Pennsylvania Secretary Davin Celebrates Ribbon Cutting at University of Pittsburgh's Manufacturing Assistance Center

PITTSBURGH, April 28, 2017 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Department of Community and Economic Development Secretary Dennis Davin today joined State Representative Ed Gainey, County Executive Rich Fitzgerald, Chief Development Officer of the City of Pittsburgh Kevin Acklin, Bridgeway Capital, and the University of Pittsburgh at the ribbon-cutting ceremony for the university's recently relocated Manufacturing Assistance Center (MAC).

The MAC, which relocated to 7800 Susquehanna Street in Pittsburgh's Homewood neighborhood, provides advanced manufacturing training opportunities to residents in Homewood and surrounding communities. The center is also to open to entrepreneurial makers looking to grow their business through career guidance and access to technical equipment.

"Through Bridgeway Capital and the University of Pittsburgh's partnership, residents of Homewood and neighboring communities around Pittsburgh will have access to high quality training in skills that can help build a career in manufacturing," said Secretary Davin. "This investment in residents of Homewood and surrounding areas will help equip workers with the skills they need to compete and succeed in the 21st century economy, and will provide a network of skilled, hard-working employees for businesses in this area while improving the lives of these workers and their families."

The center occupies an 11,500-square-foot space in the 7800 Susquehanna Street facility, which is owned and operated by Bridgeway Capital, a certified Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) that provides assistance to small businesses, non-profits, and community developers.

Formerly a manufacturing facility for Westinghouse, Bridgeway Capital acquired the 7800 Susquehanna Street property in 2013 with the goal of converting the mostly empty 150,000-square-foot facility into a space for economic opportunity for Homewood and surrounding communities. In November 2016, the company received a $1 million grant from the state's Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program (RACP) to support interior remodeling expenses to accommodate rental space for tenants. The company was also awarded a $1million Pennsylvania First Program grant.  

"One of Governor Wolf's budget initiatives this year is called 'Manufacturing PA,' which will seek partnership opportunities between universities and the business community to help build a 21st century workforce of highly skilled, highly trained workers that can bolster local industry and also attract new businesses looking to harness this workforce," said Secretary Davin. "University of Pittsburgh's Manufacturing Assistance Center is an example of this partnership in action, and I am glad that the commonwealth could support Bridgeway Capital's development of this space with the Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program and Pennsylvania First Program."

For more information on the Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program (RACP), visit www.budget.pa.gov/Programs/RACP/Pages/Main%20Page.aspx.

For more information on the Department of Community and Economic Development and its programs, visit www.dced.pa.gov.

MEDIA CONTACT: DCED Press Office, 717-783-1132

SOURCE Pennsylvania Department of Community & Economic Development

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http://www.state.pa.us