New Kensington Advanced Manufacturing Park gets $6 million from state
“This is a strategic location for economic development in our region,” said Tim White, RIDC Senior Vice President. “These funds will enable us to move forward with the capital improvements necessary to make the park more desirable to the kind of job creating businesses we are working to attract.” Media Coverage: TribLIVE – New Kensington […]
Experts expect $500M PA SITES program to quickly generate major investment in Pittsburgh area
Donald F. Smith, Jr., RIDC President, which is working to redevelop major sites throughout the region, expects the site fund and the changes to come to help to speed up permitting will prove potent together. “I think it’s a really important combination, either of which would be important progress but together they’re much more significant,” […]
RIDC Summer Newsletter 2024
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Pittsburgh Post-Gazette: “Shaping the Future” RIDC President Continues to Make his Mark
RIDC President Donald F. Smith, Jr. featured in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
Developing Priority Sites in a Regional Economic Ecosystem
Unlike some other markets around the country, the economy of Pittsburgh is part of a regional ecosystem with multiple centers of gravity and economic activity. What does it mean to be a “regional economy?” It means collaboration and cooperation among counties, municipalities, the commonwealth, economic development organizations, foundations and job creating businesses — recognizing that […]
Innovation Accelerators an Important Part of the Economic Growth Cycle
Successful long-term economic development strategies often proceed on multiple tracks, leveraging the resources and assets available throughout a region to grow a multi-faceted job base. Gov. Josh. Shapiro’s plan to invest $500 million in site development is one such strategy. Job-creating companies are being lured to other states with impressive incentives. If we don’t have […]
RIDC’s Patient, Mission-driven Approach Revitalizes Dormant Sites, Creates Homes for Companies and Jobs
As the Pittsburgh region’s economy continues its evolution from heavy industry to technology and R&D, and ultimately toward commercialization and manufacturing — both homegrown and through attraction of companies from other regions — we need to recognize some of the unique assets that set us apart. Read More.
Smith’s Viewpoint: Commonwealth Needs Grand Trifecta to Close Big Deals
Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro and the state’s legislative leadership are debating a new infusion of funding for sites and buildings in the Commonwealth. This is a critical and necessary investment for Pennsylvania to be competitive. One of the main reasons we don’t attract as many large employers as we should is a shortage of sites […]
RIDC Spring Newsletter 2024
You can read the latest in your internet browser. Not subscribed? Sign up to receive future RIDC newsletters.
Creating jobs in the Mon Valley: A Decades-Long Effort Bears Fruit
When RIDC acquired the former Westinghouse campus in Turtle Creek 35 years ago — intent on renovating the decaying buildings and revitalizing the abandoned site — it was the first in a series of moves over decades that have transformed several old industrial sites and provided homes for job creating companies in the Mon Valley.
Blooming from Blight: Earth Day Spotlight on Green Redevelopment in Pittsburgh
Across the Pittsburgh region, there are historic industrial sites that, while abandoned and left to blight after the fall of steel and other industries, have since been brought back to life, redeveloped and revitalized into homes for companies that are driving the innovation of today. Giving new life to old structures is in and of […]
Table of Experts: Partnerships Key to Attracting Business and Jobs to Region
“You couldn’t do a project like this without all the partners that we have,” said RIDC President Don Smith at a roundtable discussion with Jason Rigone, Executive Director of Westmoreland County Industrial Development Corporation; Rick Siger, Secretary of Pennsylvania Department of Community & Economic Development; and Victor Mroczkowski, Executive Vice President of Operations for Re:Build […]
Our Region’s Connector: RIDC Annual Report 2023
Our partnerships with government entities at all levels, with the communities in which our parks are located, and with the job-creating businesses that fill them are creating tangible economic benefits across our region. With active development projects at the Fairywood site in the City of Pittsburgh, Carrie Furnace, which straddles Rankin, Swissvale and Braddock, the […]
Partnerships Make Projects Possible
Examples of public/private partnerships between RIDC, local government and economic development officials, leveraged to bring more resources and support to the table.
Fairywood: After Success of New Ferguson Building, Another Opportunity on the Horizon
Last month’s ribbon cutting at Ferguson Enterprises’ newly constructed facility, developed by RIDC in the Fairywood neighborhood of Pittsburgh, was a milestone in a great success story. It is bringing new jobs and economic activity to a site that has been dormant since a former public housing project suffered severe storm damage more than 15 […]
Smith’s Viewpoint: Let’s Make Sure Candidates Focus on Jobs
The latest from Don Smith’s desk can be be read in the Pittsburgh Business Times.
Pittsburgh Economic Development Leaders Brief Legislators on the Need for Action
“We need to build consensus and support for a multi-faceted business attraction and job creation strategy for our region and the Commonwealth as a whole,” said Don Smith, RIDC President. “Pittsburgh Works Together helped us take a solid step forward in framing the issue for legislators and providing them with the information they need to craft new […]
Governor Shapiro Visits RIDC Mill 19 to Discuss New Economic Development Plan
RIDC President Donald Smith kicked off Governor Shapiro’s visit to Mill 19 today where he discussed his new economic development plan and was joined by numerous regional leaders lending their support. Media Coverage: Pittsburgh Post-Gazette – Gov. Shapiro visits Pittsburgh to outline investment priorities in state economic development plan Pittsburgh Post-Gazette (Editorial) – Editorial: Shapiro […]
U.S. Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg Visits Pittsburgh
Secretary of Transportation Buttigieg was in Pittsburgh to discuss infrastructure funding and RIDCers Timothy White, Ellie Ezzell Zytka, Carissa Feeney, and Marc Weinheimer were in attendance. RIDC intern Jordan Thompson was called on for a question.
New Kensington Advanced Manufacturing Park — Successful Business Attraction Effort Leads to More Lease Signings
The Re:Build experience is beginning to show how one major employer can anchor an entire business ecosystem. Anchor companies attract global talent and can help grow the local population and talent pool. Regions across the Commonwealth, particularly in Southwestern Pennsylvania, need to deploy strategies that achieve these kinds of results and build the economic base […]
Flurry of Activity Around RIDC’s Mill 19, a Centerpiece for Hazelwood Green’s Revitalization
RIDC Mill 19 serves as an important proof of concept project, being both a pioneering development on site, but also an example of the power of great buildings in attracting great companies. It also showcases the importance of partnerships, with critical contributions from Richard King Mellon Foundation and Carnegie Mellon University enabling the project to move forward. “Build it […]
