Westmoreland banks loan for East Huntingdon industrial park development

Financing for a $6.3 million project to develop nearly 79 acres at an East Huntingdon industrial park is finalized, Westmoreland County development officials announced this week.

County commissioners, serving as members of the county’s Industrial Development Corp., approved an agreement for a $2.25 million low-interest loan through the Pennsylvania Industrial Development Authority to provide the funding needed to complete the project at Westmoreland Distribution Park North.

The money will be used to develop the second phase of the 183-acre site.

Three parcels will be prepared for lease or sale as part of the project. Officials said work will include earthmoving; creation of stormwater ponds and erosion- and sediment-control measures; landscaping; and the relocation of an existing gas line.

“We’re excited to secure this last bit of financing for a project that will transform 78.8 acres of raw land into pad-ready sites that will attract new business to Westmoreland County or provide space for local employers to expand and add jobs,” county Commissioner Sean Kertes said.

The lots are expected to range between 15 and 30 acres each and, once finished, can accommodate 625,000 square feet of building space, officials said.

In May, the county secured a $2 million state grant for the project. Industrial Development Corp. will pay for the remaining $2 million in costs, officials said.

The project is part of a group of five industrial parks in the East Huntingdon and Mt. Pleasant areas that includes four owned by the county development agency and another operated by the state, where a $20 million project to build an autonomous vehicle testing track and research facility was unveiled last week.

County leaders said about 40 businesses with 1,900 jobs operate at the East Huntingdon-area parks.