The Sentinel
By KIERNAN M. SCHALK
January 27, 2010
LEWISTOWN - At a time when the future seems uncertain, the Mifflin County Industrial Development Corporation is one of those organizations that is taking part in helping to create some potential bright spots just on the horizon.
At Tuesday's MCIDC board meeting, President Rob Postal gave updates on several local projects.
Postal praised the Lewistown Borough Council's decision to pledge $100,000 in Community Development Block Grant money for the proposed building project on the former Mann Edge site, located at the corner of Water and Dorcas streets.
"This is a significant boast for this project, they should be given a lot of credit for stepping up," Postal said of the borough council.
Postal unveiled a conceptual design generated by the SEDA-Council of Governments and Cornerstone Design Architects for the $5.5 million redevelopment project during the meeting. MCIDC with SEDA-COG have been spearheading this particular project, which consists of constructing 31 affordable housing units for the elderly.
The units would be rentals and based on a person's income with eligible residents being 62 years old and older. The complex would not be an assisted living center and all residents would have to demonstrate that they can live independently. Also, the building as it is currently proposed would have one main public entrance with a fenced-in yard area that the apartments would open up to. The residents would be able to utilize an intercom system that would be equipped with a visual element, which would allow residents to visually identify a visitor without leaving their particular unit.
Postal said the money used to fund the project will come from several sources, including grant money from the Department of Community Economic Development and bank loans, as well as a loan from the Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency.
Although the borough council's pledge of support is a small portion of the total cost of the project, Postal said it is important because it will allow MCIDC to be more competitive when applying for grants and loans.
Postal said when funding sources, such as DCED, look at projects like this one, some of things they want to see is collaboration and diverse revenue sources.
Other projects discussed at the meeting include:
Postal discussed ongoing work in the industrial plaza at several buildings occupied by Kardex USA Inc.
Kardex is a local manufacturer of automated storage and retrieval systems and was acquired in 2009 by a Zurich, Switzerland-based company, Kardex AG. This company signed an asset purchase agreement to acquire the assets of U.S. competitor Kardex Systems Inc., which previously filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy with a U.S. court.
The plant in the plaza is being completely upgraded, including new equipment, a new roof and other renovations.
Money for the project was made possible through funding from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act and a loan obtained by MCIDC from a local bank. Estimated cost for the project is around $2 million.
Postal said portions of the Kardex project are complete, such as the new roof. However, MCIDC is still waiting on money from the act that will be used to fund the installation of new windows, paving and energy upgrades, he said.
The MCIDC board voted to rescind $100,000 they previously pledged for the proposed Tuscarora Regional Community College. The project was put on hold in 2009 and since that time, Harrisburg Area Community College has opened a Mifflin/Juniata site to offer a limited amount of classes.
Postal said in the future if there is a push to establish such a college, the board would most likely again pledge some financial support for the project.
Bill Hayes, who is a member of the Community College Steering Committee, was at the MCIDC meeting and said more information about the future of the Tuscarora Regional Community college would be released soon from TRCC project Director Marsha Soult.
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