Scranton plans to tap about $15,000 in unused federal funding to restore several stained glass windows at the entrance of City Hall.
The ornate windows, which surround the main doors on the North Washington Avenue side of the historic building, are in need of repair. Some are bowing outwards.
The $15,000 officials plan to put toward the project is left over from a long-discontinued federal program aimed at historical preservation, city Office of Economic and Community Development Executive Director Mary-Pat Ward said. The Architectural Heritage Association may also provide financial support for the project, Mayor Wayne Evans said, noting the city will solicit competitive bids for the window work.
Because of a lack of light near the windows, Evans fears many residents don’t even know they’re there. He suggested the possibility of backlighting the windows as part of the project, which would amplify their aesthetic features and better illuminate the building’s entrance.
“I think people will see the windows for the first time,” Evans said.
Officials said the project has potential as a public/private partnership, though the window work represents just a tiny fraction of overall restoration work City Hall requires.
A top-to-bottom renovation of the 131-year-old building would cost $10.7 million, according to a comprehensive assessment conducted by the Clarks Summit-based architecture, engineering and interior design firm Highland Associates.
That assessment includes a report on the building’s stained glass windows that puts the total cost of City Hall stained glass repair at $360,587. The building features dozens of stained glass windows.
The steep cost of the renovations sparked debate among officials over whether to move forward with City Hall repairs or find a new building to house city government. That debate is ongoing, though incoming council members Mark McAndrew and Jessica Rothchild said last month they support staying in City Hall and making repairs in stages.
Officials expect to receive bids for the entranceway window work before the end of the month.
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