C entral P ennsylvania
Real Estate Journal — Central Pennsylvania — May 11 - 24, 2018 — 7C
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M id A tlantic
n April 9, 2018 the City of Altoona realized its largest capital invest- Altoona-Blair County Development Corporation Thinking Really Big: Investment Capital Means Human Capital in First Frontier O heels of other major milestone projects for Blair County.
portunity we have seen. In April Sheetz dedicated its new $34 million operational and training center. That building is the latest in a series of ongoing expansions for Sheetz in the Walter and Marasco Business Parks firmly positioning Sheetz as Blair County’s largest pri- vate sector employer.
Earlier this year Silk Mill Properties, Inc. announced their $14 million adaptive reuse and renovation of the former Puritan Silk Mill, the largest public-private-partnership proj- ect of its kind. This investment is adjacent to the $20 million Graystone Grand Palazzo proj- ect senior housing project at a site and building that would have otherwise fell into disre- pair. We continue to follow the largest market-rate multi-ten- ant housing development in the works at the historic Elizabeth Apartment Building that will add 20 new class-A living spaces in the heart of the City. In early April Governor Wolf announced that Fortune 100 company Centene Corporation chose Blair County to construct a $26 million office facility creating nearly 300 skilled professional employment opportunities – the largest outside attraction op- smart capacity in all areas of infrastructure. This region boasts an industrial site that is pre-approved to support a 2 million square foot facility, is tax free until 2027 and just minutes from Interstate 80! The rail infrastructure and service here in this part of Pennsylvania is second to none and a competitive advantage to any industry that utilizes rail. 2. World Class Innovation and Technology Resource Central PA is proudly home to 8 colleges and universities that have over 74,000 students enrolled and several premier technical institutions includ- ing the Pennsylvania College of Technology Plastics Innova- tion &Resource Center provid- ing an incredible talent pool, globally recognized training, research and development. A vast network exists in Central PA of educational institu- tions, research and technology organizations that provide dedicated resources to advance industry.
ment f or a single build- i ng pro j ec t ever in the Altoona Area School Dis- trict (AASD) Board’s ap- proval of an $88 million new state-of- the-art school
building. Most importantly, they shouted to our mountain tops that we are “all in” on our community’s future success, competitiveness, the smarts and hearts for generations of our kids, and our ability to at- tract new business investment, and talent. Their decision said a lot and none of it was about living the past. Talent, Education, Qual- ity of Place, Future Capacity: these are consistently among the top factors that people and These big project firsts are in addition to several new down- town eateries, retailers and office expansions happening in Altoona, Tyrone and throughout Blair County’s mountain main streets. Together these capital projects help to attract and retain our most important cur- rency, Human Capital. They are helping to create new-places, experiences and opportunities for current and future genera- tions to live, work, and celebrate what our community, America’s First Frontier, has to offer. We suspect more to be in the works with all those who are thinking big and making positive change happen right here, right now. Focus Central PA is home to many successful companies small & large Stephen McKnight president & CEO ABCD Corp. AASD Board’s approval of an $88 million new state-of-the-art school businesses (they are one in the same) consider when choosing a location to live, buy a home, invest or start-up businesses. This new school impacts all of these things, while sending a message to Blair County expats and potential newcomers that our community, Blair County, PA, the First Frontier, is fur- ther positioning itself for the future – it’s time to come home, invest, and become rooted. them strong employees and innovative thinkers for the current and future businesses in Blair County,” said Dr. Charles Prijatlj, AASD Su- perintendent. “I think education is the gold- en ticket,” said AASD Board Member Wayne Hippo. “It’s the one chance these kids have to achieve, to go beyond some of the cards they were dealt.” “The new building will give our students the opportunity to build 21st century tech- nology and problem-solving skills that in turn will make I have been saying “this is the right place, at the right time – let’s all think big.” The AASD leadership is thinking big for sure, and they are not alone. This project comes on the
Focus Central Pennsylva- nia is a regional organization providing confidential, profes- sional and responsive support services to companies search- ing for investment locations in the northeast United States. Focus proudly promotes the beautiful river valleys in the north central part of Pennsyl- vania as a choice location for corporate investment. The Fo- cus Central Pennsylvania re- gion is home to many success- ful companies small and large, with a strong manufacturing history and support structure, including the Pennsylvania College of Technology Plastics Innovation & Resource Center providing cutting edge training and technology for the plastics industry. Companies in this region of Pennsylvania benefit from being located within 60% of US and Canada’s popula- tion; access to an extensive network of trade schools, tech- nical colleges and universities; a quality, dedicated workforce; premier research and devel- opment resources; available
3. People Central PA is widely rec- ognized by employers as a prime location for a dedicat- ed, hardworking talent force that has ingenuity and pride. There are over 25,000 busi- nesses employing over 290,000 people with strong community support for manufacturing and growth of economic op- portunities. Productive and more importantly reliable, hardworking and smart talent is available in Central Penn- sylvania. 4. In Good Company - Cen- tral Pennsylvania Success Stories Central PA is proudly home to small and large companies that are quality employers, community neighbors and growing. 5. Quality of Life & Invest- ment in the Future Central PA provides the families that call this region home high quality education options, affordable living op- tions and an outstanding qual- ity of life.
industrial buildings and sites; world class rail infrastructure and service; low cost of living; high quality of life and much more. In the Focus Central Pennsylvania region there are billions of dollars being invest- ed in infrastructure for smart growth including natural gas fired power plants, natural gas pipelines, a new 4 lane high- way, and utility infrastructure to enhance access, service and reliability. The Focus Central Penn- sylvania region has been de- scribed as a “best kept secret” as a prime location for corpo- rate investment and growth. Here are a few reasons why this beautiful part of Penn- sylvania is worth taking a few minutes or a short drive
to appreciate the advantages and opportunities that abound in the communities here in Central Pennsylvania. 1. Best At Making and Mov- ing PRODUCT Central PA is in a prime northeast location to access major US and Canadian mar- kets with an uncongested logistics network of highways, railways, and airports to move product efficiently. Available are existing industrial build- ings and ready to build land sites with strong infrastruc- ture, competitively priced with attractive financial and tax incentives. Long term, low cost, reliable energy resources abound. Billions of dollars in infrastructure investments are taking place to provide
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