Mount Pleasant Corporate Center planned

08.02.2005


Developers of a 23-acre office park planned for land between the North Scranton Expressway and Linden Street were awarded a contract for engineering and infrastructure design, city leaders plan to announce today.

The engineering portion of the Mount Pleasant Corporate Center project is being financed by a $175,000 state grant to the Scranton Redevelopment Authority, the lead agency on the project. GJAI Consulting Engineers of State College won the contract.

“Nationally, large office complexes built close to downtowns are very successful. This center is literally at the doorstep to downtown,” Mayor Chris Doherty said in a statement. “And it will provide good job opportunities for the nearby neighborhoods of West Scranton, North Scranton, Weston Field and Pine Brook.”
The plans call for three 50,000-square-foot buildings and five smaller buildings consisting of commercial and retail space on Linden Street.

Seventeen of the 23 acres are in a Keystone Opportunity Zone, which abates state and local taxes for up to 12 years.

The site will be developed by the Greater Scranton Chamber of Commerce, the city and Jack Galdieri, co-owner of Keystone Block & Supply Co. Inc.

Mr. Galdieri's firm owns the land but will move to another facility on Glen Street when construction begins. He said he expects to have the infrastructure project out for bid within a year.

“The fact that the land is KOZ and adjacent to downtown Scranton makes it especially attractive to businesses,” said chamber president Austin Burke.

The office park is named for the Mount Pleasant coal breaker that once occupied part of the site. The parties involved in the development expect it to cost $30 million. They hope it will eventually employ as many as 1,500 workers.