Rozzi announces $19.5M in grants awarded to his legislative district

READING, Oct. 26 – State Rep. Mark Rozzi today announced that nearly $20 million in grants have been distributed to his Berks County district, including an award benefitting FirstEnergy Stadium.

Funding, which comes from the Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program, was distributed as follows:

  • Reading Baseball LP: $2 million will be devoted to ensuring FirstEnergy Stadium can meet Major League Baseball standards. This includes the construction of a two-story structure to house the home and visiting clubhouses, women's locker room, batting tunnels, weight room, team laundry, equipment storage and bathrooms, as well as indoor event space. Part of the existing visiting clubhouse will be renovated into a bathroom for visiting players. A new bathroom for home players will be added.

“It is my honor to keep one of the greatest organizations, the Fightin’ Phils, right where it belongs, here in Reading,” Rozzi said. “The Reading Phils are a crucial component of Berks County culture and serve as a major economic boost for our area, so I’m proud to bring $2 million home to benefit this staple in our community.”

  • Alvernia University: $7.5 million will go toward the university’s expansion project to downtown Reading. The project features developing a vacant sixth floor to house the university expanding academic programs and student housing.
     
  • Albright College: $3 million will go to renovations to the campus’ Camp Building. A space will be dedicated for the Science Research Institute and the addition of a food and brewery science lab and brewpub will accelerate scientific exploration and community engagement. Renovations will provide access to research-grade equipment, exposure to cutting-edge technology, and introductions to modern sciences by skilled mentors.
     
  • Reading Area Community College: $5 million will help modernize RACC’s health care buildings – Weitz and Kratz halls. This includes building improvements such as redesigning classrooms/labs and moving all health care programs into one building. The grant will also go toward state-of-the-art simulation labs and equipment.

“Local higher education institutions will see a collective award of $15.5 million. This funding won’t just benefit students, but they include efforts to revitalize the City of Reading. Modernizing our area’s higher education programs will help set Reading apart from other colleges and universities in the commonwealth,” Rozzi said.

  • KidsPeace Corporation: $1 million for facility improvements. This includes HVAC work, roof replacement, health and safety upgrades and sidewalk repair.
     
  • Olivet Boys and Girls Club: $1 million will help cover basic infrastructure upgrades such as electrical, HVAC and plumbing renovations, as well as security enhancements.
     
  • Reading Housing Authority: $1 million will go toward renovating the former boiler plant to create core, shell and exterior for the new Family Services Complex, as well as renovate an underutilized administration building to create the Neighborhood Resource Center.

“The KidsPeace Corporation and Olivet Boys and Girls Club provide critical services to local youth. By keeping a roof over kids’ heads and providing them with academic help and after-school programs, these awards will ensure children can grow into good stewards,” Rozzi said.

RACP is a commonwealth grant program overseen by the Office of the Budget to assist with regional cultural, economic, civic and historical projects that improve a community’s economic growth by creating jobs and opportunities.