PITTSTON, Pa. — It's a project the Pittston Redevelopment Authority has been working on for years.
The building that once stood at 99 South Main Street in downtown Pittston was recently demolished. The spot will soon be home to the New American Theatre, which Mayor Michael Lombardo said is just one of many new developments in the city's downtown.
"We know what the outside will look like. We know what the purpose of the box is. In addition to the six hundred seats, you'll also have some office space and some residential on the upper floors."
Pittston's redevelopment project will also expand into this parking lot outside a former supermarket.
"The plan is basically there to build a new supermarket and again another what we call mixed-use, so in addition to the supermarket, we'll have some other street retail," added Mayor Lombardo.
Mayor Lombardo says the plan is to connect the two projects, making downtown Pittston a one-stop shop for residents and visitors.
"That's kind of the plan, you know, you come here for dinner, you go to a movie. You go to a movie, or you see a show, and then you see a show, and then you go out to one of our bars or nightclubs that we have in the city."
The theatre will be seven to eight stories tall and include 15 to 20 apartments on the upper levels.
"A lot of our development now is going to be vertical, and I point that out to you in that when completed, this building will be the second tallest building in the city," Mayor Lombardo described.
The New American Theatre will be an ode to Pittston's garment threading history. The front of the building will feature a giant needle and thread, and the back will feature scissors. Construction is set to start early next year. Mayor Lombardo says a rooftop bar might even be in the theatre's future.
"We have not had a property tax increase in 15 years, and I don't anticipate the need for one if we keep this kind of economic growth downtown," said Mayor Lombardo.
Mayor Lombardo says he hopes this development brings new life to downtown Pittston.