I finally got around to uploading these pictures I took when Ex-Ithacan visited Scranton in Fall 2006. Sort of a mini-mini SSP meet, lol.
Since things in Scranton move at a slower pace than the rest of the world, I have to say, there hasn't been much of a change downtown structure-wise since then.
Hope you enjoy!
Scranton's tallest building, Bank Towers
Wyoming Avenue with Mall at Steamtown at end of street, and the former Globe Store on the left (with awnings).
Detail on Hotel Jermyn building
The Scranton Times building
Mural of "unzipped" Scranton Times building
Mall at Steamtown
The Oppenheims/Scranton Dry Goods department store, renovated into offices at the same time the Mall at Steamtown was built (1993)
Empty lot in center of photo is the future site of St. Peter's Square mixed-use project.
Detail of bay windows at rear of Chamber of Commerce building
View toward Hill Section
Lackawanna County Courthouse Annex (now demolished)
Now we're talking about the kind of Scranton I like to see.
Very nice photos. Will eagerly await to see more.
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If you want to find a needle in the haystack, you have to be systematic about it, otherwise it's like looking for a needle in the haystack. Check out the Wilkes-Barre thread
Dunder Mifflin (of "The Office" fame)banner hanging in front of Scranton City Hall
In the first season of "The Office", this building Adams Plaza/Scranton Center, was used as the location of the Dunder Mifflin Scranton branch
Ex-Ithacan and MetroJunkie BJR in the lobby of the Radisson Lackawanna Station Hotel
Radisson Lackawanna Station Hotel
Mural of downtown Scranton on back of county administration building
Scranton School District Admin Bldg
The following are pics of the Scranton Cultural Center at Masonic Temple
Ex-Ithacan getting some Culture, Scranton Style
The following pics are of the Albright Memorial Library
Ex-Ithacan enjoying a java, or something, at a downtown Scranton coffeehouse.
Then something went wrong...
There is a bust of President McKinley in this plaza. I have no idea why.
Federal Court House...its post-modern atrium with sky-bridge walkways is very different for Scranton. Unfortunately, Security has never allowed me to take a photo of the interior.
Red building in center is the Brooks Building. The late Pulitzer Prize winning playright and "Exorcist" actor Jason Miller lived here when he returned to his hometown of Scranton.
Lackawanna County Courthouse and Courthouse Square
Connell Building...currently being renovated into condos/apartments and retail space. To the left will be a new parking garage replacing an old defunct one.
Juliet balcony on the Connell Building
Former Woolworths, now office space
Rite Aid building. Placard says that on this site the first store in what was to become the Rite Aid chain was built back in the early 60s.
Scranton Life Building...the first steel beam skeleton skyscraper built in Scranton.
Courthouse Square
Scranton density
Building with spire is Scranton City Hall
Hilton Hotel and Radisson Lackawanna Station
Looking down Lackawanna Avenue. The left side is being transformed into a mixed use "artist colony" called Renaissance at 500.
Future site of Jefferson Pointe office building. In keeping with Scranton tradition, it wont rise above 3 to 5 stories. (Aaaargh!!!)
One of the mules from the Miles of Mules urban art project circa 2000-02
Hilton Hotel
view of Scranton from Pittston Avenue in the South Side
newly constructed Condron Hall at the University of Scranton
That's it for now. Signing off from The Electric City...
__________________ Live from DMA 54
Last edited by MetroJunkie BJR; Jul 24, 2008 at 10:22 PM.
Reason: fixed error in pic link
whoa.. incredible photos... now I can finally visualize all the landmarks and businesses mentioned in The Office
Can you tell us more about St. Peter's Square?
How is the Steamtown Mall doing? What are its major tenents?
St. Peters Square is supposed to have a ground floor of retail, then 5 stories of lofts/condos, with a rear courtyard greenspace. Was supposed to have about 100 units, I think.
The Mall at Steamtown, now 15 years old, has reached a point in its maturity when the turnover in tenants is evident due to leases expiring, etc. It took a hit last year when a new lifestyle center opened and several stores, such at The Gap, closed its Steamtown store. There is a fair amount of duplication between the mall and the lifestyle center, so it is uncertain what the future will hold given the current economic conditions.
Steamtown currently has 3 anchors: Boscov's (part owner of the mall), The Bon-Ton, and Steve & Barry's (another retailer in trouble).
There is a Ground Round, Starbucks, 7 restaurants in the food court, Eddie Bauer, Radio Shack, Victoria's Secret, Abercrombie & Fitch, Hollister, Express, No Question, Journey's, Hot Topic... the usual mall tenant mix I guess.
The Mall still has decent foot traffic and it has one thing that no other mall around here has: underground covered parking. So, that's a big draw when the weather turns lousy and cold.
Gotta love all the grand old buildings in downtown Scranton. I remember that walk-about oh so long ago . Good to finally see the pics (quality stuff MJ) from that tour.
This pic is the one that does it for me:
Great job MJ, but ya gotta get a better partner to walk around with than that fat old fogey (I believe he has mental issues ).
Thanks.
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Get off my lawn you whippersnappers!!!!!
Wonderful pics of some distinctive architecture----Scranton has its own urban 'feel' and visuals.....a testament to the heydey of iron, coal and the big money guys who brought fine architects from as far as Chicago & NYC to the scene.....as they did to Wilkes-Barre as well; I always felt that Scranton had a more urban atmosphere since the core is (or seems) larger--maybe its just the street layout....a little tighter, but with somewhat wider streets.
One note: I believe that the Bank Towers Buidling (Scranton's tallest, as noted above) at one time was topped with a stainless steel or aluminum obelisk (for wont of a better description). It must have been 30-40 feet tall and really made that handsome building even better and much more prominent.
Man, I've never seen Scranton like this before; Great tour. The city really has some urban gems. It kinda reminds me of Syracuse the way it's small, kinda dense and surpsingly neat.
How old is this engraving? Is it supposed to be NYC i guess?
Mini Stroke:
Must be the Honda Fit full of groupies wearing down his nerves.
Very nice. I love the setting of Scraton with the mountains surrounding it. You get a great view of the whole city from the Northeast Extension around Clark's Summit!
Wonderful pics of some distinctive architecture----Scranton has its own urban 'feel' and visuals.....a testament to the heydey of iron, coal and the big money guys who brought fine architects from as far as Chicago & NYC to the scene.....as they did to Wilkes-Barre as well; I always felt that Scranton had a more urban atmosphere since the core is (or seems) larger--maybe its just the street layout....a little tighter, but with somewhat wider streets.
One note: I believe that the Bank Towers Buidling (Scranton's tallest, as noted above) at one time was topped with a stainless steel or aluminum obelisk (for wont of a better description). It must have been 30-40 feet tall and really made that handsome building even better and much more prominent.
Dony, you are correct. I'm not sure when that obelisk thing was removed, but it was there in photos from the 40s and 50s.
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. Good to finally see the pics (quality stuff MJ) from that tour. 
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