SCRANTON — Building by building, John Basalyga aims to bring new life into the 100 block of Wyoming Avenue in downtown Scranton.
Basalyga, who owns numerous properties downtown, including The Marketplace at Steamtown, has in recent years acquired half of the dozen buildings in the 100 block of Wyoming Avenue. This block is anchored by the Lackawanna County Government Center at the former Globe department store.
The buildings he now owns are or were mostly vacant. He has total renovations underway of two adjacent former eyesores, and has plans in the works for either redeveloping or filling other structures with commercial and residential tenants.
“I have an opportunity here to really change the look of downtown in this block, and I want to take advantage of that,” Basalyga said.
Photo on top shows a renovation by John Basalyga underway at 107-109 Wyoming Ave. and the adjoining 111 Wyoming Ave., which are two buildings with three addresses. The image on bottom is a rendering of a renovation of two connected buildings owned by John Basalyga at 107-109 and 111 Wyoming Ave. in downtown Scranton. (PHOTO ON TOP / JIM LOCKWOOD/STAFF PHOTO ; BOTTOM IMAGE PROVIDED / COURTESY OF JOHN BASALYGA)
Here’s a look at the properties and plans:
130 Wyoming Ave.: A three-story former Wells Fargo bank building, purchased by Basalyga a year ago, will soon get a Building Blocks Learning Center occupying about 10,000 square feet on the first and second floors. Building Blocks Learning Center has locations in the areas of Wilkes-Barre, Kingston, Back Mountain, Mountain Top, Hazleton and the Lehigh Valley, according to its website. It lists 130 Wyoming Ave. in Scranton as a “coming soon” location.
The rest of the building would become residences. This building is fronted by curved canopy structures.
“I think that’s a unique building for downtown. I’ve heard for so many years that people said it’s ugly, but I have some great ideas that will make it beautiful and stand out. That building is going to come alive,” he said.
He wants to “get really creative with the landscaping and the lighting on it and figure out something to do with all of these different canopies,” he said. “It’s one of two things: they (the canopies) are either really ugly and have to go or they’re going to make the building, and I don’t know which one it is yet.”
Another idea is to use a driveway along the side of the building for a streetscape attraction there.
134 Wyoming Ave.: A vacant, five-story former Dime Bank Building, which later became a Mellon Bank, is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and also was purchased a year ago. It is on the corner of 400 Biden St. Built in 1891 by architect Frederick Lord Brown, the bank was designed in the Chateauesque style with orange-brown sandstone work and a heavy cornice, according to historical accounts.
“We’ve had some financial institutions looking at the lower level. It kind of lends itself to that. And then the upper levels, we’ve got drawings from the previous owner for apartments,” Basalyga said.
“I would say it’s a 2026 project now.”
117 Wyoming Ave.: Dolly’s Boutique relocated here in January. In 2022, Basalyga’s JBAS Realty bought this four-story Place 1 building, which formerly had a women’s clothing store, and the former Steamtown Trading Post next door. Place 1 has an L shape that wraps around the rear of the former trading post pawn shop. The second floor currently has another commercial tenant, and the third and floor floors have remnants of a former gym that had been in that building. He has no plans for apartments in this building.
115 Wyoming Ave.: Also purchased in 2022, the one-story former Steamtown Trading Post most recently had the Dusk & Dawn Coffeeshop and Purgatory Lounge, which are no longer there. Instead of having one business in a narrow, deep building, Basalyga plans to install windows in the wall along the Center Street alley and make spaces for three or four smaller stores there.
107-109 Wyoming Ave.: A former Blue Wireless discount cellphone store, purchased in 2023.
111 Wyoming Ave.: A longtime Curry Donuts store that most recently contained Wanda’s Mofongo House II restaurant; also purchased in 2023.
Basalyga has a total revamp well underway of these two connected, three-story buildings, with commercial spaces on the street level and apartments above.
He also will unify the facades of these two buildings and will return to the city’s Historical Architecture Review Board for review and approval.
Photo on top shows a renovation by John Basalyga underway at 107-109 Wyoming Ave. and the adjoining 111 Wyoming Ave., which are two buildings with three addresses. The image on bottom is a rendering of a renovation of two connected buildings owned by John Basalyga at 107-109 and 111 Wyoming Ave. in downtown Scranton. (PHOTO ON TOP / JIM LOCKWOOD/STAFF PHOTO ; BOTTOM IMAGE PROVIDED / COURTESY OF JOHN BASALYGA)
A new bookstore opened earlier this month at 111 Wyoming Ave. in the street-level space. Friendly Alien Books held a grand opening June 6, coinciding with First Friday events.
