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WILKES-BARRE — Plans for a new Wilkes-Barre Area high school might take a big step forward soon, as District Solicitor Ray Wendolowski said Friday Panzitta Enterprises is close to purchasing the Times Leader building on North Main Street.
“I’ve been informed that negotiations have led to an agreement, and that it’s been reduced to a matter of writing the details,” Wendolowski said.
The Wilkes-Barre Area School District wants to build a new high school where the century-old Coughlin High stands, on North Washington Street. The new building would consolidate grades 9 through 12 from Meyers High School and Coughlin, which abuts the Times Leader property.
Half the Coughlin students were moved last year to the newly renovated Mackin Elementary building on Hillard Street, while the other half was restricted to the newer annex of the Coughlin structure. Workers have been removing asbestos from the vacated older section, which district officials have said is structurally unsafe.
The primary issue has been where the roughly 500 students now in the annex will attend classes during demolition and construction, which could start next year. The Wilkes-Barre Area School Board has discussed holding split schedules at either Mackin or Meyers — an idea overwhelmingly rejected by residents during a public meeting this past summer — or buying modular classrooms.
At the end of a long board meeting in February, Panzitta made a third option available by proposing to buy the Times Leader building, renovate it to classrooms, and lease it to the district for 20 years, with the district taking ownership after that.
The offer has since been modified to address concerns expressed by the state Department of Education: The 20-year lease would cost $55,000 a month; after that, additional 20-year leases would be nominal, probably $1 a month.
Wendolowski said Friday if the deal between Panzitta and Civitas Media — the Times Leader’s parent company — is finalized, the district would begin negotiations on leasing the renovated space from Panzitta.
John Panzitta, president of the construction company that carries his name, did not return a call seeking comment Friday.
If the sale of its North Main Street building goes through, the Times Leader would operate its business at the property it leases on East Market Street.