Future Focus – Community Showcase
Western Chester County Chamber of Commerce (WCCCC) held our annual Future Focus, Community Showcase at Victory Brewing Company in Parkesburg, with presenting sponsor, Meridian Bank. The event highlighted businesses that are expanding, building and investing in ChescoWest and what that means for the region. Valley Township, the City of Coatesville, Parkesburg and the Chester County Planning Commission were on site with project displays and opportunities.
Gary Hudson, Airport Manager of G.O. Carlson Chester County Airport, was first in the line-up of speakers. Gary discussed the capacity and volume of air traffic visiting the 352-acre property home to the C-II reliever airport. He discussed the airport’s recently completed project, updating infrastructure of existing pavements and enhancing stormwater management and pipe systems. The airport hosts 20+ corporate jets and have increased hangars over the years to accommodate air traffic expansion. Currently, they’re looking to attract a developer’s interest in 3 separate pieces on their property. In addition, Gary expressed that they would welcome and like to see a new restaurant move into the former space that held the Flying Machine Café. This summer, the airport expects to put out a bid for replacement fencing to update the current encasement of the grounds.
Gary expressed that that the airport is of course an asset as air travel, but it also is a place in the community that provides career opportunities to residents. “If you drive down a one mile round how far can you go? One mile. The airport has a little over a mile of runway, that can take a person anywhere in the world.” From the Chamber’s perspective, the airport is an economic driver for our region, especially its attractiveness to businesses that indirectly support airport operations.
The second speaker of the day was Joe Petrucci, Project Executive of J.G. Petrucci Company. Joe discussed a current project in partnership with First Liberty Partners in Valley Township. The project is setting sights to construct 2 industrial flex buildings at 250 Waverly Boulevard. Building A would span 82,500 square feet while building B would be 122,850 square feet. The projected timeline is construction starting in the spring of 2023. With 800 + Design / Build projects under their belt, Petrucci found Chester County a good place to be. “The tenant demand is strong for industrial space in Chester County, while the supply is relatively low.”
The Chamber’s third speaker, Tim Phelps of the Transportation Management Association of Chester County, discussed public transportation accessibility in our region, which is considered a rural area. He discussed current service routes such as the SCCOOT (Oxford to West Chester) and the Link (Parkesburg to Coatesville) but really highlighted the potential to change how transport services are delivered across the county. He spoke on how leveraging new concepts of transport and utilizing different types of vehicles or current vehicles already in place (running other services), can fill some of our public transportation needs. Tim expressed that the importance of public transport access is even more so needed to fill the workforce needs of large-employer businesses that build and expand in areas like ChescoWest that are not always in close proximity to public transport. Learn more about TMACC at tmacc.org
To close out the program, WCCCC 2022 Board President Justin Chan introduced Matt Bartnicki of Splitting Edge, an ax throwing business that is working to open in downtown Coatesville. Matt expressed Splitting Edge’s excitement to locate in the city and bring a source of entertainment and activity to the area.
Visit membership.westernchestercounty.com/events/calendar/to find our next event dates and details.