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Yahoo
6 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Make way for The Rosalia, a new hotel coming to Pottsville
POTTSVILLE — Beneath its Doric columns and busts of Greek gods, a 29-year-old entrepreneur announced plans to convert the Miners National Bank to a hotel Tuesday evening at a gathering outside 120 S. Centre Street. 'We loved this building so much,' Hannah Corbacio said, 'we built our business plan around it.' Hannah Corbacio speaks during a plans unveiling outside the Miners National Bank on Centre St. in Pottsville, Tuesday, June 3, 2025. Along with her (left to right) Nick Hair and Bill and Jackie Metzinger. The former bank will become a hotel with event and conference spaces. (MATTHEW PERSCHALL/MULTIMEDIA EDITOR) If all goes well, Corbacio and her husband, 30-year-old Nick Hair, will open the doors of the Rosalia hotel in spring 2026. In partnership with Bill Metzinger, owner of Metz Properties, who bought the building from Santander Bank, the Pottsville couple will operate an upscale 30-room hotel, venue space and day spa in the former bank building. Work crews began the conversion of the 24,000-square-foot building this week. The bank, a landmark known for the 10-foot-tall brass doors depicting coal miners at its entrance, was incorporated in 1828. READ MORE: Transformation coming for Miners National Bank Metzinger has renovated about 15 properties throughout Schuylkill County. This project is the second biggest after the revitalization of the former St. Francis Orphanage, now 900 Market Street apartments. The Rosalia hotel, Metzinger said, is his first venture into Pottsville. In recent weeks, about 30 city officials and others visited the property to offer advice and assistance. 'It's refreshing that business and investors can work hand-in-hand with the city to do great things,' Metzinger said. On Tuesday, plans for the project was officially unveiled. After the outside program, a crowd of more than 100 assembled inside the bank's 40-foot-high lobby. Bill Metzinger during a plans unveiling outside the Miners National Bank on Centre St. in Pottsville, Tuesday, June 3, 2025. The former bank will become a hotel with event and conference spaces. (MATTHEW PERSCHALL/MULTIMEDIA EDITOR) Designed by architect Cass Gilbert, whose work includes the U. S. Supreme Court building, the bank's lobby features French limestone, Italian travertine stone floors and hardwood paneling and teller's windows. State Sen. David G. Argall, R-29, Rush Twp., called attention to about $8 million invested in the city's downtown in recent years. Pottsville city council member Andy Wollyung speaks Tuesday during the unveiling of plans for Miners National Bank to become The Rosalia, an upscale hotel. Plans call for it to include event and conference space. (MATTHEW PERSCHALL/MULTIMEDIA EDITOR) Projects included Alvernia University PottsvilleTowne campus, the Pottsville YMCA, Black Rock Brewpub and The Chopping Block. The Rosalia has received $450,000 from a $1 million state Keystone Communities grant Pottsville shares with Tamaqua. 'I want to congratulate PADCO, the city, Metz Properties, Hannah and Nick on their dedication to turning this dream into a reality,' Argall said. Savas Logothetides, PADCO executive director, recognized Hannah Corbacio and Nick Hair's involvement in Ignite Schuylkill, a Chamber of Commerce business incubator program, where the initial proposal for a downtown hotel surfaced. 'They wouldn't give up, and they were stubborn about it,' he said. 'If I could buy stock in Hannah and Nick, I would.' A banner for The Rosalia hangs during an official event Tuesday to announce plans for renovating the old Miners National Bank on Centre Street into an upscale hotel. (MATTHEW PERSCHALL/MULTIMEDIA EDITOR) The Pottsville couple own HC Digital Agency, an online marketing firm. Hannah is the daughter of John Corbacio of Pottsville and Rhoda Gerace of Schuylkill Haven. Nick is the son of Constance Ridge, formerly of Pottsville. Robert S. Carl Sr., Schuylkill Chamber of Commerce president and CEO, said the new hotel would boost tourism in the area. 'Tourism is measured by overnight stays,' Carl said. 'It's difficult to measure it if there are no overnight stays.' State Reps. Tim Twardzik, R-123, Butler Twp., and Jamie Barton, R-124, East Brunswick Twp., were among the guests. City Councilman Andrew Wollyung represented Pottsville, and chairman Ian Lipton represented the Pottsville Redevelopment Authority, which approved a $75,000 grant for the project.
