Thank you Governor Tom Corbett! This monstrosity (Monsour Hospital) has been languishing, and, shame on those who left this mess for the community to deal with. Truly. Shameful. Again, thank you Governor Corbett. This project because of its key location will result in a taxpaying entity purchasing it, employing people and recouping the RCAP money. News for Immediate Release Oct. 29, 2014 Corbett Administration Announces Economic Growth Initiative Grant to Assist in Westmoreland County Redevelopment Project Harrisburg – Governor Tom Corbett today announced a $1 million Economic Growth Initiative (EGI) Grant to assist in the redevelopment of the former building and grounds of Monsour Medical Center in Jeannette, Westmoreland County. Once redeveloped, the property will be marketed with an emphasis toward commercial/retail/office-related properties. “Economic Growth Initiatives are changing communities across our commonwealth,” said Gov. Corbett. “This investment in Jeannette will pay dividends far into the future by taking an unused, abandoned property and turning it into a vibrant commercial and retail park.” For nearly eight years the former site of the Monsour Medical Center has remained vacant, in disrepair and presents a safety issue for the community. The redevelopment project will include the demolition of several structures on the property as well as site preparation and remediation work. The project is being sponsored by Westmoreland County Industrial Development Corporation. “This project has been one of my top priorities since taking office,” said Sen. Kim Ward (R-39). “With the help and diligent work of our local officials, I am pleased that we’ve made this project a reality. “I would like to publically thank Governor Corbett for recognizing the importance of this project to the City of Jeannette, as well as the entire Route 30 corridor, and ensuring we will have a vibrant tax paying entity on that site.” Prior to Gov. Corbett taking office, the state’s spending and borrowing for capital redevelopment assistance had become unsustainable for the state and its taxpayers, growing from $400 million in 1986 to slightly more than $4 billion in 2010. Gov. Corbett also said that the program had strayed considerably from its intended purpose of encouraging and assisting job growth through regional economic development projects. In the program’s prior announcements, the Corbett administration announced 58 new Economic Growth Initiative grants, totaling more than $133 million. The announced projects are expected to create more than 45,000 jobs in 24 counties across the state. To ensure the commonwealth can continue supporting Economic Growth Initiative grants, Gov. Corbett continued to urge the state legislature to enact meaningful pension reform and address the current pension system’s $50 billion debt. Ballooning pension costs, which consume approximately 60 cents of every new dollar of general fund revenues, detract from the commonwealth’s ability to invest in economic development and projects that spur job creation.
Posted on: Wed, 29 Oct 2014 20:25:43 +0000