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201 Liberty Redevelopment ProjectOverview of the revitalization collaboration project initiated by the Warren County Commissioners and the City of Warren in

conjunction with the WCDA to upgrade the property at 201 Liberty Street for the purpose of establishing a permanent base for the Northern Pennsylvania Regional College (NPRC) and addressing

local commercial property redevelopment.

February 23, 2018

For questions, contact Commissioner Eggleston

Email: jeff.eggleston@warren-county.net

Phone: 814-728-3403

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IntroductionIn July of 2016, the General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania established the “Rural Regional College” through an official act and included it in the State’s Fiscal Code, thereby making its operation an “ordinary expenses of State government”. The goal of the organization is to provide post-secondary education to multiple rural counties lacking “comprehensive community college education and work force development.”

The act outlined the creation of a board of trustees and basic regulations on how the college should operate. The rural regional college offers more affordable and accessible education options, as well as a curriculum based on the needs of the region and its businesses. Nine counties will be served by the college including Cameron, Crawford, Elk, Erie, Forest, McKean, Potter, Venango and Warren.

In the year that followed the official creation of the college, a search was started for a formal location for the organization’s offices and administration. The site selection team created by the board of trustees had several locations to focus on for the school, including Warren, PA. A team of leaders from a variety of organizations in Warren, including the Warren County School District, County Commissioners, Hi-Ed Council, Community Foundation and others, was brought together and coordinated by Jim Decker, Executive Director of the WCCBI. The group engaged the site selection committee on numerous occasions, originally pitching a plan to locate at South Street School and were proud ambassadors for all Warren County would have to offer the college and its staff.

Ultimately, the group was successful in its pitch as the site selection committee chose Warren County as the future home for the RRC (now the Northern Pennsylvania Regional College).

Although this was a fantastic development for both the County and the College, as they could move forward with their plans to establish the college and plant a seed that could grow, there were a number of issues with the South Street campus plan. Upon further review, the redevelopment of the property was too costly and an inability to generate long term plans pushed the College Administration and the local organizers to abandon the property as a location.

What followed was an exhaustive search for a new physical location for the college, while the administration established residency in the old Jefferson Teahouse building on Market Street and 2nd Avenue. Multiple buildings were researched in short order, with one finally making it through the rigors of a second site selection process, which included heavy input from the now established NPRC administration. That building was the former Warren National Bank Building at 201 Liberty Street, a historic gem of the Warren City downtown.

Once all parties were comfortable with the new building, plans were developed for the rehabilitation and eventual occupancy of the grand and historic office building at 201 Liberty Street by the Northern Pennsylvania Regional College as well as many others. This is a terrific opportunity for Warren County and the Region to both revitalize an important commercial asset to the community and establish the first major post-secondary educational investment by the state in the region in decades.

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Overview of the NPRCThe NPRC (Northern Pennsylvania Regional College) is a truly unique opportunity for Warren County and the region. The Regional College is a two-year institution offering associate degrees leading to work or transfer, and career focused certificate programs similar to a community college. Also similar to community colleges, the programs offered by the Regional College will reflect the needs of local business, industry, and service providers.

This visionary turn in education is one-of-a-kind and will allow for a wide range of affordable post-secondary education options, with a mixed model of delivery including classroom education, live interactive technology, and hands-on learning with equipment and in lab facilities.

The NPRC is not an “on-line” college but instead makes the best use of existing spaces and equipment across the region to deliver its courses and technical training. The classes are offered in 14 locations across the nine-county region with additional locations to open in the coming years.

The funding model for the college is different from that of a traditional community college. The NPRC requires no municipal, county or school district tax dollars. Funding comes from state appropriations, student tuition and fees, and grants and other donations.

Tuition rates are consistent with community colleges across the state, and, once the NPRC becomes accredited, students will be eligible for financial aid. Plans to seek accreditation are currently underway. In the meantime, students are eligible for financial aid through an existing partnership with Gannon University that predates the NPRC.

Starting in May 2018, the Northern Pennsylvania Regional College will be offering technical training in collaboration with Pennsylvania College of Technology Workforce Development & Continuing Education (WDCE). The first area of collaboration between NPRC and WDCE will be industrial training. A sequence of trainings in Industrial Math, Blueprint Reading, and the Fundamentals of GD&T will be offered at sites in Coudersport, St. Marys, Warren, Meadville, and Erie.

