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WILKES-BARRE — The city doesn’t stand to get back its costs with the sale of an abandoned former silk mill, but it would get rid of an eyesore.

The sale price for the industrial property at 733 S. Franklin St. is $100 — a far cry from the $2,000 the Redevelopment Authority of Wilkes-Barre paid for it nearly 16 years ago.

The price was negotiable given the condition of the site. Part of the structure was demolished after it was destroyed by a four-alarm fire intentionally set by two boys in May 2001. And what’s left of the Panam Silk Mills Inc. property that covers a good portion of the block bounded by South Franklin, Thomas and Westminster streets has been vacant for years.

“It’s in such bad shape. For anybody to buy that lot, they have to knock it down,” said city Administrator Ted Wampole.

Wampole said the city assessed the property at $100, the amount offered by the prospective buyer Artanor LLC.

City council will be asked to approve the sale that’s on the agenda for Thursday night’s public meeting.

The city has four other sites for sale and one pending.

A 3.06-acre property on Scott Street is slated for sale to Michael Prushinski for $45,000. At the Feb. 21 work session, city attorney Tim Henry said the Operations Department was going to mark up the property so the dimensions were clear. It was pulled from the Feb. 23 agenda and was to be added at a later date.

The former Hotel Sterling lot is available for a negotiable price. Nearby Berkshire Hathaway Guard Insurance is considering the site at the intersection of West Market and North River streets for its new headquarters.

A vacant lot at 8 Wayne St. and the former Weaver School at 31 S. Hancock St. also are negotiable.

The city placed a $1.1 million market value on the 4.23-acre Morgan B. Williams field at the intersection of North Wilkes-Barre Boulevard and Scott Street.

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Officials with the City of Wilkes-Barre want to sell the former Panam Silk Mills Inc. property on South Franklin Street for $100.
https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/web1_WB-Building-1.jpg.optimal.jpgOfficials with the City of Wilkes-Barre want to sell the former Panam Silk Mills Inc. property on South Franklin Street for $100. Jerry Lynott | Times Leader

By Jerry Lynott

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Reach Jerry Lynott at 570-991-6120 or on Twitter @TLNews.