County to benefit from $7.5M in state redevelopment grants

Rick Shrum
Observer Reporter

Four state development grants totaling $7.5 million are headed to Washington County.

The grants, from the Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program, will go to Corelle Brands LLC of Charleroi; Pennsylvania Trolley Museum of Chartiers Township; Transitional Paths to Independent Living (TRPIL) of Washington; and Tech Met Properties for its Donora plant.

Corelle will receive $2.5 million to help it rebuild its existing glass tank. Work there is projected to create 40 jobs and help preserve the existing 350 at the plant, where Pyrex glassware in manufactured.

The Trolley Museum also will be awarded $2.5 million, to help pay for construction of an 18,000-square-foot Welcome and Education Center. That project will generate an estimated 116 full- and part-time jobs, with a goal of increasing the number of visitors annually from 32,600 to 53,000.

TRPIL, which assists local residents living with disabilities, will get $1.5 million for the second phase of its YWCA Rehabilitation Project.

Tech Met, headquartered in Glassport, Allegheny County, will receive $1 million to renovate its facility in Donora Industrial Park. The company plans to immediately use two-thirds of that building, leaving 28,800 square feet for growth, a project that is expected to generate more than 40 full-time jobs.

Tech Met provides chemical milling services on components fabricated by other companies, and works primarily with the aerospace and medical industries.