Some residents outraged over county’s decision to buy former store
Click here for updates on this story
POTTSVILLE, PA (WNEP) — The former GIANT food store in Pottsville has been shut down since July, but since then it’s been at the center of a heated debate between Schuylkill County residents and county commissioners.
“The fact that the commissioners have basically defied local legislators, delegates, their constituents, business owners and the city is downright appalling,” Savas Logothetides, executive director of Pottsville Area Development Corporation.
According to corporate officials, the GIANT, which is considered to be in a prime location in the city just off the busy Route 61, closed because business wasn’t doing well. Over the past few months, there’s been a lot of speculation as to what the building could be next. There were some early rumblings it was going to be turned into a prison pre-release center. County commissioners voted 2-1 for the county to purchase the property, despite months of backlash from the community.
“They’re not even seeing what the public wants,” said Diana Prosmychak, a resident who works for the Schuylkill County Historical Society. “They don’t even get out into the public and visit what the county is all about. I think it’s really important to get out and visit the community and see what the community is all about.”
“The fact that the county doesn’t have a plan,” Logothetides added. “They’re purchasing a piece of property that has much better private uses and they’re purchasing it without any type of feasibility study, engineering plans, or signed agreement with a financial institution with borrowing arrangements.”
Several people from the community joined the commissioners’ meeting by Zoom and passionately voiced their displeasure with the situation. Among their frustrations are a lack of communication, a lack of direction, and worry that whatever the county decides to do here will stunt the city’s revitalization efforts.
“The possibility that all of that progress that we’ve made over the past few years could be undermined by a group of individuals who just wouldn’t listen to the feedback of the community,” said James Haluska, a county resident who also works for the historical society. “It’s a travesty and it’s ridiculous.”
The county commissioners spent the afternoon in meetings and haven’t officially commented on the residents’ concerns.
Please note: This content carries a strict local market embargo. If you share the same market as the contributor of this article, you may not use it on any platform.
