Lackawanna Mayor Annette Iafallo isn’t shying away from big goals in 2026 for her city, including the completion of a new city hall building.
The new building opens later this year, clearing a path for the current, divisively orange city hall extension building to be demolished.
The new location on South Park Avenue is about 70% done, but additional upgrade requirements by the state court system mean Lackawanna must make a second bond issue, Iafallo said.
“One could argue that Lackawanna should simply push back against the court's demands," she said. However, Section 39 of the Judiciary Law mandates that municipalities provide suitable and sufficient facilities as deemed necessary by the court, the current Judiciary Law further gives the court authority to withhold state aid from municipalities for no-compliance.”
The additional requirements mean the total project cost will be $12 million to $15 million, Iafollo said. The current city hall will be turned into green space and parking after its demolition.
That's not the only major investment underway in the city.
Among the largest is a $77 million private project for a facility on Commerce Drive producing and distributing decking and railings, as well as a $2 million investment for credit union branch on South Park Avenue.
But not all the updates are positive.
The city also is voicing concerns about vandalism to its basketball court at Franklin Splash Park. It’s the second time someone has used broken the court’s backboards, with the most recent one a couple weeks ago, Iafallo said.
“Using a large brick to break those backwards required repeated and noisy actions by the vandals. Someone nearby should have been able to hear or see what was happening and call the police, but no one did, which is very disappointing.”
The incidents cannot become a pattern, and the city needs help from residents to improve the situation, Iafallo said.
