Gov. Tom Corbett Thursday announced the award of a $3 million Economic Growth Initiative grant to Urban Outfitters, Inc. to install a 3 megawatt solar array on the roof of its new direct-to-consumer fulfillment center in Salisbury Township, Lancaster County.
“Urban Outfitters is another great Pennsylvania success story,” Corbett said. “This new solar array will help power Urban’s new Lancaster County fulfillment center that will create at least 500 jobs.”
In September 2013, Urban Outfitters purchased a 51.9 acre tract in Salisbury Township, Lancaster County to construct on that site a $110 million direct-to-consumer fulfillment center which will measure 970,000 square feet.
The new fulfillment center will employ at least 500 employees when fully operational, joining 117 existing employees working at an adjacent distribution center.
This proposed solar array that will be built on top of the Lancaster County fulfillment center would represent the largest roof mounted solar energy system in Pennsylvania and the seventh largest energy system in Pennsylvania overall.
It will be registered with Pennsylvania’s Alternative Energy Portfolio Systems program. Operation of this solar array will cover up to 50 percent of Urban Outfitter’s energy needs at the site.
“Urban Outfitters had many options when deciding where to locate our new fulfillment center but chose Pennsylvania because of its great workforce, the cooperation we received from the Governor's office, as well as the support of the local community including leadership at the county, local government, and school board level,” said David Ziel, Chief Development Officer for Urban Outfitters, Inc. “We recognize Gov. Corbett's personal involvement and commitment to bringing these jobs to Pennsylvania. We appreciate the support from the DCED, the Pennsylvania Legislature, and the Governor's Action Team, and will continue to work with the Commonwealth to create opportunities for Urban Outfitters and for the citizens of Pennsylvania,”
“By partnering with job creators, we are building a stronger Pennsylvania,” Corbett said. “I would also like to recognize and thank the legislative delegation from Lancaster County for their support of this critical project.”
In 2012, Corbett reformed the state’s method of funding Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program with a significant redesign, making the process more transparent and objective. Projects are now selected based upon their job-creation potential, their economic impact, as well as their viability and construction readiness.
Prior to Corbett taking office, the state’s spending and borrowing for capital redevelopment assistance had become unsustainable for the state and its taxpayers, growing from $400 million in 1986 to slightly more than $4 billion in 2010. Corbett also said that the program had strayed considerably from its intended purpose of encouraging and assisting job growth through regional economic development projects.
Last round, the Corbett administration announced 58 new Economic Growth Initiative grants, totaling more than $133 million. The announced projects are expected to create more than 45,000 jobs in 24 counties across the state.
To ensure the Commonwealth can continue supporting Economic Growth Initiative grants, Corbett continued to urge the state legislature to enact meaningful pension reform and address the current pension system’s $50 billion debt. Ballooning pension costs, which consume approximately 60 cents of every new dollar of general fund revenues, detract from the commonwealth’s ability to invest in economic development and projects that spur job creation.
“Every dollar saved through pension reform is an opportunity to support more Economic Initiative grants that build a stronger Pennsylvania,” said Corbett. “Doing nothing to fix our pension crisis fails our families throughout Westmoreland County and the state.
