The Lackawanna City Council on Jan. 6 approved a public hearing for 5 p.m. Jan. 28, 2025, to consider creation of a historic property overlay district covering the Our Lady of Victory Basilica complex.

City staff said the overlay would add a local layer of protection for the basilica, the former Our Lady of Victory School (formerly Baker Victory School) and the Ridge Avenue complex — a cluster that includes the old hospital and infant home — that was added to the National Register of Historic Places in February 2024. "The overlay gives you an extra layer of protection," the Director of Development and Marketing said, explaining that the National Register listing does not by itself prevent a future sale or redevelopment under the Central Business District zoning standards.

The director said the city is working with CNS Engineers, the zoning-code consultant retained under a zoning-code grant, to draft overlay criteria that would require redevelopment to preserve the visual and material integrity of the complex. The director added that this overlay would not eliminate the Central Business District but would instead place additional standards on redevelopment within the overlay boundary.

Councilmembers discussed alternatives, including pursuing certified local government status. The director explained that certification would require creation of a local historic preservation board, continued adherence to State Historic Preservation guidance, and a deeper administrative commitment, but could open additional funding opportunities for restoration work. "If the city became a certified local government, you would have to follow the State Historic Preservation guidelines," the director said, adding that certification requires a board and additional resources.

The council approved the motion to hold the public hearing by a 5-0 vote. The next steps described by staff: finalize overlay criteria with CNS Engineers, present recommendations to the Planning Board, then return to the council for possible adoption. Staff said, if the process moves on the expected timetable, the city hopes to have the overlay work "locked down" by the end of the first quarter of 2025.

The public hearing is scheduled to be held before the Planning Board consideration and any final council action; a final vote on an overlay ordinance would come at a subsequent meeting.