Local news

Former Town Tavern site to see new life as medical facility

LOCK HAVEN -- After five years, the former Town Tavern and Wolf's Furniture Store properties are seeing new life.

B&B Rental Properties, LLC, purchased the property in December with plans to turn the tavern site into a medical facility, and the former furniture store into parking.

"It'll be a private medical facility. One half will be a lab and another will be a dental office," said Billy Edwards, co-owner of B&B Rentals. Edwards and Brian St. John, of St. John Masonry, partnered up to purchase the property from the city to create the facility.

Edwards said the dental office will have seven observation rooms, along with a waiting room, business office, storage room and other amenities as needed.

The medical office/lab will be used for basic tests such as blood work and others, he said.

Across the alley, which stretches from Bellefonte Avenue to First Street, will be the location of private parking for both facilities. There will be roughly 18 spots total, with handicap parking for those in need closer to the facility.

According to Edwards, the facility will be one story and will be 7,388 square feet total.

"We thought about doing two stories but didn't know what we'd do with the second floor. So we kept it one story," Edwards explained.

Crews have been busy in recent weeks setting the foundation in place. According to Edwards, the facility should be completed by mid-summer.

"We're hoping to be completed by mid-summer. You'll start to see work pick up here in the next month or two," he said.

Edwards said he and St. John drove by the empty lot in late 2023 and thought it would be a good location for a facility like the one being built.

Soon enough, the pair met with former Public Works Director Tony Stopp and Code Enforcement Officer Cyndi Walker to see what steps could lead to the purchase of the property.

The city took possession of the two lots after it condemned and tore down both the Town Tavern and Wolf's Furniture Store in 2019.

Prior to this, both buildings fell into disrepair -- with the furniture store gutted years prior by fire.

According to Walker, the city is happy to see development at the vacant lots after five years.

"When we first discussed the Bellefonte Avenue site with Billy and Brian, it was clear that time was of the essence with this project. The redevelopment authority reviewed and approved the proposal for development and purchase in late September and the closing for the sale was held in early December," Walker said. "From there B&B rentals was tasked with obtaining approvals for a land development, lot consolidation and historic advisory committee review, as well as securing all applicable building/construction permits."

Walker commended Edwards and St. John for their work in obtaining the facility and proper permitting.

"Billy and Brian worked very hard to make sure that the necessary information was quickly submitted to the city to ensure that all appropriate boards and commissions had what they needed for each of their respective review processes," she said.

She also thanked city staff for the effort they put into ensuring the project moved ahead.

"I commend city staff for their efforts with this project; their diligence ensured that this process was as streamlined as possible," Walker said. "That diligence and the cooperative efforts of the new property owners resulted in the expedited start of construction in mid January."

"We look forward to continuing our work with the new owners and anticipate a very attractive finished product at this long vacant site," she concluded.

Edwards said he's excited to bring the facility to life in downtown Lock Haven and said he appreciated the city's cooperation to make it happen.

"It's going to start taking shape in the next couple of weeks," he said. "(The city) has been extremely good through this whole process."