Governor Rendell: New State Investments of $6.7 Million Will Help to Create Thousands of New Jobs

CFA Also Approves Business in Our Sites Planning Grants

HARRISBURG, Pa., April 16 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Governor Edward G. Rendell today said new state investments totaling more than $6.7 million could create more than 10,000 jobs throughout Pennsylvania, including the creation of 241 positions and the retention of 87 employees at a manufacturing facility in York County.

The Governor said the $2.2 million the state is investing in Unilife Medical Solutions will serve as crucial gap financing to help it finish building a $27 million corporate headquarters and manufacturing facility.

"Unilife made a commitment to Pennsylvania when it decided to move its global headquarters from Australia," Governor Rendell said after the Commonwealth Financing Authority approved the investment on April 14. "We're keeping our commitment by providing financial resources that will ensure this vital project is completed."

Keystone Redevelopment Group LLC received the $2.2 million loan on behalf of Unilife Medical Solutions through the state's Building PA program. Unilife Medical develops and supplies innovative safety medical devices, including pre-filled safety syringes, to healthcare and pharmaceutical markets.  

The company currently employs more than 80 people in York County. Construction of its new 160,000-square-foot office and manufacturing facility in Conewago Township is expected to be completed by the end of this year.  

Through March, more than $144 million had been allocated for 33 projects throughout Pennsylvania under Building PA.  

The Commonwealth Financing Authority also approved 19 planning grants that will aid Pennsylvania's businesses with site preparation and infrastructure improvements that will keep the state's business environment competitive and create the potential for more than 10,000 new jobs.

"The investments we are making today will keep the commonwealth competitive by helping communities develop an inventory of shovel-ready sites for potential business development," said Governor Rendell.  "Helping local communities to clean up blighted properties, revitalize old industrial sites and remediate brownfields creates thriving, vibrant communities while providing opportunities for job creation and growth."  

CFA approved the grants and loans under the state's Business in Our Sites program, a component of Governor Rendell's original economic stimulus package.

Business in Our Sites targets communities that lack the resources to invest in site preparation and the renovation of environmentally damaged brownfield sites.  It also serves to help develop water, sewer, utility and road-access infrastructure at targeted sites. The program has allocated more than $300 million to 108 projects.

CFA also approved a $2 million tourism loan guarantee for SMG Kulpsville LLC to provide a 50-percent guarantee of a $4 million loan from Beneficial Bank. SMG will use the money to turn an existing hotel into a 182-guest room, 4-story, full-service hotel. The estimated $6 million project is expected to retain 120 existing jobs.    

For more information about economic development initiatives in Pennsylvania, call 1-866-466-3972 or visit www.newpa.com.

Media contacts:

Theresa Elliott, DCED; 717-783-1132

Michael Smith, Governor's Office; 717-783-1116

Editor's Note:  The 19 Business in Our Sites planning grants approved by the Commonwealth Financing Authority are listed below: 

Allegheny County

Allegheny County Airport Authority will receive a $61,680 grant to update the planning and prioritization analysis at the Allegheny County Airport Authority Pittsburgh International Airport development sites.  The $77,100 project is expected to create 1,000 jobs.

The Borough of McKees Rocks will receive a $150,221 planning grant to look at the redevelopment of the Pittsburgh & Lake Erie Railroad site in McKees Rocks Borough.  The 30-acre brownfield is 5 miles from downtown Pittsburgh and is a certified Keystone Innovation Zone and Ohio River Town Enterprise Zone. McKees Rocks has partnered with Trinity Commercial Development LLC to redevelop the site into a flex-space business park accommodating light-industrial, technology and distribution businesses.  More than 310 jobs are expected to be created by the $166,912 project.

Beaver County

The Borough of Beaver will receive a $97,500 planning grant to look at the redevelopment of the historic train station. The former Pennsylvania & Lake Erie Railroad Passenger Station was built in 1897. The planning grant will help to clearly define the best reuse of the two-level, 10,000-square-foot facility, while maintaining its historical and architectural integrity. The total project cost is $195,000.

Bedford County

The Bedford County Development Association will receive a $175,000 planning grant for predevelopment activities at the Bedford County Business Parks I & II in Bedford Township. Redevelopment of the unoccupied parks, which are part of a Keystone Opportunity Zone, could serve the growing information technology, biomedical research, and advanced manufacturing clusters. The Bedford County Development Association anticipates 400-600 new jobs will be created. Total project cost is $182,500.  

Berks County

New Morgan Borough will receive a $173,750 grant to assist with planning activities for a mixed-use community at the former Bethlehem Steel Grace Mine. The Bryn Eyre Phase I Development site – which includes industrial, commercial, residential, and recreational uses – is a 200-acre brownfield and is one of Pennsylvania's largest. The project will offer a location with access to jobs, large retailers and metropolitan amenities. It is anticipated that the development will result in the creation of 2,400 jobs. The total project cost is $237,155.  

Butler County

The Community Development Corporation of Butler County will receive a $92,000 planning grant to complete preliminary engineering recommendations, environmental assessments and market and feasibility studies for the development of a 27-acre brownfield site in Forward Township. The corporation will acquire the site from CDC Environmental Inc. to complete the redevelopment and return the site to viable use.  It is anticipated the site will be used for light manufacturing and/or commercial trade (construction company headquarters, drilling company headquarters, metal fabrication company). The development of the site is expected to generate 50 jobs.  The total project cost is $130,000.  

