CLEARFIELD – “It’s an opportunity for us to position Clearfield County as the alternative energy hub of Pennsylvania,” said Rob Swales, director of the Clearfield County Economic Development Corp.
At a press conference Monday, Swales announced the creation of an energy department at the CCEDC, which looks to be the first established in the state. He said they will hire one, full-time staff person to serve as their vice president of energy development.
According to him, this person is to be the liaison between the county and those companies engaged in energy projects. He said they are to recruit energy-related companies to relocate into the county and be the “coordinating resource” between the energy industry and local government and state permitting agencies.
“(This person) is going to be the liaison for all things energy,” Swales said. He said they hope to fill the position by the beginning of next year.
In addition to the newly created energy department, Swales unveiled the construction plans for the Alliance Park Energy Complex. He said the 20,000-square foot facility will house companies that are a part of the unconventional gas market.
He said that the new complex will be located in the Clearfield County Alliance Park on Spruce Street. He said the multi-tenant facility will have spaces, which are to range from 3,000 – 5,000 square feet.
Swales said that the facility will have 22-foot ceilings and 14-foot overhead bay doors. He said they will also have the capacity to hold 5-ton overhead cranes and exterior staging areas for equipment. He said there will be separate office and restroom spaces.
He said that the CCEDC went to bid on the energy complex Tuesday, Oct. 26. He said all bid packages are due to the CCEDC by 10 a.m. Friday, Nov. 12. He said the new facility is expected to be ready for occupancy in March 2011, and tenant inquiries are currently being accepted.
Swales said that there will be up to five suites available for lease. He said three companies have already expressed interest in available space. He mentioned that one company wanted to lease the entire complex, but in the end, those plans fell through.
“There’s no doubt that we’ll fill it,” he said. He said they already plan to construct another comparable facility sometime in the future.
Swales noted the economy has been experiencing its longest recession since the Great Depression. However, he foresees that both Pennsylvania and Clearfield County are approximately 18 months away from an “economic boom.”
According to him, the county has experienced the aggressive nature of the unconventional gas industry, namely that of Marcellus Shale. He said there has also been an influx of demands for energy-related projects over the past several months.
“We want to welcome them with open arms,” he said.