Table of Contents Executive Summary......................................................................................................... iv Vision Statement........................................................................................................ vi Plan Goals................................................................................................................. vi Objectives ................................................................................................................ vii Identified Projects ..................................................................................................... vii I Background ................................................................................................................ 1 A. Regional Location and Physical Characteristics...................................................... 1 B. Demographic Highlights...................................................................................... 12 1. Current Population......................................................................................... 12 2. Age ................................................................................................................ 12 3. Population Diversity....................................................................................... 14 4. Population Projections ................................................................................... 14 5. Educational Attainment .................................................................................. 18 6. Housing ......................................................................................................... 21 7. Construction and Building Permits ................................................................. 22 C. Regional Economy............................................................................................... 24 1. Income........................................................................................................... 24 2. Employment and Unemployment................................................................... 27 3. Considerations of NAFTA............................................................................... 34 D. Infrastructure Systems.......................................................................................... 36 1. Highway ........................................................................................................ 36 2. Rail Transportation......................................................................................... 36 3. Air Transportation .......................................................................................... 37 4. Transit............................................................................................................ 37 II. Analysis of Economic Development Problems and Opportunities............................. 39 A. Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats............................................... 39 B. Potential Economic Impact Areas......................................................................... 43 C. Industry Drivers and Economic Clusters............................................................... 44 D. Regional Competitiveness.................................................................................... 48 III. Goals and Objectives ............................................................................................... 50 A. Vision Statement.................................................................................................. 50 B. Strategic Goals .................................................................................................... 50 C. Regional Objectives ............................................................................................ 51 i Table of Contents IV. Community and Private Sector Participation............................................................ 57 V. Strategic Projects, Programs and Activities............................................................... 58 A. Overview ............................................................................................................ 58 B. Long-Term Economic Development Initiatives..................................................... 58 1. County Identified Projects .............................................................................. 59 2. Regional Opportunities .................................................................................. 70 C. Catalysts – Attracting and Retaining Talent .......................................................... 73 VI. Action Plan and Performance Measures ................................................................... 77 A. Action Plan.......................................................................................................... 77 B. Performance Measures ........................................................................................ 77 C. Annual Development Summit.............................................................................. 78 List of Maps Regional Base Map........................................................................................................... 2 Landform Analysis Map.................................................................................................... 3 Clarion County Base Map................................................................................................. 4 Crawford County Base Map.............................................................................................. 5 Erie County Base Map ...................................................................................................... 6 Forest County Base Map................................................................................................... 7 Warren County Base Map ................................................................................................ 8 Lawrence County Base Map ............................................................................................. 9 Mercer County Base Map............................................................................................... 10 Venango County Base Map ............................................................................................ 11 ii Table of Contents List of Tables Table 1: Population Trends............................................................................................. 12 Table 2: Population Diversity ......................................................................................... 14 Table 3: Region Population Projections and Methods ..................................................... 15 Table 4: Cohort Method Projections ............................................................................... 15 Table 5: Linear Employment Method Projections............................................................ 16 Table 6: State Share Method Projections......................................................................... 17 Table 7: Trend Analysis Projections................................................................................ 17 Table 8: Education Attainment ....................................................................................... 18 Table 9: Education Attainment by School District (2006 -2007) ...................................... 19 Table 10: Construction/Building Data............................................................................ 24 Table 11: Income and Wage .......................................................................................... 25 Table 12: Household Income ......................................................................................... 26 Table 13: Per Capita Personal Income (PCPI).................................................................. 27 Table 14: Largest Employers in Clarion County.............................................................. 28 Table 15: Largest Employers in Crawford County............................................................ 29 Table 16: Largest Employers in Erie County .................................................................... 29 Table 17: Largest Employers in Forest County................................................................. 30 Table 18: Largest Employers in Lawrence County ........................................................... 30 Table 19: Largest Employers Mercer County................................................................... 31 Table 20: Largest Employer in Venango County.............................................................. 31 Table 21: Largest Employer in Warren............................................................................ 32 Table 22: Regional Top Industry Sectors......................................................................... 33 Table 23: Largest Industries in the Northwest Region (Total Employment)....................... 45 Table 24: Largest Industries in the Northwest Region (Earnings Per Worker).................... 46 Table 25: Northwest Region Key Industries..................................................................... 47 List of Figures Figure 1: Northwest Region Industry Clusters Location Quotient...................................... v Figure 2: Project Population % - Greater than 65 Years of Age ...................................... 13 Figure 3: Home Ownership Rate, 2000 ......................................................................... 22 Figure 4: Reported Residential