Archive for Economic Development – Page 4

eBay Expands in the Wilkes-Barre Innovation District

Posted by Meghan Flanagan 
· Friday, June 26th, 2015 
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eBay roomOn Friday, June 19th, eBay publicly announced the expansion of their space in the Greater Wilkes-Barre Chamber’s Innovation Center. This development increases their 3rd floor space from 8,500 square feet to 14,000 square feet, and will create 35-40 new jobs in the next 18 months. These jobs will be substantial, with a salary of over $50,000 a year. Mike Jones is actively recruiting recent graduates from our local world-class colleges and universities to fill these positions.

During the press conference on Friday, Mike Jones gave attendees a peek of the space, and revealed a renewed five-year lease in the Innovation Center.

The expansion announcement featured speakers Mike Jones, Head of Performance Marketing for eBay; Wico van Genderen, President and CEO of the Mike Jones eBay ExpansionGreater Wilkes-Barre Chamber of Commerce; State Senator John Yudichak; and State Representative Eddie Day Pashinski.

They spoke about eBay’s role in expanding our developing innovation district in the downtown area. With the added eBay space, the Innovation Center has now achieved 92 percent occupancy, with a total of 14 companies and approximately 140 employees.

An innovation districts forms from partnerships between close-quartered educational institutions, start-up companies, established businesses, office spaces, retailers, and incubators and accelerators. These districts become interconnected hubs of economic and entrepreneurial development, driven by collaborative advancement and synergistic networks.

eBay’s expansion and new job creation brings us one step closer achieving our revitalization goal of making downtown Wilkes-Barre an Innovation District, and claiming the City of Wilkes-Barre as one of America’s Best Communities.

Thanks to the support of Frontier Communications and our local sponsor Scripps Network Interactive, the City of Wilkes-Barre was recently named a Quarterfinalist in Frontier Communications’ competition designed to identify America’s Best Community.

For more information on eBay’s expansion, check out WBRE’s coverage of the event at http://www.pahomepage.com/story/d/story/ebay-to-expand-in-the-diamond-city/92909/S6-tKc1uLEaBwXDO6n7n0g

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Welcome to the America’s Best Communities Competition

Posted by Meghan Flanagan 
· Wednesday, June 24th, 2015 
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CSC_0056The City of Wilkes-Barre has recently qualified as one of 50 quarter-finalists in Frontier Communication’s competition designed to identify America’s Best Community. This gives our city the opportunity to compete for up to $3 million in support of a strategic revitalization plan that will spur economic growth and advancement in our region. The America’s Best Communities competition contributes $10 million over three years to support innovative plans for revitalization in small towns and cities across the U.S

Thanks to our sponsors Frontier Communications, DISH Network, The Weather Channel, CoBank, and our local partner Scripps Network Interactive, Wilkes-Barre has received $50,000 towards the development of our strategic plan during this quarter-finalist phase.

We will utilize a GoPro camera provided by our sponsors to document the impact that this competition has had on our community, as well as our progress towards implementing downtown Wilkes-Barre’s five year action plan. Our videos will focus on six core goals that will enhance and transform the downtown. Downtown Wilkes-Barre will be:

A safe, clean, and attractive place to live, work, shop, and visit

The region’s college neighborhood

The region’s “walk-to-everything” neighborhood of choice.

The region’s “Innovation District”: a setting for business growth and entrepreneurship

A great visitor’s experience, enhanced by our historic architecture, riverfront, colleges, and walk-ability

A regional center of arts, culture, dining, and entertainment

This downtown revitalization plan was developed through the support of our committee members, including the Diamond City Partnership, the City of Wilkes-Barre, Wilkes University, Kings College, Senator John T. Yudichak, and Representative Eddie Day Pashinski.

These goals align to form an accessible innovative hub that leverages the arts, entertainment, area businesses, and local colleges and universities.

Check out oCSC_0055ur video, which highlights the Greater Wilkes-Barre area as a great place to live, work, and experience at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m4vVElo4kAc

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HOW, WHERE, WHY: Keystone Innovation Zones (KIZ)

Posted by Meghan Flanangan 
· Friday, April 10th, 2015 
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Author Meghan Flanagan is our 2015 Spring Intern Focused on Business and Economic Development READ HER PROFILE STORY HERE
Downtown 2

A Keystone Innovation Zone is a designated area, noted for its proximity to higher educational institutions, which creates an environment that connects these colleges and universities to private businesses, business support organizations, commercial lending institutions, venture capital networks that include angel investors, and foundations. This collaboration promotes economic and entrepreneurial growth for individual companies as well as for the area entire.

Businesses that are located within a designated KIZ zone, have been in operation for less than 8 years, and fall within one of the targeted industry sectors, are able to apply for KIZ tax accreditation as part of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania’s economic stimulus package.

A company that meets these three requirements can claim a transferable tax credit that is equal to 50% of its gross revenue increase from the first year of accreditation to the second.

There is a total of $25 million tax credits available to KIZ companies annually, which can be used by start-up companies to grow in size and scope.Hanover Crossings

The designated KIZ zones for Luzerne County include:

Downtown Wilkes-Barre from River St. to Ross St. to Wilkes-Barre Blvd and North St., Hanover Crossings, The Twin Stacks on Route 309 in Dallas, CAN BE Innovation Center, CAN DO Corporate Center Park/Green Building, CAN DO Harwood Innovation Site, Downtown Hazleton starting at Broad Street from Poplar Street to Diamond Ave., and the Dorr-Oliver Property on 101 Carleton Avenue in Hazleton.

The designated KIZ zones for Lackawanna County include Downtown Scranton from Lackawanna Ave to Miflin Ave. to Vine Street to Adams Ave, Carbondale Technology Transfer Center, and The Scott Technology Park.

In addition to physical location, eligible businesses must operate within targeted businesses sectors. For both Luzerne and Lackawanna County, these include Healthcare/Life sciences; Nanotechnology, Advanced Manufacturing, and Plastics; Information Technology and New Media; Back Office and Finance; and Homeland Security.

Downtown 1

For more information contact the VP of Economic Development, Joseph Boylan at the Greater Wilkes-Barre Chamber of Commerce at 570-823-2101 x132.

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