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College Town Neighborhood Report
October 20th, 2007
To: City of Ithaca – Department of Planning and Development
Third Floor of City Hall
108 East Green Street
Ithaca, NY 14850
Re: College Town Neighborhood Report
Scranton, Pennsylvania
Dear Department of Planning and Development,
In this analysis of mixed housing neighborhoods in the college town of
Scranton, PA, I explore clues in the surrounding area of the University of Scranton
and piece them together to come to conclusions about the workings of this
neighborhood. Hopefully the assessment of this college town will provide useful
insight and strategies to diversify and offer other solutions to issues in Ithaca’s
Collegetown.
City description of Scranton, Pennsylvania
Scranton is located in the northeast corner of Pennsylvania, in Lackawanna
County. With a total population of 76, 415 (2000 census), the city is Pennsylvania’s
seventh most populous municipality. Residents of Scranton are predominately white
(93.45%). The city has an area of 25.4 square miles and there are four
neighborhood sections: West Side, South Side, the Hill Section (located in the
eastern part), and North Scranton.
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The city was once an industrial town that experienced growth due to iron and
steel. Scranton was a major producer of iron T-rails for the Eric Railroad, and
became a resource for coal. Scranton earned its nickname, “The Electric City,” in
1886 when it established the country’s first successful electrified streetcar that could
operate continuously. However, in the early 20th century, Scranton lost the industry
on which it was founded as iron was found elsewhere that was easier to transport. In
the later 20th century, many immigrants from Easter Europe settled in Scranton.
The city of Scranton and its Chamber of Commerce has been encouraging
growth and revitalization in the area. “Rediscover Scranton” is an initiative that aims
to encourage businesses and families to relocate to Scranton. The program