Investments present growth opportunity for Westmoreland County

Millions of dollars in investment throughout Westmoreland County present the opportunity for jobs — now and in the future — and economic benefits for the 355,000 people who live here.

From construction of a natural gas power plant in progress in South Huntingdon to a vision of a mini-casino somewhere in the eastern part of the county a few years away, Westmoreland County is poised to reap benefits from projects in new ways.

Jason Rigone, director of the Westmoreland County Industrial Development Corp., and Jim Smith, director of the Westmoreland County Economic Growth Connection, shared their thoughts on what they consider to be the top five projects in development.

Tenaska

By the end of 2018, the Tenaska Westmoreland Generating Station in South Huntingdon is expected to be generating 925 megawatts of natural gas-fueled power. Construction at the $500 million plant, between the Smithton and West Newton exits of Interstate 70, began in 2016.

Already, there have been benefits.

“It's bringing tremendous investment already just in building it,” Smith said.

In November, the company announced that 1 million work hours had been completed and as many as 650 people were employed during peak construction. The company is working with many local skilled laborers. Once electricity is generated to power homes in this part of the country, 24 full-time operational jobs will remain.

Plant management staff has been hired, and other jobs will be filled in March, said Vasu Pinapati, vice president, engineering and construction.

“Certainly, (it is) by far the biggest dollar amount, as well as back-filling the need for energy production ... in Western Pennsylvania as the shutdown of coal-powered plants continues,” Rigone said.

Health care

Excela Health recently opened Excela Square at Latrobe, an outpatient health care center in Unity, and Allegheny Health Network and Highmark Health in December announced plans to build a neighborhood hospital in Hempfield.

Both investments are meaningful to the county, Rigone and Smith agreed.

The 120,000-square-foot AHN Hempfield-Neighborhood Hospital will be built at the intersection of Route 30 and Agnew Road with 10 inpatient beds. About 50 employees will be transferred there, and officials expect to hire an additional 50 to 100 workers. It is part of a $700 million regional expansion plan.

AHN opened an outpatient center off Nature Park Road in Hempfield in June.

Excela's $40 million Unity facility consolidated service at about 15 locations into one 115,00-square-foot building that is a replication of Excela Square at Norwin. A $12 million renovation project at Frick Hospital in Mt. Pleasant will convert that facility into a similar “medical mall” center.

Excela Health is considering construction of a similar center in Murrysville.

Mini-casino

It might be years away, but Westmoreland County is the chosen location for a mini-casino.

Smith believes Stadium Casino LLC might have a site in mind and even some agreements in place. Stadium Casino bid $40.1 million for a license and listed Derry Township as its target area, though the company can pick a location within a 15-mile radius.

“From an economic development perspective, we are so excited to have this coming to Westmoreland County,” Smith said. “Clearly, that's going to be one of the most impactful projects in the county.”

The initial tourism element will be a benefit, Rigone said.

“These visiting people will be spending money on hotels, on restaurants,” he said.

Siemens

Siemens Corp. announced in June it would consolidate existing operations and move into space at the former Sony plant in East Huntingdon. The move isn't adding jobs but securing them — the Germany-based company signed a 15-year lease, Rigone said.

Siemens Energy division will take over more than 230,000 square feet of the 2 million-square-foot RIDC Westmoreland site and construct a 60,000-plus-square-foot building.

About 200 employees from facilities in Monroeville and New Kensington will relocate there.

“The jobs there are highly skilled jobs,” Rigone said.

Commerce Crossings

There might not be tenants yet, but plans for the county's newest industrial park — Commerce Crossings at Westmoreland — are well under way.

The 206-acre Sewickley Township project, close to the Waltz Mill Road exit of Interstate 70, is being managed by the county's industrial development corporation.

The $10 million project will get sites pad-ready for the rail-served industrial park, Rigone said. Redevelopment plans include reworking roads, adding utilities, land acquisition and other preparation costs.

The industrial park will consist of five parcels.

Runners-up

• Bushy Run Field House, a proposed $5 million multi-purpose sports complex in Penn Township, which will have two basketball courts, an indoor soccer field and other amenities. Construction is slated to begin in June. Smith hopes to capitalize on the burgeoning sports tourism industry while bringing in people from outside the county.

• Interstate 70, where a $53.7 million project to redesign the New Stanton interchange was completed in the fall. Other planned multi-million dollar modernization projects in that corridor will have a tremendous economic benefit, Rigone said. “It supports business, it supports industry, it supports residents,” he said.

• Redevelopment at the former Monsour Medical Center site and the former Jeannette Glass plant. A developer is planning Jayhawk Commons to include a gas station and convenience store and retail and medical space at the old hospital site on Route 30. The county's industrial development corporation completed preparation work there and is under way with a similar project at the old factory site.

Renatta Signorini is a Tribune-Review staff writer. Reach her at 724-837-5374, rsignorini@tribweb.com or via Twitter @byrenatta.