Stonecrest Business Park Project Among Finalists For PA Strategic Investments Program

The Stonecrest Business Park project in Wampum was recently announced as one of only 20 applicants moving forward in a Pennsylvania Strategic Investments to Enhance Sites Program.

The program, administered by the PA Department of Community and Economic Development under the Pennsylvania First Program, provides grant funding to develop competitive sites and support relocation or expansion of businesses within the commonwealth.

According to published reports, the DCED received funding requests totaling $236 million for the available $10 million in the program.

“We are pleased that our proposed Stonecrest Business Park project was selected as a finalist for potential PA SITES grant consideration,” said John LaCarte, president of LaCarte Development Co. and principal for Stonecrest Business Park LLP. “Being included with such a very select group of applications demonstrates the PA Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED) and the Commonwealth’s commitment and recognition of the importance of our project to the economic future of Lawrence County.”

Stonecrest Golf Course opened in 1962

In 2020, the Lawrence County Economic Development Corporation (LCEDC), in cooperation with Stonecrest Business Park (SBP), announced plans to begin to develop the former golf course into the Stonecrest Business Park.

The proposed Stonecrest Business Park would be Lawrence County’s first privately developed park in more than 40 years according to reports and is expected to create approximately 1.5 million square feet of space and generate 750 to 1,000 new jobs.

“It is a pleasure working with John LaCarte on this important project for Lawrence County, and we look forward to completing phase II of the application in hopes the project is funded,” said Forward Lawrence CEO Ben Bush in a statement.

The next phase of the application is due March 1.

The PA SITES program was made possible through an extra $13 million allocated in the state’s budget. Through Gov. Josh Shapiro’s advocacy, PA SITES is set to allocate grant funding to qualifying applicants, including municipalities, economic development organizations and industrial development agencies.

The 18-hole, 6,277-yard Stonecrest Golf Course opened in 1962.

The course property, which is less than 10 miles from Ellwood City, sits less than five miles away from interchanges with the Pennsylvania Turnpike and PA Route 376.