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Chamber Announces Plans to Move to Citiscape

Citing a need for larger quarters for its growing staff and a desire to be more accessible to the public, the Greater Hazleton Chamber of Commerce announced today that it plans to move its offices to the new Citiscape Building in Downtown Hazleton in the next few months.

“For well over one-hundred years, the Greater Hazleton Chamber has served this area from a central location in Downtown Hazleton,” said Chamber Chairman Gary Danish in making the announcement.   “Our staff has grown over the past few years to meet the needs of our members and our community, and we found that a larger office space would be to our benefit. We are most fortunate to have found the Citiscape project to be the perfect fit for our operation, giving us ample room and easy, ground-level accessibility.”

The Chamber of Commerce has been representing the business community in the Hazleton Area since 1892, and is responsible for numerous accomplishments, including the location of the interstates in this area, the creation of CAN DO to attract industries, and the establishment of the Nescopeck State Park. Member businesses take part in educational and networking programs, and the Chamber serves as a “front door” to the community, providing information to visitors and newcomers to the area.

“As our programs have increased over the years, so has our staff,” Danish said.  Seven employees now oversee everything from business retention to government affairs. Staff members are also responsible for the year-round planning of the annual FUNFEST Weekend, which attracts well over 100-thousand people to Downtown Hazleton each year. “The staff works closely with volunteer committees to organize many of these projects, and larger quarters will make for a more comfortable working environment for all. And the ground level offices will make us more visible to the general public, and thus create a literal ‘front door.’”

In addition, The Chamber offices serve as a headquarters for three separate affiliate organizations; the Mountain Council of Governments, The Greater Hazleton Area Civic Partnership, and Leadership Hazleton. “The Chamber helped to establish all three of these groups, and firmly believes in their missions. For that reason, we are happy to provide all three with office space, and know that this move will benefit these affiliates,” Palermo added.

The Chamber’s Board of Directors approved the move at a meeting Monday, based on the recommendations of the board’s Strategic Planning Committee. The potential move also received the support of the Chamber’s Finance Committee. “I am most grateful to the volunteers on our Board of Directors who have spent countless hours researching the feasibility of the move. The Chamber exists and strives through the involvement of volunteers, and we are fortunate to have board members who take their responsibilities very seriously.”

Danish also thanked the Hayden Family, owners of the Citiscape Building, for their cooperation in arranging for the new quarters.  “We are most grateful to George and Florence Hayden, the owners of Citiscape, and to their son, George, who operates the adjacent Markle Building. Their commitment to and confidence in Downtown Hazleton has brought about the resurrection of the Markle and the addition of the Citiscape, and has generated a period of great growth in Center City Hazleton. They have taken great pains to be sure that our new location will be everything we need it to be. We are proud to now become a part of that growth.”

For many years, the Chamber was housed in the Markle Building, in the mezzanine now occupied by WAZL Radio.  In 1990, the Chamber moved with its affiliate, CAN DO, into the Renaissance Center at Broad and Church Streets.

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