Authorization for Luzerne County to purchase the historic former train station in downtown Wilkes-Barre for $615,000 is up for discussion at Tuesday’s county council work session, according to the agenda released Friday.
A council majority would have to grant approval at a future meeting for purchase of the 154-year-old landmark to proceed.
Council’s Real Estate Committee had unanimously agreed in February to allow the administration to negotiate the potential purchase. The committee said the full 11-member council must vote to proceed if the administration negotiated an acceptable price and wanted to submit a formal purchase offer.
Owned by Market Square Properties Development LLC, the 4,000-square-foot station on Wilkes-Barre Boulevard had been listed for sale at $625,000.
The county is interested because its tourism office, Visit Luzerne County, has been housed inside the train station since February 2022.
County council had approved the leasing of 2,100 square feet inside the station for the county tourism office in April 2021, agreeing to pay $32,400 annually for five years, with the option to renew for two additional three-year terms.
“Given the existing lease agreement, purchasing the building could stabilize the county’s long-term occupancy costs and prevent potential relocation disruptions,” Tuesday’s work session agenda said.
If the purchase is authorized, the county would pay cash using miscellaneous county community development office funds, it said.
The agenda provides the following argument in favor of a purchase:
“Constructed in 1868 and added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1975, the train station is a significant architectural and cultural asset. Since February 2022, Luzerne County has rented the building for use as our Visitor’s Bureau and looks to purchase the building to further highlight our county and improve guest relationships by promoting and celebrating Luzerne County’s history, activities and attractions. There is future development potential as well as contributing to the revitalization of downtown Wilkes-Barre.”
Denial of a purchase would result in “no control over rent increases or building use, potentially resulting in relocation of the tourism office with less visibility of Luzerne County history,” it said.
The train station parcel includes 30 parking spots, officials have said.
Market Square Properties purchased the 6.36-acre station complex in June 2016 for $1.2 million from the county Redevelopment Authority, which had purchased the property in 2006 from businessman Thom Greco for $5.8 million.
Prior county commissioners had authorized federal community development funds for the county Redevelopment Authority purchase. With no funds to develop the site, the authority sold the property to Market Square.
Market Square already sold two parcels in the complex and recently completed a subdivision that allows the train station portion to be sold separately.
Developer George Albert, of Market Square Properties, recently said plans are in the works to bring a Starbucks and credit union to other parcels in the station complex.
Tuesday’s council work session follows a 6 p.m. voting meeting at the county courthouse on River Street in Wilkes-Barre. Instructions for the remote attendance option will be posted under council’s public online meetings section at luzernecounty.org.