center will be under construction by year's end and could be open for business by the end of next year. The land development plan and two-related land acquisitions were approved Thursday night by City Council. More info @: http://www.sungazette.com/page/content.detail/id/533971.html?nav=5011 Development Map
December 23, 200915 yr WOOT!!!!! Finally. Mayor: Kohl’s is coming By R.A. WALKER [email protected] POSTED: December 23, 2009 It has taken two years, but an announcement Tuesday makes a downtown Kohl's department store as official as it can realistically be until finally under construction. "Kohl's is coming," Mayor Gabriel J. Campana announced late Tuesday afternoon after getting word the project had been accepted by the retail chain. The mayor said he had just received confirmation the Kohl's board had voted to build a store in the city's downtown in time for an October 2011, opening. More info @: http://www.sungazette.com/page/content.detail/id/537068.html?nav=5011 Development Map This has been such a long and messy road and finally it happens. I'm so happy.
December 23, 200915 yr Nice! A downtown Kohl's would be awesome! "You don't just walk into a bar and mix it up by calling a girl fat" - buildingcincinnati speaking about new forumers
December 23, 200915 yr Yeah it will be. You don't know the extent of this whole fiasco though. It took two years to finally get this up and running. Many people, including me, pretty much gave up on the idea. But last month the Mayor and a few people from the city council went on this like "secret" trip to the Wisconsin HQ, but we never heard anything more about it. Then today it was released in the paper. I'm happy about it. Downtown Williamsport needs something this big to create shopping traffic for the rest of the CBD. It's also going to generate some tax dollars that the City badly needs.
January 23, 201015 yr Revitalization to keep city busy spending By R.A. WALKER - [email protected] POSTED: January 23, 2010 Two long-planned downtown revitalization projects are about to be built. A downtown revitalization update took up the bulk of Thursday night's City Council meeting and much of it focused on the two new parking decks due to be constructed and opened by the end of next year. Included in the update were details about the ongoing William Street initiative, which seems to have been the primary focus over the past two years due to efforts to attract a national chain department store next to the Wegmans store. The downtown is about to become a much busier place with arrival in a few days of large rigs and cranes needed for testing on the site of the future Church Street Transportation Center just off the Market Street Bridge at Church and Court streets. The equipment will be used to test the ground under the future parking deck to help engineers prepare foundation specifications for a four-level, $8.5 million deck that will include the future terminal of Susquehanna Trailways. More info @: http://www.sungazette.com/page/content.detail/id/538388.html?nav=5011 Development Map
February 14, 201015 yr A true success story. Luxury apartments in older building modernized By SHAWNA T. TURNER - [email protected] POSTED: February 14, 2010 A recent trend in the area has been to refurbish old buildings into luxury apartments and commercial spaces. One area contractor has taken that idea and expanded it - by adding in green measures as well. Patrick Marty, vice president of operations at JB Gibbons Construction, and his wife Trisha Marty bought an old building at 209 E. Third St., that spent the previous two years vacant and deteriorating - and modernized it. "Nobody has done as intensive or complete a renovation on an old building in our hometown as they have done with this. They certainly have not gone to the extent to make it as eco-friendly and efficient as this one is," said Tony Nardi, a realtor with Fish Real Estate. More info @: http://www.sungazette.com/page/content.detail/id/539366.html?nav=5002 Development Map Some photos from the article: I took this last year right after they repainted the building: This is from tonight:
February 23, 201015 yr There will be more coverage on this project as things get rolling this spring. They are already starting to test and survey the land. These surface lots are all part of the project. The street that is in the photo is Church Street. In this photo, I'm standing in what would be the northwest corner of the parking deck. I'm pretty sure the lot across the street is included in the development. Skywalks will cross over to the out-of-frame 8 story building that's connected to the two-story building in the photo: This is across Church Street from where I was standing in the previous photo: Before the new Market Street bridge was built, there used to be a U-shaped ramp that curved through this property. In the second photo, the ramp would have been just beyond the concrete parking stops, and one can notice the curve in the lot. The street can be viewed on the google map since the images for the area are 5 years old. Once the new bridge was built there was no need for the ramp so they tore it out, and the State gave back the parcel to the City. This is the second time in the last 5 years where this area will experience major construction. When the new bridge was built, this block of Court and Church Streets was completely reconstructed to how you see it in the photos. A panorama of the site is on the next post. Development Map
May 7, 201015 yr There are some big plans for Downtown Williamsport and many of them will be executed this summer. One of the more ambitious projects is the Pine Street redevelopment project: Pine Street was once the center of Downtown Williamsport's shopping mecca. It hosted famous stores like Brozman's, L. L. Stearns, and Woolworths. But like many mid-sized cities across the country, the shops started closing due to suburban malls and large discount department stores, and the structures were just left to rot. For almost 20 years these buildings have been subject to the elements as they sat decaying with no care at all. That will change come summer 2010. The block will undergo an extensive revitalization. The red buildingwill come down for a courtyard. The surrounding structures will be restored and will be mixed-used commercial and residential space. It's sad to see a structure go, but the planned development will definitely fill its void. Here are some photos of the block as it stands now and how it has been for the past 15 years: Good bye. :oops: Took this last year. This tower and the rest of the building stretching back is all being saved. I'm so happy: Development Map
August 9, 201014 yr Church Street Transportation Center/Marriott TownePlace Update It's been a while since I updated this thread. There has been a new development announced, planned, and now under construction adding to the new downtown transit center. A Marriott TownePlace Suites extended stay hotel is being built just across the street and will connect to the old First National Bank Building and the adjoining William Schreyer (Merrill Lynch) Building. The two current buildings are getting renovated and the Merrill Lynch building is getting a much needed facelift. The former parking lot behind the buildings is where the hotel is being built and will make the area seem much more dense when coupled with the new parking deck and transit center. Two photos for now, but I promise more to come. The First National Bank Building. The dirt in the foreground is the construction site and the building to the right is Merrill Lynch: A better view of the site. All of the construction site used to be a parking lot. You can see how they're fitting the new building right into the surface lot's footprint. The white building is Merrill Lynch. The new hotel will share its rear wall with both structures: Parking for the hotel, as well as the rest of Downtown, will be available in the new Church Street Transportation Center being built across the street.
