History of the Scranton Business Alliance


The SBA was chartered in 1913 as the Downtown Scranton Business Association. Throughout the years, the group's efforts were†coordinated with the Federal, State, County and City Governments, the Chamber of Commerce, Banking, Entertainment, Retail, Mall,†Tourism, and Property Owners. In 1985, the Group was retooled as the Commercial Association of Scranton. It was officially incorporated in 2000, with a full-time staff member to manage the daily operations of the Group. In 2002, Scranton Tomorrow adopted the SBA as one of its community projects. †

The SBA, part of Scranton Tomorrow's Downtown Scranton Renaissance Project, employs the National Main Street Center's (a division of the National Trust for Historic Preservation) four-point approach (design, economic restructuring, organization, promotion) to revitalize traditional central business districts. The project, as it is envisioned, addresses critical economic development issues identified in the following studies/plans:

  • Great Valley Technology Alliance's Battelle Institute Study

  • Lackawanna Heritage Valley Authority Plan

  • Penn's Northeast Team PA Regional Strategy for the Stay Invent the Future Program

Specifically, these studies/plans maintain a healthy central business district is essential to improving the economic climate of the Greater Scranton Area, creating jobs, and retaining and attracting young people to our community.

Goal

The goal of the Scranton Business Alliance is to improve all aspects of the central business district, producing both tangible and intangible benefits. Improving economic management, strengthening public participation and making downtown a fun place to visit are as critical to downtown's future as recruiting new businesses, creating jobs, rehabilitating buildings and expanding parking. Building on the central business district's inherent assets -- rich architecture, a solid infrastructure, a core of financial, government and human/social service outlets -- and most of all, a sense of place -- our aim is to rekindle entrepreneurship, cooperation and civic concern.

 

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