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Developers making mark on Scranton, Wilkes-Barre downtowns

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From modest begins to transformative initiatives, a number of builders invested closely to enhance the downtowns in Scranton and Wilkes-Barre.

The work isn’t finished as extra duties stay within the pipeline, together with a large tower alongside Franklin Avenue and Mulberry Street in Scranton and an leisure venue deliberate for Public Square in Wilkes-Barre.

Some of the key gamers offered an replace on their ongoing ventures, mentioned their causes for focusing on the area, and supplied ideas about the way forward for financial improvement in every downtown.

John Basalyga, president, JBAS Realty, Basalyga Hospitality

From rehabbing roofs to restoring properties, Basalyga based Eastern Roofing Systems and later developed a popularity as probably the most prolific builders in Northeast Pennsylvania and past. Among his initiatives in downtown Scranton, he reworked the bankrupt Steamtown Mall into the Marketplace at Steamtown — which options quite a lot of tenants from academic to medical and leisure — and turned the previous Tink’s property on Linden Street into A’tera and Sergei’s Live, an upscale restaurant and stay music venue. Most lately, he turned his consideration to downtown Wilkes-Barre by buying Stegmaier Mansion buildings and a former financial institution.

2026 blueprint

• Scranton Tower mission: More than 5 years in the past, Basalyga introduced his intention to assemble a 17-to-22-floor mixed-use tower on the former Red Carpet Inn location on Franklin Avenue, between Mulberry and Linden streets. While new building hasn’t progressed, Basalyga famous preliminary plans — which name for a big retail house, a lodge with 110 rooms, residences or condominiums, and a parking storage — proceed to evolve.

“I don’t really have dates, or schedules, about when that would start, if it would start, but it’s still my desire to go forward with it,” Basalyga stated.

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Developer John Basalyga discusses The Marketplace at Steamtown on the higher degree within the mall in Scranton Wednesday, August 27, 2025. (SEAN MCKEAG / STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER)

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• First National Bank – Wilkes-Barre: After closing on the acquisition of the previous First National Bank constructing on Public Square in Wilkes-Barre in April 2025, Basalyga plans to ascertain a meals and leisure venue. He hopes to start out some cleanup and structure work inside the subsequent couple of months. Additionally, Basalyga expanded his attain in Wilkes-Barre by buying the Mary Stegmaier and Frederick Stegmaier Mansion properties on South Franklin Street after a constructive dialog with Mayor George Brown.

• Coney Island: Basalyga bought the previous Coney Island Lunch constructing and enterprise at 515 Lackawanna Ave., Scranton, in December 2023 and hopes to complete renovations of the property by June. The revamp will embody an ice cream spot subsequent door to enrich the Texas wieners. Basalyga acquired the unique recipe as a part of the sale settlement.

Why right here?

Scranton: “I’m from here; God put me here for a reason. I enjoy doing it, I’m still able to do it, and I think I’ve gotten good at it. I have the stamina and a lot of times just the courage to get in there and keep pushing ahead. Downtown Scranton is the nucleus of our entire area. As I’ve said, if the nucleus is healthy and performing well, everything else in all the other towns — Clarks Summit, Moscow, Dickson City — will work, but that core needs to be strong. I do the same lap around the downtown every morning. I check out the jobs and love to see progress — it’s invigorating. My heart and soul is in the city.”

Wilkes-Barre: “One of the first things I saw were the Stegmaier mansions. I fell in love with the buildings and saw a lot of potential for them. That really got me started down there. If the administration is pro-business and pro-growth, that’s appealing to me. I think Scranton is a bit ahead, just because the downtown has been getting rebuilt over the last eight to 10 years, but I see Wilkes-Barre as an area of opportunity.”

What’s the aim?

“I myself see doing 134 Wyoming Ave. (the five-story former Dime Bank and Mellon Bank building). I want to put some more work into (the Marketplace at) Steamtown — clean that up a little bit on the inside, upgrade it a little bit. Whatever else God sends my way, I’m a man of faith and I think things happen for a reason. If it works in my favor, great; if it doesn’t, it was supposed to be that way. I’ll continue to do what I’m doing. My future plans are to keep hammering the downtown.”

Future outlook?

