PITTSTON TWP. - Officials Thursday said they will soon seek funding to demolish the former Wilkes-Barre/Scranton International Airport Terminal.
At an airport bi-county board meeting, board member Richard Williams' question about an electric bill associated with the former terminal building led to a discussion about plans to level the building, which passengers haven't walked through for nearly seven years.
"It's an eyesore," vice-chairman Corey O'Brien said. "This (airport) is a great first impression for people coming to our region, so long as they are looking straight ahead or to their right.
"When they look left, they see this piece of garbage."
Airport Director Barry Centini said engineers will do an evaluation to establish demolition costs before any grant money is sought.
He said officials have conducted numerous studies to determine whether asbestos and other hazardous materials are contained in the building that holds the old air traffic control tower.
"I am hoping that we can get it down by the end of the year," said Mr. Centini, who would not put a price tag on the project until he received an evaluation from the engineers.
Opened in 1959, the building served as the airport terminal until 2006, when construction on the Joseph M. McDade Terminal was completed.
Until last fall, when contractors finished work on the new $20.5 million airport traffic control tower, Federal Aviation Administration workers used the old tower located inside the former terminal building.
The FAA has paid the airport "in the neighborhood of $20,000" per month to rent the tower, Mr. Centini said.
Though no workers still use the tower, the FAA is still in the process of dismantling its equipment and removing it from the building - a reason the airport is still paying electric and heating bills associated with the former terminal.
"Why not have this be a shovel-ready site?" asked Mr. O'Brien. "We could do a parking deck, a private terminal or even expand the runway. It's endless. If we have it leveled and ready to go, we have the option of landing someone who wants to move in right away."
Also at the meeting, board members voted 5-0 to appoint Timothy McGinley, a Luzerne County representative, as the board's chairman. He replaced Lackawanna County Commissioner Mr. O'Brien, who served as chairman for the last two years. Mr. O'Brien was appointed vice-chairman.
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