WILKES-BARRE, Pa. — It's a tight fit inside the Luzerne County Visitors Bureau on Public Square in Wilkes-Barre.
Executive Director Ted Wampole says he and his staff have been so busy, they've outgrown the space, largely because of tourism in the area.
"The tourism economics report that came out indicated that the economic impact on tourism in Luzerne County in 2019 was a billion-dollar industry, and I know that's hard for people to comprehend, but that's an independent survey or study," said Wampole. "We support 7,200 jobs, you know, and all that money that comes out people spend on hotels and restaurants and attractions."
Luckily, there is a spot nearby looking for a tenant—a historic train station on Wilkes-Barre Boulevard.
"This is an integral part of our industrial revolution, so when coal was discovered in Wilkes-Barre, we had to figure out how to get it over those mountains, and it was first canals, and then railroads," explained Tony Brooks with the Wilkes-Barre Preservation Society. "This is the third or fourth train station built in Wilkes-Barre, but only the last one, so we are now saving it, preserving it, and putting it to good use."
"We presented it to council, and again it was their decision," explained Wampole. "We just made our case that we think it's the best location for the visitors bureau. Again, it's our office operations; it's not just, you know, a display. We needed the operations to be centrally located, and what better place?"
"I've seen it deteriorate and revive and deteriorate and revive over my lifetime, so it's back to being restored," added Brooks. "In my mind, historic preservation is economic development, and it also makes every single community in America unique. So what's unique about Wilkes-Barre? The fantastic Market Street Bridge, our train station, and the Luzerne County Courthouse."
Wampole says the fence has gone up, and the developer hopes to have it completed and ready for move-in on December 15, 2021.