Senator Casey Reviews River Common Plans, Tours Construction Site

(Wilkes-Barre) - On April 4th, 2007, Luzerne County Commissioners Gregory A. Skrepenak and Todd A. Vonderheid hosted United States Senator Robert Casey  for a status briefing on the Historic River Common Project at Wilkes-Barre, which featured a tour of the ongoing construction, as well as a presentation which illustrated how the project will be a destination attraction for all of Luzerne County in the future.  The briefing began at the Luzerne County Emergency Management Building, where Luzerne County Chief Engineer Jim Brozena outlined construction plans and artists renderings for the Senator, the Commissioners, representatives of Congressman Paul Kanjorski, as well as members of the media.  The group then traveled to the Historic River Common construction site, where the Senator viewed first-hand how the concept for the project is being applied.  When completed in approximately 2 1/2 years, the Historic River Common Project will include two portals in the levee system which will lead visitors to a scenic river landing, amphitheatre and fishing pier. Other phases of the project will  restore the original gardens of the Luzerne County Courthouse, and include enhancements of the west bank of the Susquehanna River at Kirby and Nesbitt Parks.