Burns lauds sale of 93 acres of former SCI-Cresson property
Vows to seek KOZ status to speed development of entire 425 acres
Rep. Frank Burns May 4, 2016 | 11:28 AM
CRESSON, May 4 – Hundreds of construction jobs will result from today’s announcement that an energy production facility will utilize 93 acres of the former SCI-Cresson property, said state Rep. Frank Burns, who pledged to seek tax-free Keystone Opportunity Zone status to further develop the site.
Burns, D-Cambria, said the 93 acres are being sold to the Cambria County Redevelopment Authority, which in turn intends to lease the parcel to a company that will construct a power plant that will convert natural gas to electricity.
“This is great news, in that it puts to use a big chunk of a 425-acre property that became dormant when the state announced the closing of SCI-Cresson in January 2013,” said Burns, who spoke at this morning’s press conference at the site. “But we still have about 330 acres to develop, and I intend to push for KOZ status to make the entire tract more appealing to potential developers.”
Burns said the state Department of General Services will launch a solicitation for the sale of the remainder of the property on Pennsylvania’s eMarketplace website on June 1.
Burns also said he will lead the charge in the House for passage of state Sen. John Wozniak’s S.B. 1192, which would provide a 3.3-acre right-of-way for construction of a public road to the new facility.