Honoring the Past, Building the Future

Offering residents what’s on their wishlist and preparing for growth ahead

Nestled in Pennsylvania’s  picturesque Lackawanna Valley, Archbald is a borough with a rich history and a promising future. Founded in the mid-19th century, this progressive community played a significant role in the region’s coal mining industry, helping to fuel the nation’s industrial growth. Named after James Archbald, a prominent railroad executive, the borough grew as an epicenter for coal transportation. Today, this dynamic community maintains its historical charm while embracing modern development. In addition to its economic growth, Archbald offers an exceptional quality of life, where the cost of living and doing business is significantly lower compared to major metropolitan markets on the East Coast.

“Our entertainment, our restaurants, our community feel, our educational systems, they’re all top quality,” boasts Amy Luyster, Vice President of Business and Workforce Development at the Greater Scranton Chamber of Commerce. “I can’t think of a better place to live than in northeastern Pennsylvania and Archbald Borough is a beautiful borough.” With a strong school district, and seven colleges and universities in Lackawanna County alone, the community also benefits from a robust talent pipeline that supports both residents and businesses.

Economic Growth and Development

With its prime location, Archbald is becoming a thriving hub of economic activity. Luyster recounts, “We are located two hours from New York City, two hours from Philadelphia, two hours from Harrisburg. We have five major interstates that converge in Lackawanna County. So, from a tourism, quality of life and a business perspective, we have access to a large majority of the population. And from a cost of business standpoint, any business, whether you’re a logistics company, a manufacturer, or an office user, you can access around 80 million consumers within an overnight drive.”

The borough’s tradition of industrial progress continues, with data centers representing the next frontier of economic growth. Jamie Kane, Chair of the Community Development and Economic Committee (CDEC) relays, “Archbald has a history of coal mining and fueling the Industrial Revolution, and now we are having this conversation about fueling this next revolution with these data centers. How cool of a story is that- where Archbald could play such a crucial role in both of those opportunities.”

The growing interest in data centers is reshaping Archbald’s economic landscape, and the borough has become a key destination for developers seeking land and power access. “People are racing to get to the finish line here, to get the clearances they need to put up these data centers,” explains Borough Manager, Dan Markey. “Obviously, the council would want to make sure that no residents would be negatively affected. We have 16.8 square miles in Archbald, making us the eighth largest borough in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania in area. So, there are a lot of different spaces that would be very attractive, that are outside of residential zones, for some of these data centers.”  He emphasizes the importance of ensuring that any developments align with the borough’s long-term vision.

Infrastructure and Community Planning

To accommodate growth, Archbald is investing in infrastructure, including the construction of an Emergency Operations Center, supported by FEMA funding. “We’re still waiting for FEMA to give us the okay to proceed after they finish their environmental impact study,” Markey imparts. “We are also in very early talks with some of our new national leadership in the area and letting them know our needs for a police station and trying to secure some federal and possible state funding from them as well.”

The third phase of the project will see the addition of a new administration building. “These aren’t plans for the next 6 to12 months. They’re plans for the next few decades. So, while we would like to move as swiftly as possible, we certainly understand that we can’t do it on our own. And we can’t put our taxpayers through the ringer with things like that, so we are relying on federal and state money as well,” he adds.

Additionally, the borough is prioritizing the improvement of its stormwater and sanitary sewer systems. Bound by the Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System (MS4) program, Archbald is committed to reducing pollutants into the Lackawanna River, which empties into the Chesapeake Bay.

“I think we’re doing good work on that,” Markey acknowledges. “There were roads that may have been put in 30,40, 50 years ago when stormwater wasn’t really thought about too much, and now it’s a hot topic. So, we are trying to secure some federal and state funding, and we have to address some of those areas.”

Council President, David Moran emphasizes, “That was a tough choice that we had made to not just put black top over the roads as we repair them, but to look at the structure of the road, the storm water, the sewer lines that are in there. The trouble with that is,  you end up spending a lot of money, and it goes underground where nobody ever sees. But when the road is done today, it’s set up to last us 20 years.”

Revitalizing Downtown and Enhancing Quality of Life

In partnership with the CDEC, Archbald is working to secure funding for an envisioning grant to help shape the future of the borough’s downtown. According to Kane, this plan will specifically focus on the corridor surrounding access to the Heritage Valley River and the Lackawanna River Heritage Corridor. “There’s a lot of growth opportunities there to really think  differently about that space,” he shares. “With this envisioning grant, we really want to get feedback from Council, from residents and business owners in the borough, and really come up with a creative path forward for how we could further develop that neck of Main Street. We want to make it that great corridor for our business community to grow and thrive, focusing on small business.”

By improving signage, accessibility, and connections between the downtown area and the riverfront, the hope is to create a seamless experience for visitors and residents, encouraging more foot traffic and business growth in the process. “We have a lot of people that pass through the river trail but might not necessarily be connected to the downtown. So, we want to make sure those opportunities happen, so folks can stop and visit local businesses and learn a little bit about the history of the town as well,” Kane details.

Strong partnerships with the region’s educational institutions also play a role in Archbald’s growth. “The University of Scranton and Marywood University have collaborated on several projects within the borough to really help us grow and re-envision and enhance our quality of life,” Kane expands. “It’s really exciting to have those resources right in our area to be able to help us grow and tackle some issues as a borough.”

A Borough with a Vision

Looking ahead, Archbald is committed to sustainable growth that balances economic opportunity with community well-being. As Moran points out, careful planning is necessary to ensure that new developments enhance the borough without compromising its character. “These data centers have kind of popped right up to the top of the list. It’s major and it could affect the residential areas as much as affect the landscape of the borough,” he stresses. “So, while we welcome it, we have to take it step by step to make sure that we don’t give something away today that affects what’s happening tomorrow to the borough.”

With so much to be proud of and even more to look forward to, Markey underscores what truly makes this borough so special. “I can’t say enough about the people of Archbald. Without the great people, without the great leadership, the great staff that I have, and the leaders on these committees that are volunteering their time, it’s not possible for Archbald to move forward into the exciting new phases that we’re about to go through.”

As the borough embraces its next phase of growth, one thing remains clear: it takes a village to raise a borough, and Archbald is poised to thrive for generations to come.

AT A GLANCE

Who: Archbald Borough, Pennsylvania
What: A growing community on the brink of major transformation
Where: Lackawanna County, Pennsylvania
Website: www.archbaldboroughpa.gov