So what's bad about being an optimist?
Especially when we're talking about our hometown.
This is our home, people. It's where we work, play, and raise our families.
We have everything, whether you choose to believe it or not — four great seasons, excellent schools at all levels, relatively low crime rate compared to other places, stunning outdoor destinations, top restaurants, great sports and entertainment venues, tasty pizza, plenty of shopping options, a casino with a racetrack, an international airport, and Wawa is finally coming to town.
Can it get any better than that?
Yes, it can and it will.
Last week the Times Leader published our Innovation tab, and it was filled with story after story that detailed all the good things happening in NEPA.
Let’s start with Downtown Wilkes-Barre where Mayor George Brown is in charge.
As we look at Downtown Wilkes-Barre, we see noticeable improvements and more events. We asked Mayor Brown where he feels the Diamond City is headed.
Here is what Mayor Brown said:
• A rebirth of new Downtown neighborhoods, new residential units, and further investments in converting office buildings into apartments.
• The city needs more hotels and convention centers to handle the growing popularity of the city with events like the Fine Arts Fiesta, Rockin’ the River, and Concerts on Public Square. (Did you mention Starship, Mr. Mayor!)
There is also a high demand from the two colleges, students, and parents. Wilkes University and King’s College have been great partners.
• The mayor said his vision is to continue strong support for a Downtown revival of new businesses, arts & entertainment districts, and family-friendly programs on Public Square.
• Emphasizing arts & entertainment, apartment living, and creating businesses through the SPARK program are all factors in the rebirth of Downtown.
“We are constantly backing new business investments, as proven by 93 new businesses, as a result of the Wilkes-Barre SPARK program,” Mayor Brown said. “My administration has continued to assist various interested developers in their plans and proposals.”
Then we turn to John Augustine, president and CEO of Penn’s Northeast, who says whether it’s logistics or production, those in the know are choosing Northeastern Pennsylvania’s Inland Triangle to serve the East Coast’s booming markets.
“Northeastern Pennsylvania’s ‘Inland Triangle’ is the new Inland Empire,” Augustine said in the Innovation tab..
That’s correct, Augustine said, the 7-county triangle formed by the intersections of Interstates 80, 81, 84, 380, 476, and 78 is the heart of the East Coast’s fastest growing distribution and manufacturing hub.
And, Augustine argues, it’s easy to understand why.
“First, there’s location — Northeastern Pennsylvania’s Inland Triangle is within one day’s drive of one-third of the U.S. population and half of Canada’s’s population,” Augustine said. “The most important ports in the Northeastern U.S. (by the end of 2022, the Port of Elizabeth in New Jersey had more traffic than the Port of LA) sit just a short drive to the east.”
Augustine states that the Inland Triangle in Northeastern Pennsylvania has the necessary infrastructure for easy transportation by truck, rail or air. There is a lot of 3PL activity, and Fedex, UPS, and XPO have all added major hubs.
In Northeastern Pennsylvania, Augustine explains that the Inland Triangle directly adjoins Pennsylvania’s Marcellus Shale reserve, which means competitive and stable natural gas prices and lower overall operating costs for manufacturers, as natural gas doesn't come from hundreds of miles away.
According to Augustine, the Inland Triangle has the right conditions for success: unbeatable and reliable utility costs, a competitive and productive labor force of more than 530,000 people, and over 19 higher-educational institutions that produce real world results for employers and residents in Northeastern Pennsylvania.
Northeastern Pennsylvania’s Inland Triangle is a wonderful place to live.
“Our nine counties’ residential options vary from bustling live/work downtowns to beautiful small towns,” Augustine said. “Our mountains, lakes, and rivers offer four seasons of amazing outdoor recreation. The Pocono Mountains have been a vacation destination for generations of Americans, so it’s no surprise that growing numbers of people want to live here year-round.
Augustine mentioned that the cost of living in Northeastern Pennsylvania is, on average, 5% lower than in the rest of the country.
Augustine added, “It’s evident that the word is spreading about the advantages of locating in Northeastern Pennsylvania’s ‘Inland Triangle.’”
Lindsay Griffin-Boylan, president and CEO of the Greater Wyoming Valley Chamber of Commerce and Chamber of Business & Industry, said that innovation has been at the forefront of the Chamber’s strategy moving forward.
She mentioned that this is evident through many aspects of the community and the ways the Wyoming Valley and NEPA region are progressing into the future.
““Our Chamber remains committed to local businesses and organizations of all sizes, to the diversity of our workforce and industrial base, and to the vitality and quality of life in our community,” she said.
So, stay positive. Look around and recognize the good that surrounds us.
Be optimistic, but also take pride in what you do.
Wawa can’t be mistaken.
