Gov. Josh Shapiro announces $2.5M investment to attract business, jobs to Westmoreland County – WPXI
BOVARD, Pa. — The project to revitalize a vacant site that once housed the Keystone Coal and Coke Company and later a concrete pipe manufacturer was awarded $2.5 million from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania through a new pilot program.
“We’re going to turn the piles of dirt here into hundreds of jobs for the good people of Pennsylvania,” Governor Josh Shapiro said during his announcement in Westmoreland County Thursday morning.
The land that is being redeveloped in Bovard has sat vacant since 2002.
The money comes from a pilot program Pennsylvania is launching to develop property like this throughout the state. It’s called PA SITES, or the Pennsylvania Strategic Investments to Enhance Sites program. This year, $10.6 million is being awarded to different projects across the state.
“That’s a win for Westmoreland County and a win for all of us,” Shapiro said.
The plan is to turn this property in Bovard into a 217-acre business park with up to 1 million square feet of warehouse and distribution space.
“When this thing was put in, little chances of us getting us,” said Lou Battistella, President of Adam Eidemiller, Inc, the developer of the property. “Having that news is just overwhelming.”
Battistella said this money will help offset some of the $29 million dollar pricetag of the project, and bring sewage and water service, as well as roads in and out of the property.
“If we get those, then we’re off and running,” Battistella said.
Developers said they expect the first pads for businesses to move in and open should be ready in three years.
Local leaders can’t wait.
“I think we’ll see an improvement here that will make this a star, a gem in Westmoreland County,” said Westmoreland County Commissioner Doug Chew.
Governor Shapiro doesn’t want to stop with just $10.6 million this year. He wants to expand that to $500 million in next year’s budget hoping to revitalize more land and draw more businesses into Pennsylvania.
“I’m competitive as hell,” Shapiro said. “I don’t want them going somewhere else. I want them coming here to Westmoreland County, I want them coming here to Pennsylvania.”
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