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CLARION, Pa. (EYT) – Three state grants totaling more than $4 million will seek to enhance the manufacturing housing industry, improve safety and efficiency at the courthouse, and create jobs in Clarion County, according to Representative Donna Oberlander (R-Clarion/Armstrong/Forest Counties) and Senator Scott Hutchinson (R-Venango/Clarion/Butler/Warren/Forest Counties).

(Photo by Dave Cyphert of ProPoint Media Photography.)

Clarion County Commissioners Ted Tharan, Wayne Brosius, and Ed Heasley also announced the grants at their Wednesday morning meeting, thanking Oberlander and Hutchinson along with Delta Development for seeking out the grants.

Two of the grants, awarded to Fort Knox LLC, will help fund manufacturing expansion and infrastructure at Greystar Knox Manufacturing. The third grant, of nearly $900,000.00, will help with safety and efficiency upgrades and renovations to the Clarion County Courthouse. They are part of the state’s Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program which is designed to spur job growth throughout the Commonwealth.

“These grant announcements are great news for the Knox and Clarion areas,” Oberlander said. “Clarion County has a strong reputation in the manufactured housing industry, and the grants in Knox will help solidify that by allowing Greystar to further expand and rehabilitate its local site. These grant dollars will directly translate into good jobs for our county and our economy, while also ensuring that our courthouse can continue to provide services to its residents.”

The first grant, of $1.8 million, will include the purchase and installation of critical building infrastructure needed to create an additional production line. The second project grant, of $1.5 million, will rehabilitate the plant with upgrades and modernizations. Nearly two years ago, Greystar purchased a factory on 40 acres in Knox to reconstruct and assemble luxury modular bathrooms.

The grant for the courthouse will entail a new generator to ensure that county government functions can continue to operate during emergencies and weather-related power outages. In addition, the building will receive an energy-efficient fresh air exchange to keep the air clean and reduce any risk of mold/mildew accumulation. The renovations will also bring some county government functions–such as the Domestic Relations Department and Sheriff’s Department–under one roof, thereby creating operational efficiencies to benefit area residents.

“This is truly outstanding news for Clarion County,” said Hutchinson. “The courthouse improvements will assist the commissioners in their ongoing efforts to increase operational efficiencies while also ensuring that critical government services are always available to county residents, even during the most challenging times.”

According to Hutchinson, the funding assistance for Greystar to expand its operations here will help drive employment, spur economic growth, and solidify Clarion County’s reputation as a leader in the manufactured housing industry.