WILKES-BARRE, Pa. -- King's College in Wilkes-Barre is making changes to old, empty buildings and renovating them into state-of-the-art complexes.
King's also plans to fix city streets around its campus.
"There's been a lot of communication with the state, and we're working on the last final details of all of that, but the state is very supportive," said John Loyack, King's College.
Thanks to a combination of King's College funds and state grants, King's will be converting the old Times Leader building into a new allied health facility, which is scheduled to be finished in the summer of 2020.
The old Spring Brook Building will be renovated as part of the college's new engineering building, which is slated to done by the spring of 2019.
"Every time we bring in a new student for a new program, that brings in new commerce for the downtown," Loyack said.
"Beautifying and taking a building, nobody wants to see an old building so you take a dilapidated and make it into something for the school, it'd be a good thing," said Greg Thompson.
"I trust what they do and I really like that I'm a student here because there's so much progress. In just my three, four years here, the amount of progress that King's has made here is stultifying and I love it," said Deangelo Aboutanos.
In the spring of 2019, King's College plans to fix sidewalks, add traffic lights, and improve the look of several city blocks.
King's College students say that will make the walk through campus easier and more aesthetically pleasing.
"Some of the sidewalks are a little rough and cracked right now, so I think that will be nice. Street lights and all that sort of stuff, I think it's great because it provides a nice look for students walking by and it's safer as well," said student Peter Manzella.
The streets affected will be portions of River, Main and North Market Streets.