$4.8 million project continues as stained glass repair work continues
SCRANTON, PA. – Mayor Paige G. Cognetti, members of her administration and City Council, and project contractors celebrated the end of exterior renovations at Scranton City Hall on Tuesday, April 22, 2025, thanking the construction and restoration experts that helped preserve the building for future generations. The project has been a major priority of the Cognetti administration over the last 14 months.
“Restoring and preserving City Hall has been a critical goal for us,” Mayor Cognetti said. “The teams of experts that have worked on our building for the past 14 months have transformed our city’s skyline and instilled newfound confidence in Scranton’s future.”
Scaffolding was first placed around the building on Feb. 5, 2024. After more than 14 months of work, crews have removed all scaffolding surrounding City Hall. Remaining work includes repairs to the stained-glass windows from Council Chambers and the Governor’s Room, additional updates to the City Hall tower, and for the letters on the front of City Hall to be refinished.
The project is funded by Scranton’s share of $68.7 million in American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding and support from Pennsylvania’s Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program (RACP). It was completed without interrupting the daily business of the City and services provided to Scranton residents.
Polishing a gem
The total projected cost of the City Hall restoration project is $4,786,376, including $99,000 in engineering costs. Repairs were funded through a $1.5 million RACP grant awarded in December 2021, with the remainder paid through the City’s ARPA funds.
Dunmore Roofing was selected in late 2023 as the general contractor for the project, which has included masonry repairs; restoration of the historic building façade, towers, and City Hall roof; stained-glass restoration; and more. In addition to Dunmore Roofing, major contributors to the project have included James W. Cox & Son Sheet Metal, Bennington & Son, Kasmark Stained Glass, and C & D Waterproofing Corporation.
Progress reports filed throughout 2024 outline the sometimes-extensive level of repairs needed throughout the building. In some places, window frame spindles were “rotten beyond repair.” Metal pieces were missing in multiple places in the bell tower and were reproduced. Some bluestone pieces in planter walls at the front of the building had to be replaced because of severe deterioration. Along with repointing mortar around the entire building, crews also took great care to restore slate roof tiles and parts of the original built-in copper gutter system.
In late November 2024, the massive stained glass overlooking the main stairs of City Hall was replaced. Plexiglass on the outside of the building protects the intricate, decorative windows that have been painstakingly restored. In addition to planned project details, City Council approved legislation in November 2024 to accept a generous donation from the Architectural Heritage Association that provided bronze plaques to direct residents to accessible entrances.
In a surprise from the City, the building’s iconic tower was lit for the first time in approximately four decades earlier this year. Crews installed floodlights to shine green on March 7, just in time for the City’s annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade. The color of the light cast on the new frosted glass can be changed to recognize other holidays and events throughout the year.
City Hall History
While it’s difficult to imagine after more than a century, the Scranton Municipal Building was not originally planned for the intersection of Mulberry Street and North Washington Avenue. After being envisioned somewhere in North Scranton, then-Mayor Ezra Ripple signed legislation on May 1, 1887, to acquire the land where City Hall now sits.
The building was constructed in 1888, 22 years after Scranton was incorporated as a city in what was then part of Luzerne County. Architect Edwin L. Walter was also the architect of the Lackawanna County Jail. Scranton City Hall was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1981.
Per that historic designation, the three-story building is a “limestone ashlar Victorian Gothic structure trimmed with Ohio sandstone” with “a color unique to Scranton.” It is approximately 70 feet high, except for the picturesque tower which stands 160 feet high as one of the most iconic pieces of the Scranton skyline.
One passage in the building’s nomination form submitted to the National Registry of Historic Places reads:
“The Municipal Building is architecturally significant in Scranton because of its location; style, scale, and quality of construction; and interaction with surrounding structures. Situated on the crest of a gentle hill, the Municipal Building’s bell tower and strong silhouette are prominent from the major expressway into downtown… It is the focal point of a surrounding group of quality, early Twentieth Century structures, which it complements in scale, color, and texture.”
The last major renovation of City Hall took place in 1980, according to newspaper records. In addition to saving the building through extensive exterior renovations, great care has also been taken inside City Hall during the Cognetti administration. Crews have fixed damaged plaster and repaired other interior surfaces, repainted offices and the main lobby, and installed new carpeting, ensuring that employees have safe, comfortable spaces to work.
ABOUT THE CITY OF SCRANTON: Incorporated in 1866, the City of Scranton has a population of approximately 76,000 residents and is the sixth-largest municipality in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Scranton City Hall is located at 340 N. Washington Ave., Scranton, PA 18503. Residents requiring services should visit www.scrantonpa.gov
ABOUT MAYOR PAIGE G. COGNETTI: Paige G. Cognetti was sworn in as the 36th Mayor of Scranton in January 2020. Her administration is focused on driving economic growth, upgrading infrastructure, ensuring public safety, fostering government transparency and efficiency, and improving residents’ overall quality of life.
Scranton City Hall Exterior Renovations Complete | Press Release