Lodge owner offers plan to raze eyesore in Carbondale

By Joe McDonald (Staff Writer)
Published: November 12, 2009

Font size: [A] [A] [A]

The owner of the Masonic Lodge in Carbondale has come up with a last-minute plan to raise cash and demolish the crumbling building on Salem Avenue so he can avoid a two-year prison sentence, Mayor Justin Taylor said Wednesday.

"We're working with him now," Mr. Taylor said, referring to Paul Mastrangelo. "He's apparently realized it's time to start trying to be cooperative."

Mr. Taylor said Mr. Mastrangelo has a "legitimate" offer from someone who wants to buy his home, the old Whites Crossing Elementary School.

Mr. Mastrangelo has agreed to use the money from the sale to pay for the demolition of the Masonic Lodge, Mr. Taylor said.

"He has a legitimate offer to purchase his Whites Crossing property, which would in turn give him the proceeds to move forward with the demolition," Mr. Taylor said.

Judge Carlon O'Malley, who handed Mr. Mastrangelo the two-year prison sentence for contempt of court on Oct. 20, has given Mr. Mastrangelo several reprieves from beginning the prison sentence, so he can either fix or tear down the dilapidated building.

The sentence has been stayed, Mr. Taylor said, "until he stops cooperating" with the city.

Mr. Mastrangelo owes the city about $54,000 for the work it did to shore up the facade with a mesh screen in 2006. Mr. Taylor said the city has a lien on the property for that amount.

Efforts to reach Mr. Mastrangelo were unsuccessful Wednesday.

Contact the writer: jmcdonald@timesshamrock.com

Ads by Yahoo!

Why not add more piles of Rubble.Look at Main Street.Piles of Rubble everywhere. Nice for the Holidays. I think our children expect an eyesore whenever they return to Carbondale its just disgusting and embarrising.

Report

disgusted long life resident, 11/17/09 04:40

Report

disgusted long life resident, 11/17/09 03:45

The masons moved out of the building many years ago, actually when the new owner took over. They stripped the building of any valuable artifact at that time. The building is now empty with the exception of Mastrangelo's junk from his junk store. It is very sad that this has happened to a building that was in good condition when he bought it. So sad as it was beautiful inside with a grand ballroom and projection room on the third floor. Mastrangelo didn't beleive in heating this building and after many years of no heat (not even at a mainstay of 55 degrees) the building deteriorated to what is is today. It probably is not cost effective to repair this building as the entire structure will need such an overhaul.

Report

my .02, 11/14/09 09:49

Carbondale looks like disaster has stricken for more than twenty years. The city consists of piles of rubble and debris and empty lots.

Report

Dave, 11/12/09 04:10

If my memory serves, a previous report stated rehabilitating the structure would cost more than its market value (I believe it was significantly more than it, in fact.)

Personally, as much as I'd like to see these structures saved, it starts with preventing them from getting to this point. There's a point in the decay of such structures where it ceases to make any financial sense to attempt to save it.

Report

JW, 11/12/09 02:59

Carbondale is one big eyesore.

Report

Mullets and Aquanet, 11/12/09 12:57

Santa: I'm not implying that DC (or ANY city for that matter) hasn't had issues with destroying historic treasures to make way for parking lots, but the problem I see is that in DC there is usually a massive outcry about such an action while in NEPA many people ENCOURAGE the wrecking ball as being "progress." Where were the protests about tearing down the Quint's Building on Lackawanna Avenue for a "pretty" (rolling eyes) parking lot? Where were the protests about blowing up two entire historic blocks of Lackawanna Avenue for an albatross of a mall instead of spending money to renovate those facades and create a vibrant PEDESTRIAN mall, not unlike those found in Ithaca, NY or Winchester, VA that have IMPROVED those areas? Even though I think he'd be a lousy mayor I was PLEASED that Bob Bolus stepped in to purchase and salvage an architecturally-significant former church before Mayor Doherty bulldozed it for yet ANOTHER parking lot! You people live in the CITY of Scranton. By living in the CITY you should be encouraged by officials to eschew your car whenever possible, not have them "enable" more of a car-dependent lifestyle by throwing in parking left and right.