Bookstore owner Brigid Lawrence expressed optimism about Basalyga’s plan to enliven the block.
“It’s the perfect location (for a bookstore) and he does have so much planned for this stretch and there’s already so much happening” with other buildings and businesses in the block and nearby, Lawrence said.
Basalyga also plans to have another commercial space on the street level of 107-109 Wyoming Ave.
“I want to bring more business downtown. We need more businesses,” he said.
Initially, a few years ago, Basalyga planned to raze the three buildings at 107-109, 111 and 115 Wyoming Ave., and construct a six- to eight-story, mixed-use building on the footprint of 107-109 and 111, and build a sky bridge over the Center Street alley to 117 Wyoming Ave. He has since scrapped those plans in favor of renovating the existing buildings.
Meanwhile, in another area of the downtown, Basalyga’s plans are on hold for a 17-story building at Franklin Avenue and Mulberry Street, on the lot of the former Red Carpet Inn & Suites, pending the outcome of a countywide tax reassessment, he said.
“I’m just waiting to see what happens with the property taxes,” Basalyga said. “I don’t know what’s going to happen after the reassessment. It’s certainly something to be concerned with. A building of that size, that could be millions of dollars a year in (property) taxes. I don’t want to build something that isn’t financially viable. So I’m just waiting to see.”
*
Developed John Basalyga discusses development and some of his properties in the 100 block of Wyoming Avenue in downtown Scranton on Tuesday, June 10. (CHAD SEBRING/STAFF PHOTO)
*
Developed John Basalyga discusses development and some of his properties in the 100 block of Wyoming Avenue in downtown Scranton on Tuesday, June 10. (CHAD SEBRING/STAFF PHOTO)
*
Developed John Basalyga discusses development and some of his properties in the 100 block of Wyoming Avenue in downtown Scranton on Tuesday, June 10. (CHAD SEBRING/STAFF PHOTO)
Show Caption
1 of 3
Developed John Basalyga discusses development and some of his properties in the 100 block of Wyoming Avenue in downtown Scranton on Tuesday, June 10. (CHAD SEBRING/STAFF PHOTO)
Expand
Buildings owned by John Basalyga at 115 Wyoming Ave. in downtown Scranton, at left, and 117 Wyoming Ave., at right, shown here on Tuesday, June 10, 2025. (JIM LOCKWOOD / STAFF PHOTO)John Basalyga owns 111 Wyoming Ave. in downtown Scranton, shown here on Tuesday, June 10, 2025. (JIM LOCKWOOD / STAFF PHOTO)A building owned by John Basalyga at 130 Wyoming Ave. in downtown Scranton, shown here on Tuesday, June 10, 2025. (JIM LOCKWOOD / STAFF PHOTO)A building owned by John Basalyga at 134 Wyoming Ave., at a corner of Biden Street, in downtown Scranton, shown here on Tuesday, June 10, 2025. (JIM LOCKWOOD / STAFF PHOTO)The new Friendly Alien Books bookstore in a building owned by John Basalyga at 111 Wyoming Ave. in downtown Scranton, shown here on Tuesday, June 10, 2025. (JIM LOCKWOOD / STAFF PHOTO)A building owned by John Basalyga at 130 Wyoming Ave. in downtown Scranton, shown here on Tuesday, June 10, 2025. (JIM LOCKWOOD / STAFF PHOTO)Two buildings owned by John Basalyga at 115 and 117 Wyoming Ave.in downtown Scranton, shown here on Tuesday, June 10, 2025/A building owned by John Basalyga at 130 Wyoming Ave. in downtown Scranton, shown here on Tuesday, June 10, 2025. (JIM LOCKWOOD / STAFF PHOTO)A front and side wall of a building owned by John Basalyga at 115 Wyoming Ave. in downtown Scranton, shown here on Tuesday, June 10, 2025. (JIM LOCKWOOD / STAFF PHOTO)A vacant area between two buildings now owned by John Basalyga at 130 and 134 Wyoming Ave. in downtown Scranton, shown here on Tuesday, June 10, 2025. (JIM LOCKWOOD / STAFF PHOTO)The front and side wall of a building owned by John Basalyga at 115 Wyoming Ave. in downtown Scranton, shown here on Tuesday, June 10, 2025. (JIM LOCKWOOD / STAFF PHOTO)