“If it wasn’t for the private investors, I don’t think people would look at Scranton as favorably as they do. I think our politicians need to get onboard and make it more conducive for the success of small businesses — cut expenses, cut the taxes, and shrink the government if they need to. They need to work with us. Everything keeps getting more expensive, and that’s the one thing that will stop the progress downtown. I never got a penny of grant money, I did it all myself, but it’s hard to make the numbers meet with the taxes so high. Ten years ago, when I bought Steamtown, I couldn’t get anybody to even show interest in the downtown; they would say anywhere but downtown. Now, everyone wants to be downtown. I probably have a couple dozen people who are looking for spaces downtown.”

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Real property developer Don Mammano appears out of the window in the direction of downtown Scranton within the Peoples Security Bank & Trust Tuesday, March 10, 2026. (SEAN MCKEAG / STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER)

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Don Mammano, president, DFM Properties

From pupil housing leases within the Hill Section to condominium buildings just like the Miller Lofts on Wyoming Avenue, 317 Linden and 1100 Penn in and round downtown Scranton, Don Mammano continues to develop his portfolio. Among his current acquisitions, Mammano bought the PNC Bank constructing on Penn Avenue and the 10-story Peoples Security Bank constructing on North Washington Avenue.

2026 blueprint

• Peoples Security Bank: Mammano purchased the historic constructing — the town’s first skyscraper — in January 2025 and goals to draw workplace/business tenants for the higher flooring, with Peoples Security persevering with to function on the primary and second flooring.

“I’ve been actively having conversations with people inquiring about the building,” he stated. “No one has moved in yet, but there are a couple prospects. I’m excited to bring the right tenants to the upper floors to really invigorate that corner and that building.”

• Restaurant at GAR Building: Mammano envisions {that a} new, high-end restaurant, operated by Rob Friedman, ought to open by the summer season contained in the GAR Building on the 300 block of Penn Avenue.

Mammano famous the property housed the Windsor Hotel and Saloon a few century in the past.

“To be repurposed and brought back to its original use in a time when the downtown is booming once again, with the residential, nightlife, bars and restaurants, it’s going to be a class establishment occupying the whole first floor and the basement,” Mammano stated.

• 1100 Penn and 1100 Oakford: His largest mission up to now, Mammano accomplished 100 residences amongst two neighboring properties on the outskirts of Scranton’s Pine Brook part.

“It was a tremendous opportunity to repurpose a gem of a building in the city,” he stated.

Now, Mammano turns his consideration to repurposing two buildings throughout the road at 1101 Penn Ave. into a mix of residential and business makes use of.

“My goal and vision for acquiring 1101 was to bring some good commercial occupants to that neighborhood,” he stated. “Instead of 1100 Penn being on its own little island with people living there, I want them to be able to walk across the street to go to a coffee shop, a deli, a yoga studio.”

Why right here?

“I was tracking the downtown in my early 20s and I bought my first building, 134 Franklin Ave., the old Hoban Restaurant Supply. I worked on getting the first floor rented and waited until I was ready to do my first downtown development to build 20 apartments upstairs. It was a stretch at that point but I was comfortable to get it completed, get it financed and get it occupied. Ever since then, I’ve been drawn to the buildings downtown. I can see through all the negatives and figure out a way to make them work.”

What’s the aim?

“If when I look at a building and I see that I can add value by repurposing it and making it better, one way or another, for the downtown and the greater good of Scranton, I’m going to continue doing that until there are no more buildings for me to renovate, redo or transform. I love taking old buildings, being creative, and thinking outside the box to repurpose them for today’s needs and wants. After 22 years, I’m still moving forward with that plan. Every time I do a project, people are always saying, ‘Who’s going to rent there? Who’s going to live there?’ One project at a time, I get it finished and move on to the next.”

Future outlook?

“Everything I’ve ever built, renovated or redone has been fully occupied, and I continue to see the demand. There is a push for restaurants, bars, nightlife and theater downtown. I think that’s a really integral part of the downtown working as a whole. For the last 10 to 15 years, a handful of us have really been focusing on building apartments in downtown Scranton. That’s great, but in order to really give that live, work and play lifestyle where you have the big-city feel in a small city, you need to have really nice things where people can walk a few blocks downtown and grab a cup of coffee, go to a restaurant or see a show.”

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Real property developer Charlie Jefferson poses for {a photograph} in Black and Brass Coffee on Penn Avenue in downtown Scranton Tuesday, March 10, 2026. (SEAN MCKEAG / STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER)

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