Geisinger reveals potential concepts for CMC expansion

Sep. 23—SCRANTON — Conceptual renderings for a potential future Geisinger Community Medical Center show the Hill Section hospital expanding in the 300 block of Colfax Avenue and building a pair of new parking facilities in Colfax's 200 and 400 blocks.

Geisinger CMC currently occupies the block bordered on the north and south by Mulberry and Linden streets and on the east and west by Arthur and Colfax avenues. Geisinger has spent $6.2 million buying 22 homes around the hospital since March 2021, many of which have been or will be demolished to accommodate future development.

Geisinger officials emphasized the expansion concepts, shared Thursday with several Hill Section neighbors, are not set in stone. How the hospital ultimately grows around its footprint depends on city zoning changes that have yet to be finalized.

Neighbors wary of the expansion's potential impact on their quality of life and the character of the neighborhood pushed Geisinger for months to provide expansion plan details and visual renderings, voicing concerns about aesthetics, noise, lighting and the possible height of new structures.

Officials understand and hope to mitigate those concerns while expanding a hospital that's outgrown its emergency room, must improve parking and needs more inpatient capacity to meet community needs, Renee Blakiewicz, associate vice president of clinical operations for Geisinger's northeast region, said Friday.

The hospital sits on the east side of the 300 block of Colfax. Geisinger would expand it by demolishing parking facilities and medical offices located on the west side of the 300 block and building new construction about the same height as the current hospital, Blakiewicz said.

The shorter of the two new potential parking garages in the conceptual renderings would be located on the even-numbered side of Colfax's 400 block. It would tentatively be about 46 feet high on the Colfax-facing side and 36 feet high on the side facing Okell Court.

"Our goal is to use a lot of glass, a lot of stone (and) brick to blend into the neighborhood, and a lot of greenery," Blakiewicz said, noting another goal of putting a pocket park on the Vine Street side of the structure.

The other parking facility, in the 200 block of Colfax between Colfax and Sherwood Court, would be about eight stories. But Blakiewicz said Geisinger would conduct light studies and work to design the building so it will not block natural light from nearby homes.

"We need to really work on our design to make sure that the building is stepped down a bit," Blakiewicz said. "Maybe shorten the top layers of the parking garage to make it a little bit more doable."

The hospital also plans to complete studies to minimize the impact of noise. Officials discussed with neighbors Thursday the development of an advisory group to provide input and participate in expansion conversations.

"I think we had a great conversation yesterday," Blakiewicz said Friday. "I think there are some questions that we still need to answer — and very fair and appropriate questions — but I think all in all it was a good conversation. I think it opened a door that needed to be opened."

Hill Neighborhood Association President Tim Schwartz called Thursday's session a nice starting point for collaboration between Geisinger and the neighbors.

"I was encouraged that the hospital spoke about having an advisory board with members of the neighborhood in it to help with some concepts," he said. "And I also was pleased to see that Geisinger did hear some of the concerns of the neighbors and adjusted their plans accordingly."

But Schwartz said concerns remain among neighbors, who he fears will still face challenges if the hospital expands, especially during construction.

"I think the residents are still in for a long ride," he said. "But this meeting was a good first step."

Attorney Edmund Scacchitti, who lives on the 400 block of Arthur Avenue, said how the area around the hospital is ultimately zoned remains a fundamental issue.

As of April, the proposed new zoning ordinance would rezone some areas of the 200 block and part of the 400 block of Colfax as a civic zone, allowing buildings as tall as 120 feet, and other areas of those blocks as a "town-city institutional" zone, permitting structures up to 100 feet tall.

"What is in the final language of the zoning ordinance will control what Geisinger can and cannot do," Scacchitti said. "And any agreements they want to make now to accommodate what they think are the concerns of the neighborhood are certainly a step in the right direction, but unless and until there's a meeting of the minds as to how that's going to translate in what the zoning ordinance is going to allow them to do, the jury is still out on that."

The proposed zoning ordinance remains tabled by city council, under review and subject to changes. Officials are considering potential amendments, city Planner Don King said.

Council President Kyle Donahue said members are still soliciting input in pursuit of a middle ground, understanding Geisinger's needs and Hill Section neighbors' concerns.

"I do think we are getting closer to finding a middle ground," he said. "That's basically our one outstanding issue left with the zoning."

Contact the writer: jhorvath@timesshamrock.com; 570-348-9141; @jhorvathTT on Twitter.