“It’s very exciting to get the technical courses going. We’ve been working with Penn College since before Christmas to figure out the right courses to start with and to get dates established,” said Debra Teachman, vice president for academic and student affairs for the Northern Pennsylvania Regional College.

Reprinted from the Bradford Era (September 20,2017):

“The technology makes it very easy to go almost anywhere in the nine counties and be within a reasonable distance of the site,” Dr. Joseph T. Nairn (President of the Northern Pennsylvania Regional College) said. “There are six approved sites in Erie, for example.”

Nairn said the biggest misconception the regional college has to overcome is that it is an online school. That is not the case.

“The model for the Rural Regional College is to utilize technology, in this case, interactive instructional technology that is real-time, synchronous delivery. Your instructor might be in Erie, or Port Allegany,” Nairn explained. “They are perhaps teaching with a small group of students in front of the instructor.”

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For Warren County, one of the few counties in Pennsylvania with no post-secondary footprint or community college, the incorporation of the NPRC into the community is a huge step forward to offering local, technical education opportunities for high-school graduates and retraining workers to help upgrade their careers and fill technical job needs for local businesses.

Purchase and Rehabilitation of 201 Liberty StreetWith the collapse of the South Street School project, a new permanent location for the NPRC had to be found quickly. Numerous locations in the City of Warren and the surrounding area were reviewed, but one quickly rose to the top of the list—the former Warren National Bank Building at 201 Liberty Street.

The commercial property at 201 Liberty Street was constructed in 1900 as the “Warren National Bank Building” and has been a cornerstone of business in the area for over a century and an architectural centerpiece of the downtown. Over the past twenty years, however, the building has slowly been abandoned and the top three floors have been vacated and fallen into disrepair. Even with those challenges, the building has “good bones” and the team working on a new location recognized the incredible potential of the property at 201 Liberty to not only house the NPRC, but also (once again) be a hallmark of the commercial community downtown and a great revitalization opportunity.

The property is situated in the center of the City of Warren’s business district, is a 5-story masonry structure with a total floor area of 27,926 square feet with an additional 7,652 square feet in the basement. Currently, 3,900 square feet of the property is being utilized by PNC wealth management on the first and second floors. The property needs significant work to meet ADA compliance and be brought up to code.

The purchase of 201 Liberty StreetThe negotiated purchase price of the building sits at $450,000, well below the $595,000 advertised price on several real estate websites. The WCDA will purchase the building and then initiate a $1.4 million renovation project which will upgrade the electrical systems, HVAC systems, refurbish all bathrooms, bring the building into ADA and building code compliance, and renovate the fifth floor for occupancy by the NPRC.

Due to the quick turn-around needed to allow the NPRC to move into their new home, the Commissioners of Warren County have tentatively approved a $450,000 loan to the WCDA from their Erie Bank Reserve Account (restricted for community development projects) to act as a bridge loan until initial renovations are completed and the WCDA can receive a traditional mortgage on the property. The temporary loan will last less than a year while the rehabilitation commences. According to the potential final agreement, in the event of any type of default by the WCDA, the County will take over ownership of the property and the WCDA will be responsible for any lingering liabilities or liens related to the property.

201 Liberty Street (today)

201 Liberty Street (circa 1906)

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Funding the RenovationsNumerous organizations are coming together to initiate a truly community effort to revitalize a historic property and establish a major educational investment. This project will involve large investments of time and resources by the County Commissioners, the City of Warren, the Community Foundation and other private foundations, and the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.

It all starts with an “RCAP” (Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program) grant from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania that was awarded to the City of Warren in 2017. Several grants were requested by both the County government and the City of Warren, all of which were promoted and coordinated by Commissioners Kafferlin and Eggleston as a part of their effort to lobby Harrisburg on behalf of the County’s overall redevelopment initiatives.

A one-million-dollar grant was awarded to the City of Warren because of the efforts of the Commissioners’ office, with $640,000 of the $1 million being designated by the City Council to the redevelopment effort at 201 Liberty Street. This collaboration between the County, City Manager Nancy Freenock, and the City Council of Warren set the stage for this important project.

