I've been meaning to blog about the 500 block of Lackawanna Avenue in Scranton for a while. It was the topic of a blog in the spring. Revisiting the issue was always on the agenda, and I finally got a chance to take some pictures Wednesday morning.
As you can see, several buildings have been rehabilitated, and they look great. The renovations kept the traditional style. It's what the city really needs.
However, and you knew there would be a "however," I do have my concerns. One is the traffic island splitting this block of Lackawanna Avenue. You can see the island in the bottom photo. It's supposed to make the street more "pedestrian friendly." Heck, a god set of "walk/don't walk" lights will do that for you. Scranton still has more than its share of dangerous intersections with broken pedestrian warning lights. Islands usually just foul up traffic, making the situation even more dangerous for people crossing the street. I don't know what the planners were thinking with this design.
Another potential problem deals with an urban park, to be established behind these buildings. Urban parks are great while the sun is up. At night, they're nothing but trouble. The police department already has more than its share of problem areas. It'll soon have another one.
And finally, I wonder if there will be people to occupy the apartments and businesses to set up shop in the storefronts. Downtown had its problems, even before the economy went south.
I'm just glad something was done on this block. It's been an eyesore for years, and at least they didn't let these buildings rot, like we saw in other parts of the downtown.
