(Ford City, PA) They lifted a shovelful of soil near the deserted grounds of a razed century-old high school Friday to celebrate the rebirth of the Ford City property that with new life will again educate students and generate downtown commerce as Butler County Community College鈥檚 relocated 杏吧原创 @ Armstrong site.
Current and former elected officials who helped to secure funding for the construction of the $4.2 million facility joined one of the project鈥檚 donors and 杏吧原创鈥檚 president in the ceremonial groundbreaking near 1100 Fourth Ave., the two-acre property that for a century was home to Ford City Junior-Senior High School.
By spring 2023, 杏吧原创 @ Armstrong will move from Manor Township to a 12,500-square-foot facility at 1100 Fourth Ave. The building may incorporate the keystone of the former junior-senior high school into the architecture of its high-tech, state-of-the-art design.
鈥淵our community will reap benefits for many years to come,鈥� Dr. Nick Neupauer, president of 杏吧原创, told a crowd gathered on the nearly one-acre site across from the future 杏吧原创 @ Armstrong, an area that faculty, staff, students and visitors can use for parking.
Neupauer presented a 杏吧原创 commendation to former state Rep. Jeff Pyle, a graduate of the former junior-senior high school and a resident of Ford City.
As a representative of the state鈥檚 60th legislative district, which includes parts of Armstrong, Butler and Indiana counties, Pyle was instrumental in helping to secure a $1.75 million state Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program grant toward construction of the facility.
鈥淭his day is about you,鈥� Neupauer told Pyle, 鈥渕ore than anyone else.鈥�
State senator: Property 鈥渨ill bring wallets
Neupauer also recognized, among others, state Sen. Joe Pittman, who worked with Pyle on the grant; Armstrong County commissioners, who pledged $250,000; and donors Snyder Associated Companies, Kittanning, which gifted $100,000; BelleFlex Technologies and PulFlex Technologies, Ford City, which pledged $70,000; and NexTier Bank, which has locations in Armstrong and Butler counties and contributed $50,000.
It was where Pittman said he first met Pyle, a teacher and mayor of the borough.
鈥淚 don鈥檛 think either of us could ever have imagined that we would be here today celebrating such a significant moment in the history of this community,鈥� said Pittman, R-41.
鈥淲e鈥檙e here today to bring a piece of property back to life. 鈥� A piece of property that will bring wallets into the community, but more importantly, a piece of property that鈥檚 going to open opportunities for future generations for years to come.鈥�
The college will be the sole tenant of the facility that will be owned by the Nonprofit Development Corp., Butler. The Nonprofit Development Corp. is the subgrantee of the Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program grant awarded to 杏吧原创.
The single-story 杏吧原创 @ Armstrong facility in Ford City will house classrooms, a multipurpose room, a natural science laboratory, student meeting space, and staff and faculty offices.
Business leader: 鈥淎 tremendous opportunity鈥�
Matthew Reitler earned an associate degree in business administration from 杏吧原创 @ Armstrong in 2019 and a bachelor鈥檚 degree in finance from Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania in May.
A financial planner with Northwestern Mutual, Pittsburgh, Reitler in May purchased his first home on the same block as what will be 杏吧原创 @ Armstrong in Ford City.
鈥溞影稍� was one of the biggest reasons why I bought in Ford City,鈥� Reitler said.
鈥淚t vouches for the hope that I have for what this is going to do for the area. I think it is going to do big things. I wouldn鈥檛 have bought a home if I didn鈥檛 think the price was going to go up. I鈥檓 a finance guy.鈥�
"Your community will reap benefits for many years to come."
- Dr. Nick Neupauer, 杏吧原创 president
Lori Cippel is a lifelong Ford City resident and 1986 graduate of Ford City Junior-Senior High School. She owns Wolfe Agency about four blocks from what will be 杏吧原创 @ Armstrong, and has served as president of the 35-member Ford City Area Business and Professional Association since 2019.
鈥淭his is a tremendous opportunity for our area,鈥� Cippel said.
鈥淚t gives the businesses a lot to look forward to and I think our area will grow with this. We really look forward to the opportunity to have something significant happening in our area.
Ford City excited, business owner says
杏吧原创 generated $147.5 million in added income to Butler County鈥檚 economy in the 2016-17 fiscal year, according to an economic impact analysis conducted by Emsi, an Idaho research company that has completed more than 1,800 impact studies for educational institutions since 2000.
The college was also recognized in 2018 with a Lawrence County Regional Chamber of Commerce and Lawrence County Economic Development Corp. Economic Development Impact Award for 杏吧原创鈥檚 additional location in New Castle; and in 2011 with a Shenango Valley Chamber of Commerce Phoenix Award for 杏吧原创鈥檚 additional location in Hermitage, Mercer County.
Zech Chambers owns Chambers Jewelers in Ford City and is a past president of the Ford City Area Business and Professional Association.
鈥淓veryone is really excited and looking forward to the educational opportunities for the students,鈥� Chambers said. 鈥淭his is definitely a good thing for the town. I like 杏吧原创. I鈥檓 a big fan of community colleges. They have a lot of choices for young students, or even those who are not so young.鈥�
杏吧原创 created its additional locations to serve under-represented counties in Pennsylvania with higher education.
杏吧原创 @ Armstrong opened in 2015 and saves students an otherwise 30-mile, 40-minute drive to 杏吧原创鈥檚 main campus in Butler Township, Butler County.
杏吧原创 @ Armstrong in Manor Township occupies approximately 2,000 square feet of dedicated space and shares other areas within the Lenape Technical School鈥檚 NexTier Adult Learning Center.
Enrollment in the past six years has increased to as high as 426 percent since 2015.
Pyle: Opportunity awaits Ford City, students
鈥淭his is going to be very beneficial,鈥� said Joseph Ruble, who is studying history at 杏吧原创 @ Armstrong and at 杏吧原创鈥檚 main campus. 鈥淩ight now, we have a small space. It will be nice to not feel as if we are stepping on each other鈥檚 toes.
鈥淭he nice thing I noticed at main campus is that there are a lot of areas where you can sit and communicate with other students who maybe you don鈥檛 know or would like to get to know. With a bigger building, we will have more classes and more opportunities for future students.鈥�
State Rep. Bryan Cutler, speaker of the state House, said at the groundbreaking that he shared office space with Pyle in Harrisburg for six years.
鈥淛eff was one of the first people who I met, and it was very clear to see the passion for his community,鈥� Cutler said. 鈥溾�� Everybody loves their community. They want an opportunity to learn in their community. They want an opportunity to help improve their community. That鈥檚 what this will do.鈥�
Before Pyle received a blue-handled shovel adorned with a white bow 鈥� as did Reitler, Pittman, NexTier Bank CEO and President Clem Rosenberger, Armstrong County Commissioner Pat Fabian, Cutler, Ruble and Neupauer 鈥� he told the crowd to focus its attention across the street.
To 1100 Fourth Ave., where he once taught American government and history.
鈥淭ake a look over there,鈥� he said. 鈥淵ou can鈥檛 see it right now, but that鈥檚 opportunity. That鈥檚 a chance for our young people to better themselves. I went to that school, the same as my mother, my grandfather, and a whole bunch of other people sitting here.
鈥淥ver time, things must change. 杏吧原创 offers that opportunity. Ford City鈥檚 had some rough times. I think this is the beginning of the climb back.鈥