Members of the YWCA vote to sell its central facility to the University in 1976 to be used as a dormitory
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Members of the YWCA vote to sell its central facility to the University in 1976 to be used as a dormitory
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Scranton Tribune article regarding the sale of the central Scranton YWCA building to the University of Scranton. This would later be known as Jefferson Hall and then Leahy Hall.
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1976-04-27
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University of Scranton Archives
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univscrapbook-b022_0268a
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Times Shamrock Communications
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[Please note that computer-generated transcripts include formatting, spelling, and grammatical irregularities and errors.]
YWCA Votes 374-83 to Sell
Facility Here to University,
By DAVE NICHOLAS
Members of the Scranton YWCA have voted to sell their Central City facility to the University of Scranton for use as a dormitory, possibly as early as next Fall.
The vote tally, 374-83, was announced during a membership meeting Monday night. Mrs. Karen Riviello, the president, released the information.
Some 80 residents of the residence will be mailed letters today giving them 45 days notice or until June 12 to vacate the premises. Those who need help in finding alternate housing will be aided by Y officials.
The organization will continue to utilize the remainder of the complex and continue all programs and rentals to other agencies until a new facility is located or built.
YWCA SOLD TO UNIVERSITY — The membership of the YWCA have voted overwhelming in favor of selling the facility to the University of Scranton which will transform the residence portion of the complex into a student dormitory. The vote tally was released Monday night.
The "Y" president indicated officials there are very interested in the old YMCA site at Mulberry Street and North Washington Avenue but planning for a new facility is in the preliminary stages.
While those who returned ballots overwhelmingly expressed preference for a Central City location for a new facility, Y officials will sit down with its own planning council and United Way officials to decide on which avenue to follow.
In any case, the Y in the future will be more decentralized than now.
Details of the lease-purchase agreement under which the U of S will assume control have yet to be worked out and a definite price tag has been set for the building although a $500,000 figure is being tossed about. The University will purchase the entire complex once a new facility is in operation.
Whether the University will use the Y for a girls' dormitory is not yet known although it would probably prove most adaptable for accommodating female students.
Mrs. Ruth Harvey, chairman of the tellers who calculated the vote, reported that 1,106 ballots
were mailed out. She explained that while there are substantially more members, those between the ages of 15 and 18 were not allowed to vote under Pennsylvania law although they would have been allowed to vote under Y regulations.
This age group will be polled, however, on where the new facility should be located. Only 464 of
the ballots were returned and seven were voided.
Back in March, the board of directors of the Y proposed the sale of the building for some $500,000 and recommended approval by the membership for the plan.
They defended their position by saying bad financial straits forced them into considering a
sale because of the combination of limited income and the high cost of renovation, placed at
over $1 million.
The proposed sale came under heavy fire from some residents.
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