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Plans appear re-energized for E. 3rd St. redevelopment

MARK MARONEY/Sun-Gazette City Councilwoman Liz Miele, a member of the city economic revitalization committee, listens Monday as Dr. John F. Piper Jr., a local historian and retired dean of Lycoming College, provides an overview of the history of the city, including how it pertains to the continuing plans to redevelop a portion of it east of Market Street and in the Old City neighborhood near the college.

City Council’s economic revitalization committee met Monday focusing in part on continuing redevelopment plans for sites east of Market Street near Lycoming College.

Officials, including the East Third Street Gateway Commission, consisting of local businessmen and others, went on a hiatus for more than a year and want to restart talks on the redevelopment strategy.

“We’ve been in a quiet period to secure funding and get a traffic study done and get the East Third Street Gateway commission back involved in the plans,” Councilman Randall J. Allison, chairman of the committee, said. “We’re raring to go.”

John Albarano II, commission chairman, attended the meeting. He remained quiet but did question the potential impact of proposals to change some one-way street corridors into areas for two-way traffic.

“Would two-way traffic negate on-street parking?” he asked.

“Some parking, particularly the approach to intersections,” said John Grado, city engineer and director of city community and economic development.

William Rischar, a member of the city planning commission, asked what the purpose was of making Pine Street two-way between West Third and West Fourth streets, suggesting it appeared to be a move to accommodate River Valley Transit bus access.

Mayor Gabriel J. Campana said opening up the street would enhance economic opportunity for existing businesses, perhaps open up potential for more and add on-street parking.

“There appears to be no good access into downtown by using Court Street, which is too narrow,” Councilwoman Liz Miele, of the committee, said.

Opening up Pine Street to two-way traffic would assist more businesses, she said.

Dr. John F. Piper Jr., a city historian and retired dean of Lycoming College, provided a historical perspective, some of it focused on the proposed redevelopment sites.

The first building, the Russell Inn, a tavern that also served as the courthouse for a time, was built at East Third and Mulberry streets, Piper said.

In a tribute, the city may have a small park and a replica skeletal structure of the tavern built.

The area also was where Michael Ross first farmed on 111-acres he called “Virginia,” Piper said. Ross was the individual who named Williamsport, after his son, William, and for the value of its river as a port.

The access to the Susquehanna River Walk also is part of the redevelopment strategy. Jerry Walls, of the SEDA-Council of Governments Joint Rail Authority, said the authority engineer has done an analysis and believes that an “at-grade-level crossing of the tracks” with safety improvements is doable near Basin Street.

Such a close connection might fit with Lycoming College, which is raising funds to build a “Gateway Building” facing south, and adding recreational curriculum.

The funding streams of late appear to be a boost for the officials.

The city has been notified it was awarded a $777,395 grant from state Department of Community and Economic Development to make Basin Street two-way, add traffic signals at Third and Basin streets and to realign Basin, Franklin, East Fourth streets as part of Lycoming College’s new gateway entrance.

Additionally, Lycoming College and River Valley Transit also will share in a $1 million grant for revitalization the area east end of the city’s downtown. The grant was awarded by the First Community Foundation Partnership of Pennsylvania last week.

On council’s agenda this Thursday is the application for a $750,000 grant from the Appalachian Regional Commission to pay for reconstruction of Pine Street, making two-way traffic between West Third and West Fourth streets.

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