LEWISTOWN - Board members attending the Mifflin County Industrial Development Corporation's annual meeting discussed several ongoing projects in the community.
MCIDC president Robert Postal said the Mann Edge project on the corner Dorcas and Water Streets, where plans have been set in motion to construct 31 affordable housing units for the elderly, is moving forward.
"We are in the due diligence phase. ... We retained an environmental consultant," Postal said, adding that the consultant has submitted his findings to the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection.
"The DEP is reviewing the environmental consultant's report on the site, (I) really don't expect any issues," Postal said. "Once DEP signs off on it, we will purchase the site."
Financing and support for the $5.5 million project is coming from a variety of sources, including the state, county, borough and other organizations including the SEDA- Council of Governments.
Postal also touched on another significant MCIDC-assisted project currently underway, the Derry Heights area along Ferguson Valley Road. Work has begun on a new complex that will house a hotel, restaurant, movie theater and eventually a water park.
Postal also discussed ongoing work in the industrial plaza at several buildings occupied by Kardex USA Inc., and other adjacent buildings in the plaza slated for demolition or refurbishing.
Kardex is a local manufacturer of automated storage and retrieval systems, and was acquired in 2009 by a Zurich, Switzerland-based company, Kardex AG.
Postal said there are few buildings that need to be taken down to open up space for future development in the plaza.
"The idea is to make these sites shovel-ready," Postal said.
There were several other projects started in the plaza in the last year, including the expansion of United Chemical Technologies, the completion of a building for CH Enterprises, the expansion of Twelve Star Leasing into a building 50 percent larger than its previous location, and the expansion of Lewistown Manufacturing and Nittany Paper Mills into larger buildings.
In addition, Postal said MCIDC continues to devote resources to support First Quality Baby Products.
Looking to the future, Postal said he anticipates the expansion of Locust Road will continue in the area of First Quality along with some additional infrastructure upgrades to that area, including an increase in electrical capacity.
The MCIDC Board also conducted a reorganizational meeting, and the following people were elected to serve on the board until 2014: David Borland, Donald Chapman, Francis Evanitsky, David T. Filson, Daniel Firth, Ruth Fisher, Marie Mulvihill, Phylis Palm, James Tunall and Steve Palm.
The following people were elected as the Slate of Officers for the 2010/2011 term: Chairman Gary L. Oden, Vice Chairman Donald M. Chapman, Second Vice Chairman Richard Calkins, Treasurer C. Wesley Wallace and Secretary Robery P. Postal.
The following people were elected to serve on the Executive Committee: Adele Craig, William Lake, T. David Filson, Ronald Notestine and James Spendiff.
Jack Wilson was elected as Director Emeritus resigned from the executive committee.
