Greater Reading in Berks County received a bit of national attention in the last year for its affordable housing market and proximity to a number of major metropolitan areas. That’s a sure formula for growth, and the region is now known for more than its bucolic farmland and old city charm. The Berks Economic Partnership is taking the lead in spreading the word with a beefed-up website.
Companies like United Corrstack, which added 75 jobs through a new biofuel power plant, and S&W Metal Products, named to the Inc. 5000 this year, represent a base of small, limber and innovative industry that appears poised for growth. The Small Business Development Center at Kutztown University has helped launch more than 50 businesses in the last year, saving or retaining 1,500 jobs.
Fittingly, there’s a strong sense of sustainability in Berks County, home to so many agricultural gems. The Berks-based Mid-Atlantic Renewable Energy Association drew 150 vendors and close to 10,000 attendees for its fifth annual renewable energy and sustainable living festival in September, showcasing the region’s talents in solar and geothermal, to name a few.
The arts are alive here, thanks to Reading’s GoggleWorks, which spurred an onslaught of downtown redevelopment, and a full slate of performances at the Sovereign Center arena. The region’s Penn Corridor continues to thrive with new galleries and boutiques and will remain a focus along with riverfront development along the Schuylkill.
Expect Berks County to attract plenty of new talent across the board in the coming year, and for downtown Reading to continue its revitalization around the arts, education and small business.
Source: Keystone Edge
Writer: Joe Petrucci