The state is investing more than $1 million to accelerate industrial development at two properties in the Lehigh Valley. 

The support comes through grants from the PA SITES program, which funds infrastructure, utility, and other improvements to make sites shovel-ready for development.

The grants are:

• $250,000 to Greystone Capital, Inc., to complete a comprehensive real estate plan for developing 54 acres in Glendon into a shovel-ready industrial campus. PA SITES funds will be used for design services including surveying, floodplain analysis, an environmental assessment, geotechnical reporting, preliminary land development planning, and permitting.
• $875,000 to Eastupland Associates, to support the demolition of the SureStay Hotel in Hanover Township, Northampton County, to prepare the site for construction of a 250,000-square-foot industrial building.

The awards are among seven statewide, totaling $31 million. Grants are announced on a rolling quarterly basis. Since the program’s inception, PA SITES has awarded more than $146.4 million to 37 projects.

PA SITES is a critical part of the strategy to make Pennsylvania more competitive and grow the economy, Gov. Josh Shapiro said.

“Working in a bipartisan manner, we’ve secured over $500 million for site development across the Commonwealth — and we’re now driving out those dollars and turning dirt into jobs and economic opportunity. These new awards will help more communities attract new businesses, create good-paying jobs, and lay the foundation for long-term economic growth.”

The PA SITES program is also being used in the Lehigh Valley for the Eli Lilly and Company pharmaceutical manufacturing campus that was announced in January. Lilly plans to build a $3.5 billion facility in Upper Macungie Township that will employ 850 people, create 2,000 construction jobs, and drive a projected $14 billion into the regional economy.

Lilly’s investment is the largest ever in the Lehigh Valley, and the largest life sciences investment ever in Pennsylvania. Lilly will receive a $25 million PA SITES grants. 

“We have built incredible economic development momentum in Pennsylvania thanks to investments like PA SITES, which has given us the ability to win deals we would not have won before,” said Rick Siger, Secretary of the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development. “Pennsylvania already offers so much of what companies are looking for — a skilled workforce, abundant natural resources, and a strategic location — and now we’re matching those strengths with development-ready sites. These new investments will create even more good-paying jobs, expand opportunity, and drive long-term economic growth in communities across the Commonwealth.”

(Photo by Rick Kintzel)