New economic plan aims to ‘influence the future of Centre County.’ Here are the highlights
After a yearlong effort to develop a 5- to 10-year collaborative economic plan, local officials unveiled a 153-page report at a Wednesday luncheon that the opening speaker said would “influence the future of Centre County.”
The report, titled “Centre County Economic Development Strategic Plan,” was spearheaded by the Chamber of Business & Industry of Centre County (CBICC), which hired economic consulting firm Camoin Associates. Together with about 50 acknowledged businesses, organizations and municipalities — including Penn State — an economic road map was created to determine how to best strengthen the local economy through listed priorities such as attraction and retention of employees.
At least 40 tables, most with eight seats apiece, filled The Presidents Hall at the Penn Stater Hotel & Conference Center to hear the bullet points of that report. Local politicians and Penn State President Neeli Bendapudi were on-hand for the event, and representatives from Gov. Josh Shapiro’s office attended to throw their support behind it.
Centre County’s three commissioners were also there, with chair Mark Higgins addressing the crowd.
“This plan is more than just a document,” he said. “It reflects the hard work, collaboration and shared vision of so many local businesses, municipalities, Penn State University, state officials and community organizations. Together, we have crafted a proactive plan that provides clear direction, emphasizing the importance of working together as one community.”
Report highlights/goals
From November 2023 through September 2024, the CBICC helped hold focus groups, interviews and in-person events across Centre County while analyzing qualitative data and looking into best economic practices.
Based on that, four high-level strategic priorities were outlined for this plan. And, from there, different goals and solutions were thought up to complement each of those strategies. Some were obviously considered more important than others and held the designation as a “Keystone Action.”
The below highlights all come from those Keystone Actions:
1. Increase affordable housing to attract/retain workers: According to 2021 data compiled in the report, only 54% of Centre County workers actually live within the county. “The imbalance between the number of workers commuting into the county and the lack of local housing further supports the need for developing affordable housing options that align with the incomes of new and existing residents,” the report says.
On top of that, data suggests that the top-10 highest-growth occupations will add about 1,912 jobs to the county economy over the next five years. Because of that, the report calculates that more options are needed for rents below $2,000 a month and home costs below $300,000.
Two early action ideas? Relying on the Centre County Housing Task Force to preserve more affordable units and also growing the workforce housing supply in each municipality by a target percentage by 2030. The report calls on municipalities to increase workforce housing — through zoning and/or historical redevelopment, for example.
2. Create a “concierge service” for small businesses and entrepreneurs to start and sustain their business: Based on data from 2021, the rate of new entrepreneurs in Pennsylvania is among the lowest in the nation — with 24 states having a rate at least 2x that of the Keystone state. In other words, not having enough small businesses and entrepreneurs isn’t just a Centre County problem.
To change that trend, at least locally, the report posits that the county must support and coordinate assistance for entrepreneurs. One way is by formalizing a referral network that can give start-up businesses access to the same “foundational knowledge.” Another is the creation of a resource guide so new business owners know what to expect. Although many such resources already exist, they’re fragmented and not exactly user-friendly. (Currently, Invent Penn State’s resource navigator serves as a good starting point.)
Other ideas include expanding networking events and increasing access to capital via the university or commonwealth. “This plan was developed strategically to align with the commonwealth’s economic development strategy, giving us access to more state resources and opportunities,” added CBICC president/CEO Greg Scott.
3. Grow the sensor technology industry in Centre County to diversify, play off strengths: Centre County boasts a high concentration of jobs in education, health care and government. But it needs to diversify and, based on the data, investing into a growing industry like sensor technology would be an ideal step forward.
According to Scott, the sensor industry employs about 1,200 people locally and already generates $280 million for the Centre County economy. Because of that, and the fact it’s also a priority for the state, the industry is a prime candidate for local growth. It ties in with many other Pennsylvania industries such as agriculture, where sensor technology is used to track soil moisture, and health care, where the technology can monitor vital signs and even sleep patterns.
The industry grew organically in Centre County, as a result of early business leaders graduating from Penn State. The CBICC intends to establish an advisory group that would embed sensor advances into other targeted industry sectors, and Penn State is working to formalize a research collaborative with Carnegie Mellon.
“Nurturing and growing the sensor technology hub in Centre County will enhance our collaboration with Penn State, drive innovation and build our county’s tech infrastructure in new ways, boosting our economic competitiveness,” Scott said.
4. Pursue potential sites for “shovel-ready” development: As part of the report, an inventory was taken of each of Centre County’s nine downtowns in addition to the county’s 13 available industrial sites, seven of which are in Bellefonte.
Several action ideas were developed. Among them are potentially using parcels from the Rockview State Correctional Institute for industrial use (with environmental remediation) and also targeting sites within the Planned Airport District.
Developing land around Rockview SCI for high-tech use might allow the county to access some of the $400 million available in state funding, while developing the designated Airport Incentive Zone could be “a first step” toward increasing air service, which is also one of the report’s goals.
Overview of the full report
Here’s a succinct overview of the report, based on the report’s own summaries and the CBICC’s Wednesday presentation.
Strategy No. 1: Business retention and expansion
- Streamline and expand resources for early-stage businesses
- Prioritize consistent business engagement with entrepreneurs and high-growth companies
- Synchronize business retention and expansion
Strategy No. 2: Targeted and emerging industries
- Develop and promote a brand identity for Centre County
- Develop a Sensor Technology Industry Cluster
- Amplify the role of Penn State in the community to optimize its economic impact
Strategy No. 3: Workforce and education
- Create targeted talent development and attraction initiatives
- Formalize a network of Centre County employers committed to addressing workforce needs
- Expand and assess career pathways and awareness among all education providers
Strategy No. 4: Built and Natural Environment
- Amplify Happy Valley as Central PA’s tourism, outdoor recreation and sports destination hub
- Pave the way for more attainable housing units
- Invest in placemaking and social gathering spots throughout the county
- Invest in site-readiness projects
This story was originally published October 10, 2024 at 3:14 PM.
