SCRANTON, LACKAWANNA COUNTY (WBRE/WYOU) — On Thursday, Governor Josh Shapiro joined local lawmakers in Downtown Scranton to announce a major revitalization project.
With the help of state funds, Fidelity Bank will move from its longtime location at Dunmore Corners to the Scranton Electric Building Downtown.
Officials at Thursday's news conference say this move will bring more business to Downtown Scranton. Bringing new life to a historic landmark building.
The Scranton Electric Building first opened its doors in 1896.
"Scranton's first skyscraper, the beacon of innovation, the symbol of our community's resilience, represents so much more than just a building," said President and Chief Executive Officer of Fidelity Bank Dan Santaniello.
A year and a half from now, the vacant building will be home to the new headquarters of Fidelity Bank.
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"After being headquartered in Dunmore for over 120 years, we recognize that investing in the Scranton Downtown will have a ripple effect," Santaniello continued.
Local lawmakers and Governor Josh Shapiro gathered in Scranton, to celebrate the announcement.
"We are going to invest again in our mainstreets, invest in revitalizing buildings like this and building some new ones, but making sure that we're bringing people back to our mainstreets. In this case, back to our downtowns," Governor Shapiro explained.
The project is set to bring over 150 new jobs to Downtown Scranton. Shapiro says the expansion will give small businesses in the area a boost and help to revitalize the community.
"This investment here symbolizes our efforts to get stuff done all across Pennsylvania and to show that we are indeed open for business," Governor Shapiro added.
Lawmakers also noted that the pandemic halted the progress of the project. It's set to take 18 months to complete.
