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The University Corners/Elevations Lofts on Main mixed-use development in Downtown Wilkes-Barre, developed by the Greater Wilkes-Barre Development Corporation in partnership with Susquehanna Real Estate, recently received the highest award possible – the Gold Award – from 10,000 Friends of Pennsylvania as part of that organization’s 2010 Commonwealth Awards.
The 10,000 Friends of Pennsylvania Commonwealth Awards is a juried statewide program to recognize businesses, nonprofits, elected officials, and citizens contributing to the economic and environmental health of Pennsylvania by utilizing smart growth principles in planning and design. University Corners encompasses a diverse mix of uses, anchored by the 2,800-seat Wilkes-Barre Movies 14 cinema, which has attracted more than 500,000 patrons annually since opening in 2006. Elevations Lofts on Main, the project’s residential component, is a 21-unit loft condominium project. The project was made possible through the investment of the Greater Wilkes-Barre Chamber of Business and Industry and its Development Corporation, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency, Luzerne County and the Office of Community Development, the City of Wilkes-Barre, a consortium of nine local banks, Susquehanna Real Estate, and Carlsberg Management. Awards Jury chairman Don Carter, FAIA, FAICP LEED AP, of the School of Architecture at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, called University Corners “a new project that makes you feel like it’s been a part of the community forever. The project’s main focus, bringing a theatre downtown, is bold and innovative. In fact, it might be the only 14-screen theatre on a main street in Pennsylvania.” The Awards Jury highlighted the project’s integration with the surrounding downtown neighborhood, reducing surface parking and encouraging a more pedestrian-friendly space while introducing new residential and entertainment options for the residents of the Wyoming Valley. “University Corners is a great example of exercising vision and using partnerships between the public and private sectors to deliver a transformational result,” noted Jack Machek,President/CEO of 10,000 Friends of Pennsylvania. “The project serves as a catalyst by creating a well-designed, integrated and unique destination for a small city.” Todd Vonderheid, President/CEO of the Greater Wilkes-Barre Chamber of Business & Industry, said, “On behalf of my colleagues, our board, and our project team, which included our partners on the City, County and State level, I am thankful that a statewide jury chose University Corners/Elevations Lofts as one of Pennsylvania’s very best examples of smart growth principles at work. This award reinforces our belief that catalytic development and innovative planning can play a critical role in moving our community forward.” The Commonwealth Awards are sponsored by 10,000 Friends of Pennsylvania, a statewide organization working with citizens, organizations and public officials to create land use, infrastructure and governance policies and practices that protect Pennsylvania’s resources and strengthen its economy. The Greater Wilkes-Barre Chamber of Business and Industry is a community, economic development and business service organization charged with the mission of collaborating with community and regional partners to create quality employment and business opportunities and improve the area’s quality of life through strategic planning, programs and investments in our community. |
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