Crane putting in new roof on downtown Pottsville building
Jun. 17—POTTSVILLE — Motorists and pedestrians traveling past the Schuylkill Trust Co. building Wednesday were greeted by the sight of a large crane next to the building.
A construction crew is using it to construct a new roof, an employee at the site said Wednesday, adding he expects the work to continue for the next few weeks.
The crane, visible from throughout downtown Pottsville, stood idle in the parking lot next to the building at 101 N. Centre St. on Wednesday, with trucks from GSM Roofing and Crane Rentals Inc. next to it. Its operator sat in the cab while a worker was seen on an outer walkway on the building. Pieces from an air conditioning unit sat on the ground near the parking lot.
Jushi Holdings Inc., which has owned the eight-story building since 2019, plans to open a medical marijuana dispensary on the first floor under the brand name Beyond/Hello. Agape Total Health Care Inc. received a medical marijuana dispensary permit from the state Department of Health for the property in late 2018 before the company was acquired by Jushi in 2019.
Michael Perlman, executive vice president of investor relations and treasury, said Wednesday he expects the new store will open in the next three or four months, pending an inspection and certification from the state Department of Health.
Jushi has already opened dispensaries in Hazleton and near Easton under the name Beyond/Hello.
It will sell medical marijuana, cartridges, flowers, concentrates, topicals, tinctures and merchandise including bandanas, T-shirts, hoodies and face masks. Customers will be able to pre-order online and pick up in the store.
Parking Authority Executive Director Ian Lipton said the building's owner has been renting the parking spaces next to the structure for two years from the authority to complete the renovation work.
The neighboring Thompson building, meanwhile, is under new ownership. Advanced Consulting Inc., Port Carbon, bought the six-story building at North Centre and West Market streets in April, with Mayor James T. Muldowney telling council members at Monday's meeting the owner reached out to him.
Built in 1924, the Schuylkill Trust Co. building was previously owned by James J. Curran Jr., who received numerous citations and did not pay taxes on the property.
The first floor was previously occupied by Wells Fargo bank, which moved out in 2017 because of problems with the building's façade.
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