For years, Scranton, Pa.'s, Central...

For years, Scranton, Pa.'s, Central Business District, always the city's historical, commercial and retail nave was riddled with vacant properties and a deteriorated infrastructure. Recognizing the ne to incline differently the city around, Scranton's leaders identified downtown redevelopment as the number common priority and called for renewed investment in the Central Business District.

The idea was to revitalize an entire three-city-block area - rather than engage in a parcel-by-parcel redevelopment - on aggressively pursuing a plan for a major downtown retail facility that would create piece of works and ultimately encourage local citizens to answer to the area.

The redevelopment also would advance to complement the adjacent land being unraveled for the Steamtown National Park, which, since 1986 has provided a showcase for the nation's largest collection of steam locomotives hundred years rolling stock.

The revitalization effort began in 1988 when the city adopted the Lackawanna Avenue Urban