State Releases Grant for Southpointe II Infrastructure Growth

Gov. Tom Corbett's office has approved the release of a $600,000 grant to extend the infrastructure at the Southpointe II Business Park.

“Washington County’s economy is rapidly expanding and this grant will help provide the foundation for continued growth,” state said. “The hard work of local officials and cooperation through all levels of government convinced the administration to invest here.”

The Washington County Authority was expected to meet Thursday to discuss a formal agreement with Pennsylvania’s Budget Office. The hope is to keep the project on track for a 2012 completion, Solobay said.

“We’re grateful to Senator Solobay and Representative for their diligent pursuit of this grant and their commitment to jobs,” said William Sember, director of operations for the Washington County Authority, which is administering the project and providing the local matching funds required. “We’re aware that the competition for redevelopment assistance is fierce.”

Local officials are developing a new phase of the business park that will provide access and infrastructure improvements for future building sites. The grant will be made through the state’s Redevelopment Capital Assistance Program, and will help pay for the extension of roads as well as water and sewer lines for the new sites.

“We are seeing strong job growth in the region but we have to remain committed to continuing that well into the future,” White said. “This project represents that commitment and should help attract the employers of the next generation.”

Washington County was recently cited by the U.S. Bureau of Labor statistics as having the third highest job gains in the nation with 4.3 percent growth between 2010 and 2011 even as the state and nation have been slow to recover job losses from the Great Recession.

“We’ve been fortunate in the discovery of natural gas resources in the region, but we won’t sit back and depend on luck,” Solobay said. “Reinvesting in infrastructure that will attract diverse private investment is the best way to ensure economic growth.”