Radisson Lackawanna Station Hotel facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Radisson Lackawanna Station Hotel |
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(2019)
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| Former names | Delaware, Lackawanna and Western Railroad Station |
| General information | |
| Type | Hotel |
| Architectural style | Neoclassical |
| Location | 700 Lackawanna Avenue Scranton, Pennsylvania United States |
| Coordinates | 41°24′21.7″N 75°39′43.6″W / 41.406028°N 75.662111°W |
| Completed | 1908 |
| Renovated | 1982–1983 |
| Cost | $600,000 |
| Affiliation | Radisson |
| Technical details | |
| Floor count | 6 |
| Design and construction | |
| Architect | Kenneth MacKenzie Murchison |
| Official name: Delaware, Lackawanna and Western Railroad Station | |
| Designated: | December 6, 1977 |
| Reference #: | 77001170 |
The Radisson Lackawanna Station Hotel is a beautiful building in Scranton, Pennsylvania. It was first built in 1908 as a busy train station and office building. This building is a great example of Neoclassical style.
It closed in 1970, but was later listed on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places in 1977. After a big renovation, it reopened as a hotel in 1983. Many of its original features, like the clocks, doors, and beautiful ceilings, are still there today.
Contents
The Historic Train Station
In the early 1900s, the president of the Delaware, Lackawanna and Western Railroad, William Truesdale, wanted a new train station. Their old station in Scranton was an old brick building. He decided to build a much grander station.
This new station would also hold the railroad's offices. The only offices not moving were the main executive ones in New York City. They hired a New York architect named Kenneth Murchison to design the building. He designed it in the French Renaissance style.
Building Design and Features
The station was built using brick and steel. It cost about $600,000 to build. The floors and walls inside were made of concrete. The outside of the building is covered with Indiana limestone.
You can see an 8-foot bronze clock on the front of the building. The main entrance leads into what used to be the waiting room. This room is decorated with a soft, pinkish-yellow Italian marble called Formosa.
The Grand Lobby is very impressive. It is two and a half stories tall. The floor has a detailed mosaic tile pattern. The ceiling is a curved, barrel-shaped Tiffany stained-glass ceiling. The walls are made of rare Siena marble.
There are also 36 special Grueby Faience tile murals in the lobby. These tiles show scenes from along the railroad's main line. This line went from Hoboken, New Jersey, to Buffalo, New York. The scenes were inspired by the work of American artist Clark Greenwood Voorhees.
After some time, a tall radio antenna was put on the roof. The railroad was one of the first to use wireless communication. This allowed trains and stations to talk to each other. The building was first five stories tall. By 1923, a sixth story was added for more office space.
End of Train Service
The very last train to leave the station was the Lake Cities. This happened on January 6, 1970. After that, the building was closed and left empty. Its windows started to crack. The beautiful marble lobby was used to store old train schedules.
You can even see the old, run-down building briefly in the movie That Championship Season. This movie came out just before the building was renovated.
Past Passenger Trains
Until the mid-1960s, many passenger trains used this station. These trains were run by the Erie Lackawanna Railroad. This company took over from the Delaware, Lackawanna and Western.
Some of the famous trains included:
- Phoebe Snow (travelled between Hoboken and Buffalo)
- Owl (a night train going west) / New York Mail (a night train going east)
- Lake Cities (a night train going between Hoboken and Chicago)
- Pocono Express (going west) / Twilight (going east) (travelled between Hoboken and Scranton, and to Buffalo in the 1950s)
In earlier years, other trains also used the station. These included the Keystone Express/Pittsburgh Express. There were also trains to Utica and Oswego.
The Hotel Transformation
In the early 1980s, Scranton was facing tough times. Many people were out of work. City leaders had an idea to help: turn the old station into a tourist attraction. They hoped it would bring new life to the city.
The mayor, James McNulty, said in 1982, "We want people to come to Scranton who normally wouldn't." He wanted the hotel to be a place people would visit on purpose.
Renovation and Reopening
A local group bought the building. Its makeover was a key part of Scranton's plan to improve its downtown. A group of private investors led the project. They got $13 million from federal, state, and city money. Banks and local businesses also gave donations.
The building was completely renovated and turned into a hotel. It was furnished by Bethlehem Furniture Manufacturing Corp. It was renamed The Hilton at Lackawanna Station. The architects who designed the renovation won an award for their work in 1984.
The hotel officially reopened on New Year's Eve in 1983. About 650 people celebrated with dancing and music.
A New Future for Scranton
Turning the station into a hotel was one part of a bigger plan. The other part was Steamtown USA. This was a museum being built at the old Lackawanna railyard. On February 3, 1984, Mayor McNulty welcomed the first exhibit to Steamtown. It was a huge 350-ton steam locomotive.
The mayor told the cheering crowd, "Welcome to the first day of Scranton's new future."
Changes in Ownership
In 1993, a company called DanMar Hotel Inc. bought the hotel for $4 million. Two years later, in 1995, they changed its hotel brand from Hilton to Radisson.
DanMar tried to sell the building to the University of Scranton in 2004. Many university visitors stayed at the hotel. However, the university decided not to buy it in 2005.
DanMar then sold the building for $7 million to Akshar Lackawanna Station Hospitality LP. This company owned about a dozen hotels. The sale was completed in October 2005. The new owners promised to spend money on renovations. This work happened between 2007 and 2009.
Famous Connections
The hotel is featured in the American TV show The Office. It's the setting for an episode called "Dwight's Speech". Many actors from the show stayed at the hotel during a fan convention in 2007. They also stayed there for the show's wrap party in 2013.
There are plans to bring passenger train service back to Scranton. This is part of the Lackawanna Cut-Off Restoration Project. Trains would extend from New York City and Hoboken, New Jersey. However, these new trains would pass the old Lackawanna Station. They would stop at a new Scranton station nearby.
Images for kids
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The station under construction in 1907.
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A horse and carriage outside the station in 1908.
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A 1914 photo shows the rooftop radio antenna.
