WILKES-BARRE TOWNSHIP, Pa. — A picture taken from the website of Valley Crest Real Estate shows a parcel of land highlighted in green, showing its location to Interstate 81 and Route 309, known as the Cross Valley Expressway.
Valley Crest is planning to build multiple businesses in the space that currently only holds a former Luzerne County-run nursing home.
Robert Tamburro with Valley Crest says the 77 acres there are zoned as mixed-use.
“Our plans are for retail, entertainment, medical and residential,” said Tamburro.
Tamburro says he is also looking to reduce traffic congestion on the Cross Valley to make it easier for people to travel to his site and other developments in the area.
His company was just awarded a $3 million grant from PennDOT to improve traffic on Route 309 to Mundy Street.
“At minimum, there'll be a new traffic signal, and there'll be good and modern access to Valley Crest property,” said Tamburro.
Right now, the only work being done on the company's property is the removal of hazardous material, including asbestos, from the old nursing home.
Then the company hopes to start taking it down sometime in June.
People shopping at the Arena Hub are excited about both projects.
“Keep us safe, and it will keep traffic moving, so I say go for it,” said Jonathan Muniz of Wilkes-Barre.
“I think any time there's a new development in the area. It brings tax revenue, jobs. I think for economic growth, it has the potential,” said Richard Caruso of Kingston.
Richard Caruso's great-grandson, Nathan King, says that he'd like to see a Walmart move into that property despite one being nearby.
“Because they usually have good stuff,” said the seven-year-old boy.
Tamburro says there is no date set for when work will begin on Route 309.