Dauphin County

The Susquehanna Area Regional Airport Authority will receive an $81,180 planning grant to assist with the development of the former Harrisburg International Airport terminal site in Lower Swatara Township.  The authority is planning to redevelop the vacant terminal to provide pad-ready sites for future aviation-related economic development, which would create significant employment opportunities and generate substantial new tax revenues. The Susquehanna Area Regional Airport Authority estimates nearly 64 jobs will be created at the site.  Total project cost is $90,180.  

Erie County

The Greater Erie Industrial Development Corporation will receive a $175,000 grant for site investigations, impact analysis, and professional services for an intermodal terminal and logistics park at the Erie Inland Port, Albion Borough. Increasing global trade requires the development of an intermodal terminal where trains and trucks could connect the Erie region to domestic ports, international ocean ports, and throughout North America.  The total project cost is $675,000.  

Greene County

Greene County Commissioners will receive a $175,000 planning grant to assist with predevelopment activities for the Greene County Airport Business Park, Franklin Township.  The county plans to redevelop the 150-acre site into commercial space for aviation-related businesses, including a flight school, aircraft management company and aircraft charter service, as well as related commercial development.  It is anticipated that 315 jobs will be created by the $287,273 project.

Huntingdon County

Huntingdon County Business and Industry Inc. will receive a $39,000 grant to create a master plan for the remaining undeveloped acres in Riverview Business Center, Shirley Township.  The funds will be used to complete a geotechnical assessment, subdivision planning, final land development planning and administrative costs for the 150-acre site.  The Huntingdon County Business and Industry expects the proposed development of its remaining acres will create 300 additional jobs over the next five years. The total project cost is $54,050.

Jefferson County

The Jefferson County Development Council will receive a $30,000 planning grant to perform a preliminary site analysis for the development of a business park in the northwest quadrant of Exit 81, off Interstate 80, in Pine Creek Township.  The 140-acre brownfield is designated as a potential growth area in Jefferson County's comprehensive plan. The site's current owner, Nine Star Capital LP, is interested in working to create a new enterprise park that would focus on energy-related businesses (natural gas, wind, solar, etc.) involving manufacturing and related services.  The total project cost is $35,000.

Luzerne County

Greater Hazleton Community-Area New Development Organization Inc. will receive a $175,000 planning grant to assist in the pre-redevelopment work for Humboldt Industrial Park North II, Hazle Township.  Humboldt Industrial Park North II sits on 1,150 acres and is a major gateway for travelers and residents driving into downtown Hazleton from I-81.  The funds pay for a preliminary site evaluation and a market assessment to establish the feasibility of continuing the northward expansion of Humboldt Industrial Park.  The total project cost is $275,000.

The Greater Wilkes-Barre Industrial Fund will receive a $175,000 planning grant for site assessments for Hanover Crossings III, IV and Lot 9 (Hanover), Hanover Township.  Hanover is a 598-acre brownfield located in a Keystone Opportunity Zone.   The fund plans to develop the three sites into a mix of single-occupancy buildings and multi-tenant facilities for light-industrial, back-office, and distribution companies.  The development could result in the creation of approximately 1,000 jobs.  

Mercer County

Greenville Reynolds Development Corporation will receive a $55,600 planning grant to complete a total wetland delineation of undeveloped sites in its industrial parks in Pymatuning, Delaware and Hempfield townships.  The 960-acre site is one of the few large properties available in Mercer County.  To facilitate the development of the area, a complete assessment is needed to determine which sites are marketable.  The Greenville Reynolds Development Corporation anticipates 1,000 jobs will be created. The total project cost is $60,800.

Philadelphia County

The Philadelphia Industrial Development Corporation will receive a $175,000 planning grant to perform redevelopment studies for the industrial campus portion of the Navy Yard.  The proposed Navy Yard Industrial Redevelopment Planning Study will focus on the 450-acre industrial campus and will consider the highest- and best-use strategies to position specific areas for additional large scale industrial development.  The study will significantly improve the marketability of about 750,000-square-feet of space, resulting in direct construction jobs and about 750 permanent, high-skill industrial jobs.  The total project cost is $250,000.  

The Philadelphia Industrial Development Corporation will receive a $175,000 planning grant to determine the viability of the development of a 200-acre, rail-served industrial park along the Central Delaware River, Philadelphia.  The brownfield is in a Keystone Opportunity Zone and can support as much as 1 million square-feet of distribution and flex-space, and is in close proximity to rail and highway infrastructure.  The total project cost is $350,000.

Washington County

The Redevelopment Authority of the County of Washington will receive a $140,931 grant to assist with predevelopment planning activities for the Phoenix Business Park, Union Township.  The funds will help determine what types of businesses would be most appropriate for locating at the park, the proper parcel layout of the park, as well as the per-acre selling price for the 142-acre brownfield site.  

Warren County

BVK Inc. will receive a $172,500 planning grant to assist in the pre-development work for a 7-acre brownfield known as Warren West Industrial Site, Warren City.  The funds will be used to for phase I & II environmental assessments, preliminary architectural design and associated engineering costs.  The site currently holds a number of abandoned and blighted industrial buildings that are causing numerous environmental problems and poses a threat to the surrounding community. The project will accommodate a minimum of 100,000-squares-feet of new construction for industrial and manufacturing companies.  At full build-out, the project is expected to directly employ approximately 75-110 people.

Westmoreland County

The Regional Industrial Development Corporation of Southwestern PA will receive a $175,000 planning grant to perform site assessments for the Sony Technology Center in East Huntingdon Township. The Regional Industrial Development Corporation of Southwestern PA will look at redeveloping the site into a multiple-tenancy environment for manufacturing, industrial, agricultural, educational, research and development, and computer operation centers.  The redevelopment of facility could create about 2,500 jobs.  

SOURCE Pennsylvania Office of the Governor