The RCAP is a state grant, which signifies a massive investment by the state in our rural community, requires a 50% local match. In this case, three sources have pledged contributions to this project including the Dart Foundation ($500,000), the Community Foundation of Warren ($200,000) and the County Commissioners ($100,000).

201 Liberty Street (retro postcard)

201 Liberty Street (current photos of top floors)

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Renovation OverviewOf the $1.4 million for the renovations, only $437,000 will be used to renovating the 5th floor for occupancy by the RRC. The rest will make a variety of upgrades to the building which will allow for the occupancy by a variety of organizations.

Electrical Upgrades – A new entry transformer will be installed, and a comprehensive electrical overhaul will be completed which will include a separate meter for each floor making it easier to house multiple tenants.

HVAC Upgrades – Each floor with have individual heating and air conditioning systems making it easier to separate resources per tenant.

Bathroom and Plumbing Upgrades – All of the bathrooms in the building will be remodeled and made ADA compliant. The plumbing in the building will also be completely redone (The 3rd, 4th, and 5th floors currently have no working restrooms).

ADA and Code Compliance – A new staircase and other code related items will be installed for safety and to bring the building in compliance with ADA standards.

NPRC Occupancy and Completion of the ProjectRenovations will focus on getting the NPRC moved into the building as soon as possible, as they have a “hard launch” scheduled in the fall of 2018. As renovations are completed at the end of the summer 2018, the WCDA will finalize a financing agreement on a newly renovated and occupied structure which will allow for more attractive financing options for the organization. Once the WCDA’s financing agreement for 201 Liberty is finalized with the financial institution of their choosing, the WCDA will repay the $450,000 loan provided to it by the County.

Once completed, the NPRC will occupy the top floor, enjoying a beautiful view from a newly renovated historic building in downtown Warren. The 15+ employees will represent a $1,000,000 payroll added to the area, with a median salary of $72,500, and great potential for expansion. Their organization will provide a host of associate technical degrees and training to help our workers prepare for the jobs of the future and fulfill current employment needs.

The 201 Liberty building, which currently produces $14,000 in property taxes, will produce a far greater amount for the County/City/School District with the renovations (more in the range of $45,000). With a revitalized building and new tenants come increased revenue and attention to downtown stores and restaurants. The building will also be ready for further renovation and occupancy, under WCDA control, which creates the opportunity for further growth.

201 Liberty Street (bank room circa 1925)

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ConclusionWarren County has faced a variety of changes over the past several decades related to urbanization, globalization, and a generally changing economy and culture. The County’s population is aging and shrinking. We’ve had a decline in commercial investment and development. Our existing businesses need technical workers with modern skillsets and we have few resources to train them. The economic and educational needs could not be clearer.

This project, bringing the Northern Pennsylvania Regional College to Warren County, and redeveloping the historic 201 Liberty Street property using a mix of state grant dollars and foundation funding, is the perfect public/private partnership to address our ever-changing needs. Rarely has a local community had to put up so little in local matching resources to get such a large investment in education and redevelopment commitment from the Commonwealth.

To sum it up, this is a huge “win” for the region and chance for Warren County to address its most basic and glaring economic needs. It is an exciting project for all involved and will be fun to see completed.

Warren County CommissionersBen Kafferlin, Commissioner ChairmanCindy Morrison, CommissionerJeff Eggleston, Commissioner204 4th AvenueWarren, PA 16365Office: 814-728-3403Email: bkafferlin@warren-county.netcmorrison@warren-county.netjeff.eggleston@warren-county.net

State Representative, 65th DistrictKathy Rapp404 Market StreetWarren, PA 16365Office: 814-723-5203Email: klrapp@pahousegop.com

State Senator, 21st DistrictScott Hutchinson229 Elm StreetOil City, PA 16301Office: 814-677-6345Email: shutchinson@pasen.gov

WCDA/WCCBIJim Decker, Executive Director308 Market StreetWarren, PA 16365Office: 814-723-3050Fax: 814-723-6024Email: jdecker@wccbi.org

City of WarrenNancy Freenock, City Manager318 W. Third AvenueWarren, PA 16365Office: 814-723-6300Fax: 814-723-3242Email: nkf@cityofwarrenpa.gov

Northern Pennsylvania Regional CollegeJoseph Nairn, President119 Market StreetWarren, PA 16365Office: 814-230-9010Email: jnairn@rrcnpa.org

Contacts