‘The Office’ fans have been asked to pitch in for the restoration of a Scranton landmark
The Penn Paper tower features in the show's title sequence and is need of repairs
SCRANTON – For super fans of The Office, the city of Scranton is a holy site.
The hit NBC mockumentary series was set in the small Pennsylvania town that’s called “Electric City” for the electric lights that were introduced at the Dickson Manufacturing Company in 1880.Each year, thousands of fans stop by the building of real-life paper company Pennsylvania Paper and Supply Company, also known as Penn Paper. The company was the inspiration for the fictional paper company Dunder Mifflin where most of the show’s characters worked.
An image of the Penn Paper tower, taken by actor John Krasinski who plays Jim Halpert in the series, features prominently in the show’s title sequence.
Given the show’s connection to Scranton and the history of the Electric City landmark, Douglas Fink, general manager of Penn Paper and owner of the building, is asking fans of The Office to pitch in on the tower’s restoration. The required repairs are to improve the “structural integrity to extend the life of the tower” for the next 50-100 years, Fink said.
“[The tower has] been a fixture of the community for 140 years,” he said. “It’s part of the original industrial era that put Scranton on the map the first time.” Of course, the TV show’s popularity contributed to making the city famous later. “We’re asking fans for some help keeping it healthy for generations to come,” he said. The funds raised will be used to pay for future preservation work.
According to Pittsburgh’s 90.5 WESA, the historic building has been due for a facelift, and Fink was the person leading the charge. An online fundraiser invites the public to make donations to offset the cost of the project. The goal is to raise $295,000.
The building was built in the 1880s and used for manufacturing and warehousing until Fink’s father Jerry bought the it in 1977. It, the fundraiser notes, is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and is almost 167 years old — “six times older than Michael Scott when he first started working at Dunder Mifflin.”
“Every day, we welcome endless fans to our building to enjoy the real Scranton experience,” the fundraiser’s description reads. “Just like yours, our hearts are forever in this tower, and with the countless [The Office] fans we had the chance to meet over the last 20 years... We appreciate your help in preserving the tower for all [The Office] fans to continue to enjoy and visit for years to come!”
A two-month-long project to replace the building’s bricks was completed in December 2023.
Donors can receive an engraved brick of the original tower with a certificate of authenticity, an original paper company t-shirt, a “Dundie” award, and other prizes based on the size of their donation.
“There’s no better way to celebrate the show and to experience owning a piece of Scranton history,” Fink said.
To make a donation, visit scrantontower.com.