Stroudsburg businesses oppose plan for 701 Main
“A dozen local business owners and concerned residents appealed to Monroe County commissioners board Wednesday to reconsider its plan to take the 701 Main St. building for additional office space.
A usually sparse meeting room was filled as the commissioners made their case for condemning the privately owned Main Street commercial building to take it though eminent domain. The public hearing and vote to condemn the building took place on May 1.
Commissioner John Moyer began the discussion with a long, historical review of the years-long process that resulted in the condemnation. The objective, he said was to move certain non-court-dependant administrative functions out of the overly packed courthouse and avoid a $20 million to $50 million construction project.
Moyer’s lengthy discourse seemed to lull many in the audience into a quiet stupor.
“We feel there is not enough transparency in the form of public discussion and information,” said Martha Loomis, owner of Josephine’s Fleur-De-Lis on Main Street. “There are many other alternatives. We have in town about 30,000 square feet on unused office space available.””
Frank, Howard. Pocono Record 4 July 2013.