HERMITAGE Officials stop in at planned tech park

The city is reviewing a land development plan for a second tenant in the park.
By HAROLD GWIN
VINDICATOR SHARON BUREAU
HERMITAGE, Pa. -- State Sen. Robert Robbins of Greenville, R-50th, and state Rep. Michael Gruitza of Hermitage, D-7th, were strong supporters of a $1.5 million state grant to help finance infrastructure improvements at LindenPointe.
In a visit Friday to the planned 117-acre technical park site on Pa. Route 18, they got a close-up look at some of that work.
"Look at the location. A brand new highway right down here," Gruitza said as he looked toward nearby Route 18, which the state recently widened from two to five lanes.
LindenPointe is a little over one mile from Interstate 80.
Robbins praised Hermitage for stepping forward to take an active role in getting the park ready for development.
Partnership
The city is in partnership with KAKE Development Co. of Hermitage in the project. The key is that local involvement, Robbins said.
The state put $1.5 million into the project, and the city and KAKE came up with $500,000 more for infrastructure work.
Gary Gulla, assistant city manager, said the work began in February and will be completed by Nov. 1.
It includes building a mile of access roads, a mile of storm and sanitary sewers, sidewalks, paved walking trails and landscaping.
The sanitary lines are done, and the storm sewers are 98 percent complete. Contractors are working on the access road, and separate contracts are financing the installation of water, electrical and natural gas lines, he said.
The park has one tenant so far -- Regional Cardiology Associates -- but a land development plan is in the works for a second tenant in the technology field, Gulla said.
That deal hasn't been finalized but it could produce up to 40 jobs, he said.
Robbins said LindenPointe is unique in that there are no other planned technical parks in this region of Pennsylvania. High technology companies want the infrastructure in place before they come in, he said.
The state stands ready with more assistance in the form of state grant and loan programs as well as specialized job training funds that can help developments in the park, he said.