,,. ....... .. I.... ...,.... ........... ,. .. ... , . , , .. , . , , . , , , . .. .. .. .... COMPREHENSIVEECONOMIC DEVELOPMENTSTRATEGY SIXCOUNTY SOUTHERNALLEGHENIES REGION PREPARED BY S. PATZ& ASSOCIATES,INC. PREPARED FOR SOUTHERN ALLEGHENIES PLANNING& DEVELOPMENTCOMMISSION JULY2002 Comprehensive Economic Development Strateqy Six County Southern Alleghenies Region Prepared for: Southern Alleghenies Planning and Development Commission July, 2002 ! S. Patz c Associates, Inc. 1039 Sterling Road Suite 201 Herndon, VA 20170 .................. * ...... I PAGE Section I : Introduction.................................................................................................................................... i Overview of Region ..................................................................................................................ii Section 11: Analysis ................................................................................................................................II- 1 Current Economic Factors ....................................................................................................11-1 Regional Summary ofkonomic Overview......................................................................... II. Economic Linkages and Multiples ...........................................................................................11-6 Producers Serving the Region ................................................................................................ -7 Impact of Punbases of Input Supplies ................................................................................. 9 Conclusions......................................................................................................................... .- 10 II- Inhstructure ....................................................................................................................... 11-12 Transportation Planning...................................................................................................... 11-12 SAP &DC RPO ...................................~ ............................................................................. 11-12 . Johnstown Metropolitan Planning Organization................................................................ II- 13 Metropolitan Planning Organization for Blair County/AltoonaMSA ............................... II- 13 PentiDOT Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) Process............ i ..........................II- 14 Highways in the Region ..................................................................................................... II-.. 16 Airports ...............................................................................................................................11-23 Passenger Rail Service.......................................................................................................... -28 .) Freight Rail Service ............................................................................................................II -29 Inner-City Bus Service ........................................................................................................-3 1 Rapid Transit....................................................................................................................... 11-3 1 Public Water .......................................................................................................................11-32 Sanitary Sewer Service .......................................................................................................11-34 'Natural Gas Service ............................................................................................................11-37 Electric ................................................................................................................................11-37 Telecomunications Infimtructure.................................................................................... 11-37 Land Use ............................................................................................................................. 11-38 Natural Resources ...............................................................................................................11-40 Recreation Areas .................................................................................................................11-42 Economic Trends and Analysis ..........................................................................................11-46 ... Population ........................................................................................................................... 11-46 Household Population .........................................................................................................II -48 Age Distribution of Population........................................................................................... 11-50 Households and Household Size ........................................... .;........................................... 11-5 1 Household Income Levels ................................................................................................. .II-53 summary ............................................................................................................................. 11-54 Demographic Projections ................................................................................................... 11-54 Population Projections ........................................................................................................ 11-55 Households............................................ :............................................................................. 11-55 Housing Units: Type and Tenure ......................................................................:................ 11-55 Employment Trends ...........................................................................................................11-59 .. Labor Force Analysis.......................................................................................................... 11-59 ..... Occupation ......................................................................... :................................................ .. TABLE OF CO Page Analysis of Job Categories ..................................................................................................... ii-68 Tourism Employment ......................................................................................................... 11-68 Lodging Employment Trends ............................................................................................. 11-69 Lodging Industry Wages .................................................................................................... 11-70 Eating and Drinking Place Employment............................................................................ 11-7 1 Retail Trade Employment Trends ...................................................................................... 11-72 Retail Trade Wages ............................................................................................................ .II-73 Wholesale Trade Employment Trends ...............................................................................11-74 Manufacturing Employment Trends .................................................................................. 11-76 Transportation, Communications. and Public Utilities Employment Trend ...................... 11-80 Services Sector Employment Trend ................................................................................... 82 Finance. Insurance. and Real Estate Employment Trend................................................... .-11-86 Construction Sector Employment Trend ............................................................................11-88 Mining Sector Employment ............................................................................................... 11-90 Agricultural Sector Employment ........................................................................................ 11-90 Hardwoods Industry............................................................................................................ 11-92 Economic Development Focus Areas ................................................................................. ...II- 94 Tourism ................................................................................................................................. -94 f ..... i Strengths and Weaknesses.................................................................................................. - 100 Hotel Room Additions 1995-2001 ................................................................................... 11-102 Proposed Hotel Projects.................................................................................................... 105 Retail Industry .................................................................................................................. .-II- 106 Industry Development ...................................................................................................... II-108 Economic Development Programs ................................................................................... 1[-1 13 “High Tech” Business Location ........................................................................................ II-115 Colleges and Universities ................................................................................................. II- 117 Section III: The Southern