WILKES-BARRE — The Wilkes-Barre Housing Authority (WBHA) this week announced the completion of a project to install a sprinkler system at Lincoln Plaza.
Lincoln Plaza is a 10-story high rise building containing 160 efficiency and 1-bedroom apartments that opened in 1968.
Construction of the sprinkler system took approximately 13 months to complete at a cost of $2,018,000.
WBHA used capital fund grant money received from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development to fund the project.
In 2017, the WBHA experienced a deadly fire on the 5th floor of Lincoln Plaza, where two residents perished. A number of residents were displaced as a result of the fire, which caused $1.7 million in damages.
The new system is operational.
Once that project was underway, the staff of the WBHA began working on a plan to identify funds to install sprinkler systems in the other three high-rise facilities owned by the WBHA: East End Towers, South View Manor, and Valley View Terrace.
The WBHA received HUD’s Housing-Related Hazards & Lead-Based Paint Capital Fund Program grant in the amount of $3.25 million and in August 2024, awarded a contract to D&M Construction at a cost of $2,978,700 to install sprinkler systems in each of the high rises.
The three properties have a combined total of 371 units and approximately 400 residents.
This new grant funding will enable the WBHA to provide top-level fire protection in all its high-rise properties in the city, adding a layer of protection against the spread of fire and significantly reducing the risk of property damage, injuries, and fatalities.
Judith Kosloski, executive director of the WBHA said, “This funding is a significant step toward ensuring the safety and well-being of our residents. We are thrilled with the award and look forward to moving the project forward.”
WBHA Board member, Jay Delaney, fire chief of the City of Wilkes-Barre added, “Fire sprinkler systems remain a huge investment in life safety and strongly reduces the impacts of fire.“