CLEARFIELD – The Clearfield school board approved a resolution Monday night that authorized the submission of an application for a new, tax-free Keystone Opportunity Zone (KOZ) in Girard Township.
This is a part of a local economic development initiative to attract a data center park to locate into the area that’s adjacent to the former Girard-Goshen Elementary School.
KOZs are designated zones where businesses can locate into and have a tax-free status (state and local) for 10 years.
Prior to the board’s vote, Margie Guido, chief executive officer of Cirrus Holdings LLC, clarified plans for the proposed Cirrus Clearfield Data Center Park in Girard Township during the public comment period. Guido was joined at the meeting by Derek Walker.
“I am very excited about this opportunity to bring this project to our community,” she said, noting since last week’s committee meeting and subsequent media reports, there has been significant interest and excitement.
Walker said that the state legislature has created 12 new Keystone Opportunity Zones, and they have been working through an application process to compete for one to be located in Clearfield County.
As a result, resolutions must be passed by Girard Township, Clearfield Area School District and Clearfield County before they can submit their application. Their application deadline is Oct. 1, according to Guido.
She said Girard Township has already approved its own resolution to authorize the application for the new, tax-free KOZ. They will be approaching the county commissioners at their regular meeting Tuesday. If approved by the county, it will go to the state for consideration; it will not go into effect without state approval.
Guido, who is from the DuBois area, said at last week’s committee meetings that she’d learned about a growing industry for data centers. Click here to read the complete report.
She explained that data centers are huge buildings housing computers to service the growing need for data, for artificial intelligence found in smartphones, tablets, global positioning systems, etc., with the growth of cloud computing.
On Monday night, she said their first goal is to attract four million square feet of data centers to the park. It would more than likely be a number of buildings versus one large building and operated by multiple data companies.
“And, it will be built over a number of years – probably two to five,” Guido said. According to her, similar projects have resulted in 300 construction jobs for a period of years and long-term employment, excluding construction, of 120 jobs per million square feet.
“The spectrum usually ranges from maintenance through engineering. Cirrus will develop the land and we intend to use a Pennsylvania construction company.”
The development in Clearfield would depend upon several factors, however, she said. These factors include regulatory approval of the power systems; the suitability of the site; and the finalization of arrangements to purchase the land, as there currently is only a tentative agreement.
Guido said because of an anticipated high demand, they are also planning the development of a second location in the Brockport area. “It will support employment in the Clearfield region, as well,” she said.