TAYLOR, Pa. -- A large piece of land in Lackawanna County could see development for the first time since the coal mining days.
Officials in Taylor are trying to make the land more attractive to potential buyers.
It's known as the old Taylor Colliery, it's about 90 acres of land right in the middle of the borough that's been undeveloped since coal mining there stopped.
Remnants of the colliery hang on the walls at the Taylor Borough Building on Union Street. To borough manager Dan Zeleniak, the land is a puzzle he and the borough's development authority are trying to put back together.
Zeleniak told Newswatch 16 he plans to ask the borough zoning board to change the land's designation. He said several companies have already shown interest in building a warehousing or distribution facility on the old mining property.
"We've had numerous environmental studies done on it, and you know, putting residential in there just would not be the most appropriate thing to do at this point, so that leaves us looking at commercial," Zeleniak added.
The land has been unused and undeveloped for just about as long as anyone in Taylor can remember. Neighbors along Main Street in Taylor tell Newswatch 16 they are concerned about how any development could affect traffic in their neighborhood.
"We get a lot of traffic anymore like we never used to, but then again, that's progress right?" said Ed Fetchen, who has lived on Main Street for 30 years.
Fetchen said he already sees more tractor trailers pass his house than he'd like, but he agrees it might be time to get the colliery back on the tax rolls.
"Hopefully they will develop it into something decent, if they put up warehousing, you know, if they could try to hide it a little bit, it would be nice for the neighborhood," Fetchen added.
Steve Derenick has lived in Taylor all his life, and told Newswatch 16 this is the closest the borough's ever been to developing the land.
"I never thought I'd see it, but if it's in the works then good for them. I hope it works for them," Derenick said.
The Taylor Zoning Board will vote next month on the change. It would be the first step in a long process.