Luzerne County Councilman Kevin Lescavage said Monday he does not support a sale of the county’s former juvenile detention center, arguing the county should keep the property in case it is needed for expansion of the nearby county prison on Water Street in Wilkes-Barre.
Council had tabled a decision last month on reducing the sale price for the center from $50,000 to $30,000 due to additional work that will be required to separate the center’s sewer line from one shared with the prison.
The buyer, Wilkes-Barre businessman Roy Castillo, of Castillo Real Estate LLC, plans to renovate the three-story brick structure off North River Street for offices and loft apartments.
Tuesday’s council agenda includes a vote on the price reduction.
Lescavage said expansion of the prison may be the only viable option because construction of a new prison could cost $400 million or more based on recent expenses in another county.
“It would be very irresponsible on the part of the county to let that go,” Lescavage said.
County officials also have discussed exploring takeover of the former State Correctional Institution at Retreat in Newport Township and partnering with other counties to construct a regional prison facility.
Prison options have been discussed on and off for more than two decades because the existing aging, multistory facility requires significant maintenance and has an inefficient layout. The prison was built in 1887 and renovated in 1987.
Lescavage said he also believes the former juvenile detention center could fetch more based on a past appraisal. He said the possibility of litigation has been mentioned if the county does not proceed with the sale, but he does not believe that should be a factor in council’s decision.
Council Vice Chairman John Lombardo said Monday he appreciates that Lescavage “thinks outside the box” but is concerned council would send a bad message pulling out of a sale negotiated in good faith with Castillo.
“That’s not a good business model,” Lombardo said.
A council majority had voted in November 2020 to sell the property to Castillo Real Estate.
Councilwoman LeeAnn McDermott, who chairs council’s Real Estate Committee, told her colleagues in July that Castillo’s project will require extensive work because she toured the center in 2020 and had to don protective clothing. The sale will help transform the property and return it to the tax rolls, she had said.