An innovative study has mapped a path for future industrial development in Lawrence County. With recommendations from the Industrial Site Identification and Assessment Planning Study, county leaders can begin the due diligence necessary for industrial development that is expected to bring short- and long-term economic benefits to Western PA.
In collaboration with Forward Lawrence, an umbrella organization representing the county’s chamber of commerce and economic development corporation, the study was completed by a team of real estate experts led by Strategic Solutions By the end of a 12-month process, the team had identified the ten sites in Lawrence County that are best suited for industrial development.
In addition to Strategic Solutions, the team included The Gateway Engineers, Inc., Integra Realty Resources (IRR), a real estate valuation firm, and Lynn DeLorezno, a real estate market consultant (working for TARQUINCoRE at the time).
As Forward Lawrence’s CEO, Ben Bush is responsible for facilitating economic development in the county. Industrial development is essential to this part of Western PA, Bush says, but a lack of sites has made it difficult for the county to remain economically competitive in recent years.
“We can’t do economic development without good sites,” Bush says. “Lawrence County has great transportation infrastructure, but many areas are lacking the necessary utilities for industrial development.”
As a result, many industrial companies have left the region. But Bush is optimistic that the site identification study provides the tools to turn the tide.
“We’re here to win,” Bush said.
Beginning with a market assessment of a six-county region that included Lawrence, the team determined that light and heavy industrial development was viable. This included the potential for data centers, a use with unique utility needs that is growing rapidly worldwide but rare in Western PA.
A preliminary GIS survey conducted by The Gateway Engineers, Inc. revealed more than 3,000 parcels that were compatible with industrial uses. Gateway then custom-designed a GIS database that enabled the team to input specific criteria, such as acreage, proximity to highways and existing utilities, and current zoning designations.
Kyle Beck, a Gateway engineer involved in the project, said, “We created a dynamic process that we were able to adjust on the fly. When the refined searches turned up properties that already had industrial uses on them, we knew we were headed in the right direction.”
This process yielded about 25 sites that were grouped into distinct study areas and then reviewed against a scoring matrix the team had devised. In addition to the primary development attributes, the matrix also considered site ownership, and more qualitative factors like marketability. Once the team narrowed this list to the 10 best sites, each one was assigned estimate development timelines, ranging from one year to five years or more.
Lawrence County is “here to win,” and Bush says Harrisburg is, too. That includes the governor’s office and state agencies like the Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED).
“The current administration has really transformed the competitiveness of Lawrence County and Pennsylvania. The commonwealth wants to win again. It won’t happen overnight, but we’ve had some recent successes and leaders are collaborating to keep companies here.”
Among these successes are Steelite International’s expansion of its distribution hub in Neshannock Township, and LaCarte Development Company’s announcement of an industrial and business park on the former Stonecrest golf course. There are a few other developments in the queue, but Bush says that without these new tools—like the planning study recommendations and the GIS database—the county would eventually end up back where it was.
Last month, John Trant, Strategic Solutions president and CEO, joined Bush in a meeting with officials at the Pennsylvania Dept. of Community and Economic Development (DCED) to discuss the planning study.
“DCED Secretary Siger was happy to see us take this initiative,” Bush said. “Sites are important to DCED and the governor—quality sites are what will enable us to compete again—so the response was positive.”
“Forward Lawrence is positioning the county for growth,” Trant added. “This plan gives Ben and his team detailed analysis and flexible tools to attract and grow businesses. Economic development is tough work and Ben’s team is getting it done.”
Confirming that local and state officials were “impressed” by the completed study, Lawrence County Commissioner Dan Kennedy said the project exceeded expectations.
“The county stepped up to the plate financially more than usual, and our money was well invested. This plan hits on every point and goes further than we anticipated. It puts Lawrence County way out ahead of anywhere else in the area,” said Kennedy.
Bush concluded: “Now we have tools and strategies for the next five, ten, twenty years. With a mix of large and small sites, we can do our due diligence and pursue funds for necessary infrastructure. This project has enabled us to continue industrial development in perpetuity.”
As Strategic Solution’s president and CEO, John Trant has extensive expertise with community and economic development strategies, from conceptualization to implementation. Please contact him directly with inquiries about community and economic development opportunities in your community, at john@strategic-solutionsllc.com.
