Company proposed for City Hall audio-visual project
Oct. 14—Scranton found a company to outfit the Governor's Room at City Hall with an audio-visual system, allowing it to better serve as a public meeting space.
City council introduced legislation last week authorizing a grant-funded contract with Borwick's Performance Hi-Fidelity of Wilkes-Barre. Scranton will use a state Local Share Account grant to cover the roughly $24,600 cost.
Officials solicited proposals for the AV project in July with a goal of making the Governor's Room more conducive to meetings and presentations while preserving the historic nature of the second-floor space. The company's estimate includes various pieces of hardware, including speakers, amplifiers, a projector and screen and a microphone system.
"The Governor's Room is a beautiful, historic room," Business Administrator Eileen Cipriani said. "While it's a beautiful room, the acoustics ... are not the best, so it's often difficult to hear when you're having a meeting. We're looking to enhance that and improve that as a meeting space."
Another proposal Scranton received for the project, from JP Lilley, would have cost $49,072, according to a legislative cover sheet. Council will likely vote to approve the Performance Hi-Fidelity contract Tuesday.
The forthcoming Governor's Room improvements come as the city prepares for a substantial exterior renovation of City Hall. The last major renovation of the historic 1888 Municipal Building at 340 N. Washington Ave. — listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1981 — was done in 1980.
Among other elements, the planned project calls for restoring the building's roof and various other unique features, including its tall steeple. Bids received for the work remain under review.
Scranton will use federal American Rescue Plan Act and state Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program grant funding for the City Hall restoration.
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