State money for better roads at New Ken industrial park expected to draw more business

Since the launch of Re:Build Manufacturing at the New Kensington Advanced Manufacturing Park last year, two more tenants have signed on — translating to more jobs.

Now a $500,000 state grant to overhaul infrastructure at the park is expected to boost its ability to draw even more business.

“The grant will enable us to improve access to the site and its buildings,” RIDC Senior Vice President Timothy White said. “That is essential to attracting new businesses and jobs to this important regional economic development project.”

Money will come through the Commonwealth Financing Authority. It is among 11 grants totaling more than $1.6 million awarded through the Multimodal Transportation Fund and Local Share Account to benefit Westmoreland County communities.

“These investments will have a positive impact on local residents, as well as help to advance local economic development for many years to come,” said Republican state Sen. Joe Pittman, whose 41st District includes municipalities from Arnold to Ligonier.

The grant was awarded to the RIDC Southwestern Growth Fund to pay for road improvements at the site, acquired last year from New Kensington’s redevelopment authority.

The Westmoreland County Industrial Development Corp. and the Regional Industrial Development Corp. finalized the deal in October by assuming $10.7 million in park related debt.

Originally built as Alcoa’s New Kensington works, the plant was closed in 1971 before becoming Schreiber Industrial Park. New Kensington’s redevelopment authority bought it in 2018.

The new IDC partnership aims to redevelop the nearly 70-acre park straddling New Kensington and Arnold into a modern manufacturing facility.

Re:Build Manufacturing is expected to occupy 175,000 square feet. The company’s goal is to employ 300 people by 2026.

Steve Alschuler, RIDC Director of Communications, said a capital plan is underway.

Manufacturing companies Affival and APA Trucking, both current tenants, are expanding their footprints and now account for a combined 260,000 square feet, Alschuler said.

“Together with the Re:Build deal, that’s a total of 435,000 square feet worth of transactions signed in 2023,” he said.

Arnold Mayor Shannon Santucci said she hopes it’s just the start of what’s to come for the city.

“It’s a huge step to bring more jobs to the community and maybe bring people in from the outside,” she said. “We’re really excited about that. We’ve been addressing blight and with a lot of buildings coming down, there could be a decent amount of space for even more small companies to come to the community.

“We hope this is one thing that leads to another.”