State funding approved for local redevelopment projects

WEST CHESTER » State Sen. Andy Dinniman, D-19, announced Wednesday that $3 million in total state grant funding has been approved for Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program (RACP) projects in Phoenixville Borough, in Tredyffrin, Township, and at Immaculata University.

The projects are as follows:

$1.5 million for Phoenixville Borough for the construction of a new 34,000-square-foot community center to house the borough’s Department of Parks and Recreation, the Gingerbread House Program (Nursery School) and the Phoenixville Senior Center. The center will also include more than 3,100 square feet of multi-use space. The borough has already acquired the land for the center located at Friendship Field (501 Franklin Avenue).

$1 million for Arcadia LLC’s Wayne Glen Regional Flood Control Project in Tredyffrin Township. The project entails constructing a regional stormwater detention basin and dry dam to address serious flooding issues in the Trout Creek watershed. Chronic flooding has been a major and growing problem in the area for the past 40 years, causing property damage, creating safety issues, and impacting property values.

Located at the northwest corner of the intersection of Swedesford and Old Eagle School Roads, Wayne Glen will be comprised of two villages of townhomes and carriage homes of about 100 units, as well a major office development on Swedesford Road. Wayne Glen is intended to be a model of stormwater management and flood control in the flood-prone Trout Creek watershed.

And $500,000 for Immaculata University for the Draper Walsh Stadium Track Project, which calls for updating the university’s existing 1,000-seat stadium to include a track and other improvements.

Dinniman said all three projects represent great examples of public-private initiatives that aim to spur economic development, alleviate environmental issues, and increase access to recreational opportunities for children, families, and senior citizens.

“When we work together with our boroughs, universities, and developers to support economic development that is responsible, sustainable, and proactive it’s a win-win for our communities and our residents,” Dinniman said. “I look forward to the completion of these projects and the beginning of many more that create jobs, add value to our communities, and improve the overall quality of life in Chester County.”

RACP is a Commonwealth grant program administered by the Office of the Budget for the acquisition and construction of regional economic, cultural, civic, recreational, and historical improvement projects.