DOWNTOWN ALLIANCE RECEIVES DONATION FROM FNCB BANK
On Thursday February 16th, 2017, FNCB Bank presented a $10,000 check to the Downtown Hazleton Alliance for Progress at their offices located at 20 W. Broad St. This donation was made as part of a larger $204,000 DCED (2016-2017) Neighborhood Assistance Program, Special Project Priorities (SPP) tax credit award. Other donors to the program include Wells Fargo, First National Bank, Mid Penn Bank, and Luzerne Bank, as well as DHD Realty. “We applaud FNCB Bank and the other donors for their contributions to our community revitalization,” said Rep. Tarah Toohil (R-Luzerne). “These efforts are a commendable step in a new direction.”
The Alliance will be dedicating its donated program funds to the Phase One renovation and adaptive reuse of the property located at 13-15 West Broad St., which has been vacant for more than a decade and has fallen into disrepair. Due to its location within the downtown’s core revitalization zone, the building has been identified as a high priority renovation project.
DHD Realty is donating the property to the Alliance for the purpose of creating a small business incubator or technology center that will encourage small business entrepreneurship within the Greater Hazleton Area. “By creating a small business incubator, the Alliance will unleash a new wave of entrepreneurship in the City that will further Hazelton's revitalization efforts to rebuild our downtown and create family sustaining jobs," said Senator Yudichak. A detailed feasibility study for this new use will soon be underway, which will involve several educational institutions and economic development organizations.
The DCED Neighborhood Assistance tax credit program is designed to encourage private businesses to invest in projects that improve distressed areas. For approved DCED Special Priority Projects (SPP), the tax credit is awarded at 75%. Downtown Hazleton qualifies as a distressed area due to its recent designation as a PA “Main Street” community. For a full list of PA state tax credits awarded under this and the Enterprise Zone Tax Credit program see here: http://dced.pa.gov/download/nap-approved-2016-pdf/?wpdmdl=69471
For additional information about this project contact the Downtown Hazleton Alliance for Progress at 570-455-1509, or email Krista Schneider, Executive Director, at kschneider@downtownhazleton.org.
About FNCB Bank, Simply a better bank™
FNCB Bank, locally-based for over 100 years, continues as Northeastern Pennsylvania's premier community bank — offering a full suite of personal, small business, mortgage and commercial banking solutions with industry-leading mobile, online and in-branch products and services. FNCB remains dedicated to the communities they serve with an on-going mission to be: Simply a better bank™. For more information on the BauerFinancial 5-Star rated FNCB, visit www.fncb.com.