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Chester County Press

Uncle Irvin: Route 1 corridor is an undeveloped asset

01/21/2015 11:03AM ● By Richard Gaw


Recently a county-affiliated organization called Economic Development Partners made a presentation to the London Grove Township Supervisors regarding economic development in the Route 1 corridor.

This group has been around here before, under other names and leadership. The present leadership is Bob Grabus and Michael Pia, Jr., who is a developer (with his family) of Magnolia Place in Kennett Square.

The need for environmentally clean jobs for the corridor is as plain as the nose on your face. They are needed to reapportion property taxes, which will guarantee that southern Chester County will prosper for the foreseeable future. The only problem is that, as of now, these economic development groups have yet to recruit any substantial businesses.

Yes, there has been some development, including Magnolia Place, the new Penn Medical expansion in Jennersville, and the huge Dansko warehouse on Route 796 in Jennersville. All of these projects were self-generated from within, with no seeding, connection or support from economic development groups.

The lack of results may have to do with incentives, or lack of incentives. To get a substantial company with good jobs to locate or relocate in southern Chester County, companies are looking for financial incentives, such as property tax abatement, grants, and Pennsylvania Business Tax Credits, etc. It is not known whether Economic Development Partners has obtained financial incentives, or what they are. If they have none, their hands may be tied.