No new application submitted for work on fire-damaged historical building

Joseph Kohut, The Times-Tribune, Scranton, Pa.
·2 min read

Sep. 26—Nearly a year after the owner of a fire-damaged downtown Scranton landmark was denied a request for partial demolition, no new application for work has been made, according to the city's Historical Architecture Review Board.

A fire at J.G. Plotkin & Son Shoe Co. at 301 Penn Ave. in December 2020 destroyed $90,000 worth of inventory and damaged the century-old-plus building. The cause was listed as undetermined due to the extent of the damage.

Work on the property requires review and approval from the HARB, said Chairman Richard J. Leonori. With its construction dating back to at least 1898, it anchors the Penn Avenue Historic District, the board said. The shoe business has been in East Mountain resident Richard Plotkin's family since 1910.

In August 2021, Plotkin's nephew, Robert Pollack, applied on his behalf for a certificate of appropriateness to conduct a partial demolition. By October, council accepted the HARB's recommendation to deny the application due to a lack of detail.

Since then, no new application has been made, Leonori said. Wooden boards fill the windows and Penn Avenue storefront.

Attempts to reach Plotkin were unsuccessful. Reached by phone, Pollack said there was not much he could say Friday about future plans but may be able to at a later date.

A July 2021 engineering report undertaken by Keystone Structural Group of Scranton found the extent of damage seemed to outweigh the amount of salvageable structure. They recommended the building be partially demolished.

After receiving the application, the HARB said they had questions regarding what would happen after the work. Those included concerns for adjacent buildings and whether the lot will be paved or rebuilt.

Contact the writer:

jkohut@timesshamrock.com, 570-348-9100, x5187;

@jkohutTT on Twitter.

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