Unemployed and underemployed residents of the Coopersdale, Oakhurst and Solomon public housing properties will soon be able to attend work-readiness classes through the Johnstown Housing Authority Training and Employment Program
The University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown is set to open a center for advanced manufacturing, engineering, automation, and training to support the semiconductor industry in downtown Johnstown by 2025, project
wfrank@altoonamirror.com
The Organic Snack Co., which makes Kate’s Real Food protein bars, opened its 20,000-square-foot production facility last summer. Former Altoona dentist, developer Bruce Thaler, is co-owner of Kate’s Real Food.
Courtesy photo / Photo illustration by Nick Anna
By Walt Frank
Economic development in the region was another victim of the coronavirus pandemic in 2020.
Starting in March, the staff and board members of the Altoona Blair County Development Corp. could only react to the crisis, managing emergency grant programs, forgiving loans, deferring rents and referring unemployment claims, said President and CEO Stephen McKnight.
Nevertheless, in 2020, ABCD Corp. facilitated 52 business financing projects that represented nearly $17 million in total capital investment and nearly $6.3 million in program funding. These projects led to the creation of 25 new jobs and retention of 210, McKnight said.