Blight removal in Bethlehem, a redeveloped Allentown Metal Works, a master plan for the envisioned Da Vinci Science City in Easton, an expanded business incubator at Lehigh University – all these and more are moving forward thanks to new grants from the BB&T Economic Growth Fund.
While some Commonwealth communities are tackling the problem of urban food access with farmers' markets and boutique food shops, a pair of entrepreneurs are thinking big in the capital city with a new grocery store.
Development projects spearheaded by neighborhoods and nonprofits often need a boost when it comes to design and planning. Fortunately, institutions in Pittsburgh, Philadelphia and State College make it their mission to spur thoughtful upgrades to the built environment.
The capital's first coworking space continues to grow, moving in September to accommodate a swelling number of startups, small businesses, creatives and independent contractors. Their historic building in Midtown offers a modern, flexible space for a new generation of workers.
A refreshed design guide and a big annual event will boost efforts to nurture place-based tourism and development in this scenic Pennsylvania region. Ed McMahon, a national expert on sustainable growth, headlines a April 27 banquet in DuBois.
A local real estate mogul has used a personal line of credit to fund over $2 million worth of loans to upstart entrepreneurs in Germantown. It's part of a holistic training program that encourages local residents to rehab homes and keeps dollars in the community. Now the idea is spreading.
A new 14-story building in University City will house resources for entrepreneurs along with headquarters for the Science Center, a research campus that's reshaping the neighborhood.
This innovative new tool helps municipalities turn vacant and crumbling properties into assets. In Dauphin County, the new Land Bank is developing homes and commercial spaces, and folding the profits into its next project.
This shuttered institution -- long a locus of holiday cheer, school shopping and family meals -- will be transformed into the The Lackawanna County Government Center at the Globe. It's a huge boon for the area, bringing 700 employees and thousands of visitors back downtown.
The four-county region is looking beyond tourism to build a diverse, dynamic economy.