The former Samter’s building at Lackawanna and Penn avenues has sold, according to property 
marketer Hinerfeld Commercial Real Estate of Scranton.
A firm called Scranton-Samter LP bought the building. The price was not disclosed, though the asking price was $500,000. The purchaser has not revealed plans for the building.
Samter’s at Penn and Lackawanna avenues is one of two former Boscov properties downtown that NBT Bank foreclosed on and acquired ownership of through a sheriff’s sale in October. The other is the former Oppenheim property at Lackawanna and Wyoming avenues, which remains for sale for $2.9 million, according to the Hinerfeld website.
Scranton-Samter LP is registered with the state Bureau of Corporations to 2030 Tilghman St., Suite 203, in Allentown, which is the address of Croslis Realty. Amanda Belletieri, the office manager there, said it is not the purchaser but accounting work for the purchaser is done in the office. She did not have further information.
The five-story, 44,000-square-foot Samter’s building was last occupied by state government offices.
A landmark and part of the Downtown Scranton Historic District, the building was restored in the mid-1990s after sitting vacant for many years.
In its heyday, the Samter’s Department Store, as it was then known, featured fine men’s and women’s clothing equal in quality to that found in the finest stores in New York and Philadelphia, Hinerfeld Realtor John Cognetti said in an announcement.
“This important corner will add new life and most likely a different use, continuing the revitalization of downtown begun 40 years ago when Scranton residents became reacquainted with the city’s rich architecture and history,” Mr. Cognetti said.
JIM LOCKWOOD, STAFF WRITER / Published: December 31, 2016
JOSEPH KOHUT, staff writer, contributed to this report.
Contact the writer: jlockwood@timesshamrock.com
@jlockwoodTT on Twitter