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
HUD officials tour highlights of revitalized Pottsville
POTTSVILLE — U.S. Housing and Urban Development (HUD) officials toured the city on Wednesday, getting a firsthand perspective on important projects backed by numerous local organizations to revitalize downtown. Joseph J. DeFelice, HUD's assistant deputy secretary in the Office of Field Policy & Management, Regional Administrator Senior Advisor Elvis Solivan and Regional Administrator Special Assistant Adam Kelly joined local business leaders on a tour of downtown Pottsville, transported by an old-fashioned city trolley. The tour showcased the progress being made with the help of organizations such as the Pottsville Area Development Corp., Barefield Development Corp. and local state legislators. The delegation met at the newly opened Discovery Park at 3rd and Market streets, then went to the former Miners National Bank, which will become The Rosalia hotel and event space. Bill Metzinger, owner of Metz Properties in Orwigsburg, which is developing the building, presented plans for The Rosalia. The tour then moved to the Schuylkill Trust Co. building at 101 N. Centre St., which is being developed into market-rate apartments. Savas Logothetides, executive director of PADCO, pointed out the other 'white whale' of downtown apartment development, the historic Thompson Building across the street. The city seeks conservatorship of that long-vacant building, which is owned by an out-of-town landlord, Logothetides said. * U.S. Housing and Urban Development Assistant Deputy Secretary Joseph DeFelice learns about the Miners National Bank becoming a hotel and event space during a tour of Pottsville, Wednesday, June 4, 2025. (MATTHEW PERSCHALL/MULTIMEDIA EDITOR) * U.S. Housing and Urban Development Assistant Deputy Secretary Joseph DeFelice, left, talks with Bill Metzinger inside the Miners National Bank during a tour of Pottsville, Wednesday, June 4, 2025. (MATTHEW PERSCHALL/MULTIMEDIA EDITOR) * U.S. Housing and Urban Development Assistant Deputy Secretary Joseph DeFelice takes a tour of Alvernia University – Pottsville CollegeTowne during a tour of Pottsville, Wednesday, June 4, 2025. (MATTHEW PERSCHALL/MULTIMEDIA EDITOR) * U.S. Housing and Urban Development Assistant Deputy Secretary Joseph DeFelice discusses his tour of Pottsville, Wednesday, June 4, 2025. (MATTHEW PERSCHALL/MULTIMEDIA EDITOR) Show Caption 1 of 4 U.S. Housing and Urban Development Assistant Deputy Secretary Joseph DeFelice learns about the Miners National Bank becoming a hotel and event space during a tour of Pottsville, Wednesday, June 4, 2025. (MATTHEW PERSCHALL/MULTIMEDIA EDITOR) Expand The tour ended at Alvernia University-Pottsville CollegeTowne, the local campus of the Reading-based university which opened at the former Giant store at 500 Progress Ave. DeFelice, who started his day with a similar tour in Tamaqua, remarked on the power of collaboration between local organizations to spur economic development. He had previously visited Pottsville in 2019, and was impressed with the progress made since then. 'What I was most impressed with was the collaboration across multiple sectors, whether it's housing, hospitality, health, education,' DeFelice said. 'They seem to have kind of everything they need here now.' DeFelice believes the one missing piece is affordable housing, which he acknowledged HUD will continue to address with its public and private partners locally. U.S. Housing and Urban Development Assistant Deputy Secretary Joseph DeFelice takes a tour of Alvernia University – Pottsville CollegeTowne during a tour of Pottsville, Wednesday, June 4, 2025. (MATTHEW PERSCHALL/MULTIMEDIA EDITOR) He noted that many communities, even in rural areas, have urban centers that need vital attention in regard to housing and accessibility. 'The president and (HUD Secretary Scott Turner) have made a strong commitment to rural communities,' he said. Pottsville appears to have 'all the amenities that they need,' he said, 'but the rents need to be right.' 'With the price of housing skyrocketing, people need the urban center (in Pottsville) … and that's all here,' DeFelice said. 'It's just a matter of making it affordable for people to live here.' Dave Young, executive director of Schuylkill Community Action, stressed better collaboration between local municipal governments. 'I wish there was a way to bring them all together … to really, collectively find solutions,' he said. 'I think that would be the biggest piece here, getting some of the municipal entities involved in that.' Others who attended the tour included State Sen. David G. Argall, members of the Schuylkill Chamber of Commerce, and staff assistants for Argall and U.S. Rep. Dan Meuser.
