Governor Shapiro Announces New PA SITES Awards, Investing Over $39 Million in 11 Projects Across the Commonwealth to Create Hundreds of Jobs and Build Shovel-Ready Sites for[...]

Governor Shapiro created the PA SITES program after consulting with national site selectors, allowing Pennsylvania to develop more readily available sites to attract companies, investment, and good jobs to the Commonwealth.

Including this new second round, the Shapiro Administration has invested a total of $113.6 million in PA SITES funding for 29 projects across the Commonwealth - transforming underused land into job-creating, shovel-ready sites that attract businesses and drive economic growth.

A major priority outlined in the Shapiro Administration's Economic Development Strategy, the Governor secured $500 million for site development, including $400 million for PA SITES, in the 2024-25 bipartisan budget.

Mayfield, PA - Today, Governor Josh Shapiro and Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED) Secretary Rick Siger announced that the Commonwealth is investing over $39 million in 11 new projects through the PA SITES (Pennsylvania Strategic Investments to Enhance Sites) program to build more shovel-ready industrial sites across the Commonwealth - helping attract businesses, investment, and good-paying jobs to Pennsylvania.

"When I came into office, I made it clear that Pennsylvania would compete again - and now we're not just competing, we're winning," said Governor Shapiro. "For too long, abandoned mineland like this site sat vacant because we didn't have the resources or the speed to get companies up and running. We fixed that - investing $500 million to build shovel-ready sites and cutting red tape so projects can move faster. Here in Lackawanna County, we're turning dirt into jobs and opportunity and these 11 PA SITES awards will help communities across Pennsylvania do the same - attracting new businesses, creating good-paying jobs, and laying the foundation for long-term economic growth."

"Pennsylvania has many of the resources companies are looking for to grow - a skilled workforce, abundant natural resources, and a strategic location - but for too long, we lacked the ready-to-build sites that growing businesses need to make Pennsylvania their home," said Secretary Siger. "The Governor created the PA SITES program as part of our 10-Year Economic Development Strategy to fix that - and these projects will create good jobs, expand opportunity, and strengthen Pennsylvania's economy for years to come."

Governor Shapiro and Secretary Siger made today's PA SITES announcement in Mayfield, where Century Development Associates, LLC is receiving a $6 million grant from the program to support critical infrastructure development on a major economic development site. The company will develop two large-scale manufacturing or logistics sites on part of a 230-acre former coal mine property spanning Mayfield and Archbald Boroughs in Lackawanna County.

PA SITES funds will support nearly one mile of grading and utility extensions - including natural gas, electric, water, and sanitary sewer - and the acquisition of a PennDOT Right-of-Way to make the sites fully shovel-ready. Once the first site is completed, it will be sold to generate cash flow to complete excavation for the second site. The total cost to get the land ready for development is $52.29 million, and Century Development estimates the entire project, including warehouse construction, will cost up to $100 million.

In September 2023, the Borough of Mayfield received a $14.9 million grant through the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection's (DEP) Abandoned Mine Lands and Acid Mine Drainage (AML/AMLER) Grant Program to perform mine reclamation activities on approximately 87 acres of the site in advance of the PA SITES-funded work. The DEP funding is supporting removal of mine spoil piles, excavation and backfilling of the Clark underground mine complex, drainage installation, and grading to reclaim the land for future development.

The Office of Transformation and Opportunity (OTO) designated Century Development for the Governor's PA Permit Fast Track Program in April 2025, which streamlines permitting for key economic development and infrastructure projects. Thanks to OTO's coordination, five of the required permits were completed ahead of schedule. Century Development reports that the Fast Track program has helped save roughly 18 months in project development time.

Pennsylvania is the first state to create a project-based permitting fast track program for complex and impactful economic development and infrastructure projects - building on Governor Shapiro's work to reduce wait times and improve processes across the Commonwealth's permitting, licensing, and certification processes.

Governor Shapiro and his Administration developed PA SITES after soliciting feedback from national site selectors who help companies decide where to relocate and grow. Governor Shapiro worked across the aisle to secure $500 million for site development in his 2024-25 bipartisan budget, including $400 million for PA SITES. As a result of the program's early success and the Governor's economic development strategy, Pennsylvania was ranked the top state in the Northeast for Regional Economic Competitiveness by Site Selection Magazine.

The first round of PA SITES awards was announced in May. DCED administers the program and continues to accept applications and award grants and loans for eligible projects on a rolling quarterly basis.

"I'll tell you - the Office of Transformation and Opportunity - can't say enough good things about them," said Mark Powell, President, Century Land Development. "Speed matters. This has been an excellent program - we're moving dirt, getting a lot of inquiries about the site, and now that work is underway, we've got the community's attention and we're on our way."

"Lackawanna County is on the brink of growth in various areas, and we are excited to embrace this opportunity to help our communities thrive and keep our residents employed in family-sustaining jobs," said Kristin Magnotta, Director of the Lackawanna County Department of Planning and Economic Development. "What makes this project particularly special is its reclamation of old coal mine-scarred lands through the AMLER program, transforming these areas into fruitful development sites. The PA SITES program provides the resources needed to ensure that Pennsylvania and Lackawanna County have available shovel-ready sites to compete for major industries. The support from the state gives lands such as these a second chance at life - creating opportunities for growth, living wages, and solid employment for our residents."

"Over the past two years, we've seen firsthand Governor Shapiro's commitment to strengthening Pennsylvania's economy, supporting working families, and creating opportunities in every corner of our Commonwealth," said Commissioner Bill Gaughan, Board of Commissioners, Lackawanna County. "Here in Lackawanna County, that commitment isn't just words - it's action, it's investment, and it's a clear vision that Pennsylvania can and must compete to attract new businesses, new industries, and good-paying, family-sustaining jobs."