Residents of DC neighborhoods like Georgetown, Tenleytown, Kalorama, or hell, even Anacostia would be livid if someone wanted to tear down a historic property for a parking lot. In NEPA that is considered "progress." Why? Show me one historic community that can honestly say it has benefited from having a gap-toothed streetscape with parking lots where historic buildings once stood. Most "forward-thinking" communities (apparently not Carbondale or Pittston) would acquire land to the REAR of primary downtown streets in historic areas to place parking BEHIND historic buildings to enhance the pedestrian experience, alleviate parking woes, AND preserve architectural treasures.

The vast majority of the nation now lives in suburbia---neutral-toned and mass-manufactured tract-housing, strip malls, big-box stores, non-neighborly neighborhoods, no sidewalks, etc. People like me who now live in those sorts of environments (being priced OUT of the city) CLAMOR to visit places like Honesdale, Carbondale, Montrose, Tunkhannock, Towanda, etc. to get a glimpse of the way life SHOULD be---a place where you don't need an SUV to get anywhere and everywhere 24/7 in congested traffic. This entire region could promote itself as a heritage tourism destination if it actually gave one damn about strategically marketing itself and PRESERVING those assets.

I'm sorry if I don't consider razing all sorts of buildings for parking lots to be "progress" (even if they are "fancy" or "pretty" parking lots, as the owners of Penn Furniture are alleging theirs will be).

Report

SWB, 11/12/09 12:44

Knock it down,it will make a nice parking lot for the new condos at the hotel american building when its completed.

Report

PT 80, 11/12/09 12:00

Hey SWB, are there or were there any buildings in DC that were torn down because they were eye sores or condemmed? You always talk about progress, this is something that HAS to be done. Those BIG white buildings in DC just didn't hatch. You are all for the Moehgan Sun, but don't want any buildings torn down for progress. Carbondale could sure use alot of buildings torn down. It is an old coal mine city that is an eye sore. When was the last time you drove an SUV and sauntered to Carbondale? Take a trip there when you are in for the Holidays.

Report

santa, 11/12/09 11:39

"KDM": Finally someone said what? I'm confused.

Report

SWB, 11/12/09 11:32

Are there any salvageable Masonic items in the building that anyone knows of? Any contact info for the owner?

Report

A. Pike, Jr., 11/12/09 11:07

SWB, Finally someone said it.

Report

KDM, 11/12/09 09:48

SWB, Finally someone said it.

Report

KDM, 11/12/09 09:42

Aw Man! Me and my friends were just getting ready to move in

Report

The Ratpack, 11/12/09 07:56

Just out of curiosity would it be at all possible to SAVE this building? It looks as if it may have at least some historic interest, judging by the adjacent buildings, and the county's oldest city should be preserving as much interesting architecture as it can. The last time I was sauntering around Carbondale I remember seeing this building, and it looked like it was in need of rehabilitation but was potentially salvageable. Is this destined to become another parking lot, like the loss of Pittston's Borr & Casey Building or Scranton's Quint's Army/Navy Building? I wouldn't be quite as opposed to NEPA's continued obsession with tearing down historic downtown properties if something more beneficial to the community than a patch of asphalt was set to go in its place.

Carbondale has the potential to be just as alluring of a tourist destination as Honesdale, Hawley, Montrose, or Tunkhannock, all of which attract people from around the region for annual downtown festivals, restored historic architecture, and small-town charm. Consider how fortunate you in NEPA are to HAVE downtowns at all, let alone ones with such nostalgic appeal. Many of we emigrants from NEPA now live in areas where a Best Buy and an UNO Pizzeria might be a "downtown." Start seeing the POTENTIAL in your downtowns instead of just looking at them as "dumps."

Report

SWB, 11/12/09 07:47

Too bad that building is going, it adds so much to the beauty of downtown Carbondale, Pa.

Lodge owner offers plan to raze eyesore in Carbondale

Flat Rate Divorce - Chula Vista

Healdsburg, Sonoma County

Avoid or Reduce Prison Sentence

17 posted comments

1/2 OFF NEPA

Home for the Holidays Contest

Manhunt ends in West Scranton

Manhunt ends in West Scranton


Site Web