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Space & Location - Location Benefits
LOW COST of doing business. When compared to neighboring states and other regions with high concentrations of technology-based companies, Pennsylvania and the Erie region compare favorably, with a lower tax structure, lower workers’ compensation and unemployment insurance rates, lower construction and labor costs, and affordable housing.
CENTRALLY LOCATED near four major interstate highways, an airport, and the Port of Erie. Knowledge Park provides easy access to the major highway systems connecting the east coast and the Midwest, and to the Erie International Airport and the Port of Erie which provide access to many destinations and international distribution options.
PROXIMITY TO MAJOR MARKETS. Knowledge Park is situated less than two hours from Buffalo, Cleveland, Pittsburgh, and many Canadian markets.
ACCESS TO COLLEGE GRADUATES. In addition to Penn State Behrend, the region includes several other institutions of higher education, providing graduates in many key areas such as information systems, business and project management, engineering, and health-related fields
ON-SITE RESEARCH & ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CENTER. The REDC serves as a physical and academic link between the Penn State Behrend campus and Knowledge Park, and it will enable the college to support future park tenants. As Knowledge Park grows, walkways from the REDC will carry students and faculty to Knowledge Park for internships, technology transfer projects, faculty consultation and research. Featuring high-tech research facilities that often mirror specific industry standards, the REDC offers faculty and students access to 28 labs, including behavioral, electrical, mechanical, and plastics, and 11 computer labs and classrooms. Notably, the REDC includes the new 10,500-square-foot plastics processing lab, which is the largest such lab in the country. The REDC houses many of the applied research and outreach centers at Penn State Behrend, which now have room to host programs and to grow. Dedicated research space in the REDC will allow Penn State Behrend and collaborating institutions of higher education to increase support of industry-sponsored research.
HIGH QUALITY OF LIFE. Erie is located on Lake Erie and offers a wide variety of cultural, athletic, and recreational resources, such as skiing, swimming, boating, and fishing. The region boasts a thriving arts community, including a philharmonic, several theatre companies, dance companies, and historical and art museums. The region also boasts a low crime rate and exceptional health care.
AVAILABILITY OF INDUSTRIAL SITES for associated manufacturing operations. The Greater Erie Economic Development Corporation administers seven business parks throughout the region, primarily along the I-90 transportation corridor, offering fully developed lots for sale with all infrastructure in place at reasonable prices.
KEYSTONE INNOVATION ZONE (KIZ) designation. The KIZ program is a Commonwealth of Pennsylvania economic development stimulus package for technology-based businesses. Knowledge Park is a KIZ partner and location providing the following benefits to qualified tenants:
- Transferable tax credits of up to $100,000 per year based on revenue growth
- R&D tax credits
- Product development seed assistance grants
- Management and product development consulting
- Educational discounts
- Preferential consideration for PA-based economic development assistance programs
Pennsylvania’s HIGHLY SKILLED WORKFORCE ranks twelfth in the nation. Pennsylvania and the Erie region have a strong heritage of well-educated, skilled workers; including tool & die, machining, plastics, electronics, and many other fields. Beautiful, 200-acre PARK-LIKE SETTING on the Penn State Behrend campus, where glaciers have created beautiful flowing streams and gorges whose beauty is accentuated by a mature mix of deciduous and evergreen trees, creating dramatic vistas. Walking trails weave through the woods and enhanced wetland areas, connecting all facilities in Knowledge Park and other areas of the campus. |