"Lackawanna County is the right place for this investment - we've got a workforce second to none and the ideal location for industry to grow," said Representative Kyle Mullins. "I'm proud to welcome Governor Shapiro and Secretary Siger to our community and make it clear to our business community that they've got a partner in state government to help rehabilitate old mine land, create jobs, and build a better tomorrow for all of us."

In addition to the Century Development Associates project in Lackawanna County, PA SITES program funding is being awarded to the following recipients:

• Allegheny County - $6,000,000 grant to Nichol Avenue McKees Rocks LLC to assist with the phase two development of a distribution and logistics park on a 72-acre brownfield site, the former Pressed Steel Car Company McKees Rocks Works Plant, in Stowe Township. PA SITES funding would include acquisition of land along the rail-spur, soil screening and disposal, rail-spur reconstruction, stormwater controls, utility relocation, sewer line replacement, and remediation.
• Berks County - $250,000 grant to the City of Reading for a comprehensive real estate plan on a city-owned 50-acre vacant property, known as the Dana site. The property is a legacy brownfield that previously housed industrial and manufacturing operations. The plan will include environmental reviews, evaluation of environmental constraints, confirmation of utility capacity, and to determine if utility systems require upgrades or reconfigurations based upon end user needs.
• Bucks County - $150,000 grant to the Bucks County Industrial Development Authority to explore the feasibility of developing a new laboratory and office building on a 2.85-acre lot, directly across the street from the existing Pennsylvania Biotechnology Center (PABC) campus on Old Easton Road in Buckingham Township. PA SITES funds would be used for engineering costs for the feasibility study.
• Crawford County - $8,500,000 grant to the Economic Progress Alliance of Crawford County (EPACC) to demolish Building 1-6 at the Crawford Business Park in Vernon Township. Building 1-6 is a six story, approximately 120,000 square foot building that has been vacant since 1986. PA SITES funds will be used for environmental remediation, demolition, and administration. EPACC is prepared to build a new 40,000 square foot manufacturing facility on the prepared site.
• Erie County - $121,740 grant to the Enterprise Development Center of Erie County for a planning grant for the development of a 160-acre site in the McKean Business Park located on 6450-6458 Sterrettania Road in McKean Township. PA SITES funds will be used for professional engineering services in the schematic design phase and the design development/permitting phase.
• Lebanon County - $2,000,000 grant to Allen Distribution Corporation to develop utility extension and transportation improvements for the Myerstown Light Industrial Site parcel to be marketed for activities such as packaging and distribution, food and beverages, and wholesale businesses and sales. PA SITES funding would go to extend water, sewer, and power utility lines and for off-site transportation improvements.
• Luzerne County - $8,000,000 grant to 289 MQOF LLC to construct the 15-building CrossRoads East Business Park on a 685-acre former coal mining site with a planned 6,842,850-square-feet in usable industrial space. PA SITES funds will be used for engineering and initial site preparation costs, including land clearance, internal roadway construction, sewer, and utilities infrastructure.
• Philadelphia - $250,000 grant to the Philadelphia Authority for Industrial Development (PAID) for a complete market/economic analysis, infrastructure gap analysis, and preliminary site plan for the Lower Schuylkill Innovation Campus (LSIC) in Philadelphia. PA SITES funds will be used for professional services and consulting costs associated with site planning analysis.
• Washington County - a total of $7,700,400 to Imperial Land Corporation. A grant of $5,175,000 and a loan of $2,525,400 for work on phases two and three of the Fort Cherry Development District (FCCD). When combined with phase one, the initial phases of the FCDD will feature approximately 2.3 million square feet of space at full build-out. Industrial, flex, and office users ranging from 90,000 to 500,000-square-feet can be accommodated. PA SITES funds will go to the extension of roadways (including associated stormwater management) and site utilities (water, sewage, stormwater, and gas).
• York County - $457,184 grant to Yazoo Mills, Inc, to help with transportation upgrades to support the development of a 13-acre parcel for construction of a 106,250-square-foot packaging and paper manufacturing facility within Penn Township's Industrial Park, a Keystone Opportunity Zone. PA SITES funding will be utilized for roadway construction to support development on the 13-acre lot and other available lots within the Industrial Park.

Investing in Economic Development in Pennsylvania

Governor Shapiro is delivering real results for Pennsylvania's workers and businesses. Since day one, his Administration has taken bold steps to strengthen the economy and attract new investment:

• Secured $500 million in site development funding to attract businesses, create jobs, and drive long-term economic growth.
• Since taking office, the Shapiro Administration has secured over $25.6 billion in private sector investments, creating more than 12,500 jobs.
• Cut business filing wait times from 8 weeks to just 2 days, making it easier for entrepreneurs to start and expand their businesses.
• Increased the Net Operating Loss (NOL) Deduction Limit, allowing businesses to reduce taxable income by up to 80 percent by 2029 - keeping Pennsylvania competitive with other states.
• Proposed accelerating Corporate Net Income Tax (CNIT) cuts by two years, reducing the tax rate by 0.75 percent annually and lowering it to 4.99 percent by 2029.

Learn more about the Shapiro Administration's efforts to support Pennsylvania's workers and businesses and spur the economy in the Governor's 2025-26 budget proposal at shapirobudget.pa.gov and discover how the Administration is creating economic opportunity to build a stronger, more competitive economy for all Pennsylvanians.

For more information about the Department of Community and Economic Development, visit the DCED website, and be sure to stay up-to-date with all of our agency news on Facebook, X, and LinkedIn.

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