HARRISBURG, Pa. — The Glassworks Business Park in Clarion will benefit from $700,000.00 in state grant money to help develop the former glass plant into an industrial park for multiple businesses, Rep. Donna Oberlander (R-Clarion/Armstrong/Forest) announced on Tuesday.
The grant was approved on Tuesday by the Commonwealth Financing Authority (CFA) and is part of the agency’s Multimodal Transportation Fund to local governments. The Clarion County Board of Commissioners submitted the grant application.
“These street and transportation improvements will make the Clarion Glassworks site more attractive to potential businesses and industries, and make it safer for pedestrians, vehicle traffic, and potential employees there,” Oberlander said.
“The more site ready we can make this project, the easier it will be for entrepreneurs and job creators to set up shop and get their operations going. I appreciate the support of all of the coordinating agencies and municipalities to help make this grant a reality.”
Specifically, the funds will be used to make street improvements along Grand Avenue in Clarion Borough to ease congestion and provide for adequate ingress/egress for traffic, including large trucks. The project includes construction of curbing for drainage and traffic flow, pedestrian lanes, crosswalks, traffic signals, signage and traffic markings, along with a bus stop shelter.
The overall project cost is just over $1 million, and work will be done through several phases.
The Glassworks project, along Grand Avenue, consists of a 28.5-acre brownfield site, which formerly housed the Owens-Illinois Glass Plant. The project will lead to seven building pads ready for development. Those sites will be used for office, warehouse of light industrial use, and work has already started for utilities, lighting, and water and sewer infrastructure.
ln addition to the Board of Commissioners, this project has the support of Clarion Borough Council, the Clarion Area School District, as well as many local businesses. Interest has already been expressed to locate to the Glassworks.
In addition to this latest grant, the business park is benefiting from a $1,033,214.00 Business in Our Sites grant and a $4,256,952.00 Business in Our Sites low-interest loan.