September 26, 201014 yr Finally!! The confirmation everyone has been waiting for: Kohl’s contract arrives at City Hall September 24, 2010 - By R.A. WALKER [email protected] Christmas came early for the city administration. Attorney Clifford A. Rieders on Thursday delivered a box wrapped like a gift to Mayor Gabriel J. Campana's office. Inside were several documents, among them a contract for construction of a downtown Kohl's department store and signed by the company's president and CEO. Others gathered in the mayor's office included Vincent Matteo, executive director of the Williamsport-Lycoming Chamber of Commerce, and William Nichols, city director of administration. Matteo predicted the store, which is targeted to be open by October of next year, will have a "tremendous impact" for the city and region because it is "not very common" when a major national retailer agrees to locate in the downtown of a city the size of Williamsport. Read more @ http://www.sungazette.com/page/content.detail/id/554054/Kohl-s-contract-arrives-at-City-Hall.html?nav=5011
September 26, 201014 yr Another photo of the Church Street Transportation Center/Marriot Towne Place hotel development. This view will be history in less than a year: And work is moving along on the Church Street Deck. Concrete foundation forms are in place and there are already some concrete pads in place:
November 15, 201014 yr The Church Street Transportation Center is finally taking shape: Oh, and the Kohl's contract, land development, and property sales have been approved. Demolition is already underway. I will post photos once major demolition takes place.
November 29, 201014 yr I should mention that the Church Street Deck is almost topped out in one section. The elevator shaft for the new hotel across the street is topped out and the first floor is taking shape. I'm taking footage around the downtown area for a final project tomorrow so I'll be sure to get some photos.
January 12, 201114 yr This project, if it goes through, will be bigger than the Kohl's project and the Pine Street project combined. This is a great time for Downtown Williamsport: Ultra-modern apartment complex concept unveiled January 12, 2011 - By MARK MARONEY - [email protected] Realizing a dire need for residential housing, the city is working on plans to build a 100-unit apartment complex atop the planned Trade and Transit Centre at Third and Laurel streets at no cost to taxpayers, according to city administrators. The design of the plan, shown in a drawing obtained Tuesday, indicates an eight-story building, with the lower floor reserved for retail space and the River Valley Transit bus depot. There would be parking spaces and the four upper floors would be the River Valley Apartments, according to William E. Nichols Jr., city director of administration. The city has reached an agreement with Village Partners Development Services, of Malvern, the apartment developers, he said. Nichols said the project would bring quality rental housing and retail space to downtown and support the continued growth and resurgence of its central business district. Read more @ http://www.sungazette.com/page/content.detail/id/558742/Ultra-modern-apartment-complex-concept-unveiled.html?nav=5011 Here's the artist's design. They didn't include it in the article online so I had to scan it from print: Current photo at a similar angle for reference: There are photos more of the old deck upthread. Development Map I'm VERY excited about this one. I would live here.
January 13, 201114 yr Photo Update -Church Street Transportation Center -Marriott TownePlace I figured I'd make this post just a photo update. I haven't been taking many photos of the progress because it's been so cold. Church Street Transportation Center Across Market Street Design Photo Pan Marriott TownePlace Taken across Market Street at the foot of the Market Street Bridge:
January 30, 201114 yr Some more of the hotel and parking deck. I was a little disappointed with the final height of the hotel. It has one more floor to go, bringing it to only four floors. Oh well, it's better than the parking lot it replaced:
February 11, 201114 yr It's definitely a sight to see. Structures going down, and new structures going up all at the same time - within blocks of each other. They are finally demolishing the Williamsport Area School District Services Building. This is the largest demolition for the Kohl's development, as the building is occupying most of the space that the new store will occupy. The plan is to have a construction-ready pad on which Kohl's will build their new store. It's not every day when you look into a building and see daylight through the doors: The rubble in the foreground of the last photo is what's left of another building they demolished in December. Some of you may remember this photo: Development Map More coverage on the Kohl's development, Church Street Transportation Center, and the new Marriott, will be coming soon.
