Anne's Arts & Activities Blog

A hearing on the proposed Holiday Inn Express on Forman Street is scheduled for next Friday in McKean County Court. In the hearing, attorney Greg Henry is expected to argue that the Bradford Zoning Hearing Board should not have granted variances to Tarport Properties for the proposed development. Henry represents Bradford Motel Associates, which objected to the Comfort Inn moving to the site where it's been for nearly 10 years. The variances the board granted in September included allowing the hotel to be four stories and 54 feet tall, when code allows for three stories and a maximum height of 50 feet; and allowing some of the parking spaces and landscaping to not follow code requirements. Developer John Stranburg said he isn't deterred by court action and plans to go ahead with the development.

The effects of the filming of the movie "Unstoppable" in the region are already being felt. To accommodate some crew members, the movie's production company is footing part of the bill for renovations at the DeSoto Holiday House on South Avenue. Tarport Properties is planning to refurbish the entire facility. As for the movie, the pre-production crew has been in Bradford for several weeks spending money at a number of businesses. Star Denzel Washington and Director Tony Scott have also been staying in the area. The action movie is being filmed in Cameron County, which is also getting a much-need economic boost. This Dumpster behind the hotel caught on fire at about 4 o'clock this moring. It's holding old carpeting from the hotel, as well as other construction materials. Bradford Township firefighters were on the scene for about 2 hours.