The Pennsylvania Allies Program was designed for professionals working in roles that actively support economic development organizations (EDOs) and their efforts within PA communities. Through the provision of training for local stakeholders, they - along with their local or regional EDOs - will be well-positioned to take advantage of opportunities to jointly champion their communities. With this aim in mind, we're sharing the following story of an economic development success that was made possible because a number of community-minded individuals and organizations recognized the project's importance and committed themselves to working together through the processes necessary to achieve their vision.

The Problem: For decades, Jeannette Glass Works was the epicenter of the thriving Jeannette economy. Established by the Jeannette Glass Company in the 1880s, this complex introduced the world to sheet glass and earned Jeannette its “Glass City” nickname. In 1983, the company went bankrupt and an out-of-state investor purchased the industrial site. Little was done in subsequent years to maintain its buildings or address the hazardous waste on site. After decades of neglect, the blighted downtown property posed a clear danger to the surrounding community. It racked up numerous citations from the city, and the state Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) cited it for violations of the Solid Waste Management Act, the Clean Streams Law, the Storage Tanks Act, and the Air Pollution Control Act.

The Coalition: The City of Jeannette, Westmoreland County, Westmoreland County Industrial Development Corporation (WCIDC), the Redevelopment Authority of Westmoreland County and the DEP contributed funding. The WCIDC spearheaded the effort to demolish the decades-old blighted industrial buildings on site, address the environmental legacy of decades of glass manufacturing, and prepare the property for future development.

The Process & Outcome: The WCIDC purchased the 13.5-acre property via tax sale in 2012, but years of legal challenges delayed it from gaining site control until 2016. Once the state supreme court settled the matter, the WCIDC began work to demolish the dilapidated buildings and remediate soil that contained decades of industrial byproducts. In 2017, Elliott Group approached the WCIDC to discuss locating a new venture in the city. The company — which has nearly 1,000 employees in Jeannette — was interested in partnering with the WCIDC on this brownfield redevelopment effort. At the conclusion of its redevelopment efforts, the WCIDC sold the property to Elliott Group in October 2019. Two months later, the company held a groundbreaking ceremony for the construction of a $60 million, six-building cryogenic pump testing complex that opened its doors in October 2021 and now employs approximately 100 workers. This formerly moribund property now generates $109,000 in annual tax revenue and is contributing to the economic and community vitality in downtown Jeannette.