February 17, 201114 yr The District Services center is almost gone. Today I took some more photos of the demolition, and then I walked over to Church and Market streets to photograph the new developments taking shape there. WASD Services Center: Church Street Transportation Center & Marriott TownePlace The new hotel is looking good, and bigger than I thought it would be: I'm loving this density: And the hotel is already fitting into the streetscape quite nicely: That's all for now. I'll definitely have more soon.
February 28, 201114 yr Quick update: The Wiliiamsport Area School District Services Center is completely gone now. A construction-ready pad must be completed by March 15th to avoid any penalties and so Kohl's can start building for an October opening. Kohl's purchased the site last week. Windows are being installed in the new hotel and on the new parking deck. I'll be sure to have photos, and hopefully I will get some photos of the Pine Street development soon since they are prepping for demolition. Stay tuned.
March 4, 201114 yr This is one of the finished stairwell towers on the new deck. I love the cladding. This type of material is new for Downtown. It would definitely fit in at Pennsylvania College of Technology, which is about 5 blocks from the CBD. I'd like to see more of it. And this is a sight for sore eyes. The Pine Street work has begun and this is the first time in almost 30 years that this building has gotten any major work done to it.
March 16, 201114 yr Demolition has started on Pine Street. Sadly this building is going, but the rest will stay. The remaining buildings will be renovated and brought back to life.
March 16, 201114 yr The major reason is due to structural issues. If you were to look at the building head-on, you could see that the bricks aren't level. It was too much for the owners to fix because the project was already a major one with the other buildings. The development plan is also including Laurel Street (the street running behind the buildings) and Trade & Transit II is right across Laurel from the rear of these buildings. The demolition will allow a pedestrian courtyard to bridge the two developments and there have been businesses in the rear of the block along Laurel. So the courtyard will connect the two sides. I guess it's the best they can do.
March 18, 201114 yr I forgot about the rear of the building. They have demolished about two thirds of the building considering the back is almost completely gone. I have another photo like this upthread that shows a bleak outlook on the building. Now it's got activity and will be brought back to life: The rear of the other buildings will be developed and hopefully Laurel Street will get some life to it: Here's an HDR I took of the block on Laurel Street in summer of 2009 for reference. The building on the far left is the one that is being torn down:
March 18, 201114 yr I was just talking to our Main Street program manager today about the building that is being demolished. He said that the structure was condemned and Codes wouldn't have even awarded a permit to build because it was too dangerous for workers to be inside. I wasn't aware of this but the roof had collapsed and the top floor collapsed along with the roof. I guess that's what 25 years of neglect can do to a building.
March 26, 201114 yr I know the last few photos have been nothing but demolition, but here's an in-between shot of the Kohl's development. The construction-ready pad, being prepared by the City, is almost finished. Kohl's will start building in April:
March 26, 201114 yr And now they want to have a "soft" opening in late September! Kohl’s tells city of desire to open early March 26, 2011 - By MARK MARONEY - [email protected] A scheduled grand-opening of the Kohl's department store at Third and William streets may occur by the end of September, sooner than the scheduled October opening, according to city officials. On Friday, Mayor Gabriel J. Campana and John Grado, city director of community and economic development, held their weekly conference call with store management in Wisconsin. During the call, the store management pushed for a store opening toward the end of September. An official opening may occur as early as Sept. 28, with what's known as an introductory or "soft" opening two days before that, the officials said. More info @ http://www.sungazette.com/page/content.detail/id/562033/Kohl-s-tells-city-of-desire-to-open-early.html?nav=5011
April 11, 201114 yr This is what Pine Street looked like as of the 1st of the month. It does have that "missing tooth" look but I have a feeling it won't be as bad as it looks right now. The area behind the buildings will soon become another major development so this is only the beginning. Also, the buildings on either side are under major and extensive renovation/restoration. I cannot wait to see how they will look when everything is finished.
April 15, 201114 yr Kohl's should be building within weeks: Church Street Transportation Center. It looks like Susquehanna Trailways' new home and transit center is taking shape inside: Transit center: Marriott: Hotel & Transit: Church Street looking towards Market Street:
May 7, 201114 yr A wonderful sight on Pine Street. New windows on what used to be one of the biggest eyesores in town:
June 19, 201113 yr Quick little update. Look for a much better one soon. I have been really busy and haven't had the chance to get photos of all of the different projects. Here's a quick update for the Church Street Transportation Center and the new hotel. The old Merrill-Lynch building, which is being incorporated into the hotel, is getting a much needed facelift: Not sure if I'm a big fan: But the deck looks great: And it's nice to have the sidewalk open again: Like I said, brief. I'll have a much bigger update soon.
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