Biz in the Valley: Affordable housing in Monaca, new Dollar General in Pulaski & more

Biz in the Valley is a monthly roundup of business happenings in the Beaver Valley and beyond. To submit an item, email csuttles@gannett.com.

An Ohio-based developer plans to build a 39-unit affordable housing complex in Monaca.

Monaca Lofts, slated for 609 Pennsylvania Ave., will feature one- and two-bedroom pet-friendly apartments, spacious floor plans, a fitness facility and a community room, according to building developer Pivotal Housing Partners, formerly MVAH Partners, LLC.

The project involves a $11.7 million investment, according to the borough, and floor plans will include a fully-equipped kitchen with energy-efficient appliances. Rent prices will be announced closer to construction completion.

Pivotal specializes in affordable housing development, having built thousands of housing units in 15 states since 1993.

For more information, visit www.pivotal-communities.com/properties/monaca-lofts.

New Dollar General opens in Pulaski Township

Pulaski Township’s new Dollar General store is open at 3302 Sunflower Road.

The discount retailer offers food, household items, medicines, hygiene products, baby items and more. The new location joins nearly two dozen other Dollar General stores in Beaver County.

Typical hours of operation are 8 a.m.-10 p.m. The store is expected to employ as many as 10 people.

Schools, nonprofits and libraries within a 15-mile radius of the store can apply for Dollar General Literacy Foundation grants, which help people take their first steps toward literacy or continued education.

For more information about the Dollar General Literacy Foundation and its grant programs, visit www.dgliteracy.com.

Steelite to build distribution facility in Lawrence County

Steelite International, a Youngstown-based supplier of tabletop, buffet and lighting materials to the hospitality industry, signed an agreement to purchase 96 acres between Keystone Drive and Kings Chapel Road in Neshannock Township to build a “cutting-edge distribution facility.”

The move will expand Steelite’s existing 250,000-square-foot operation at 154 Keystone Drive and 50,000-square-foot facility at 360 Keystone Drive, both of which will continue to operate alongside the new facility.

Steelite is collaborating with federal, state, county and township officials on permitting.

"This expansion is a testament to our commitment to our valued customers, dedicated employees, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, and our Lawrence County community," said John Miles, Steelite CEO. “We anticipate that the construction of this building will be one of the most significant projects in Lawrence County over the past 65 years. We are confident that this state-of-the-art facility will enhance our operational efficiency and contribute to the region's economic growth."

Penn State Extension offers food safety manager courses

Penn State Extension will offer ServSafe Food Safety Manager and TAP Online Food Safety Manager certification courses in March.

The ServSafe Food Safety Manager courses will be held at Willows,1830 Beaver-Midland Road in Industry, on March 18. The exam will take place March 25.

The in-person trainings, taught by certified ServSafe instructors, will help participants learn how to prevent contamination of food by properly receiving, storing, preparing, cooking, cooling and serving the food, as well as proper methods of sanitizing food service facilities.

After completing the course and passing the multiple-choice exam with a score of 70% or higher, participants will receive a ServSafe Food Protection Manager certificate good for five years.

The new, lower course fee of $165 covers the cost of the most recent edition of the ServSafe Manager book and learning materials. To attend the in-person ServSafe course and exam, participants should register by March 14 at extension.psu.edu/food-safety-2024.

Additionally, the TAP Online Food Safety Manager certification course helps food service managers, chefs, caterers, cooks, health officials and inspectors prepare to take a Food Protection Manager exam, such as ServSafe, that meets regulatory guidelines for a certified food protection manager. The online portion can be taken anytime, but the exam is in person and proctored at a scheduled location.

After completing the online course and passing the multiple-choice, proctored exam with a score of 70% or higher, participants will receive a Food Protection Manager Certificate, which meets the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture requirement for food safety certification valid for five years.

The online course is self-paced, can be started anytime throughout the year and must be completed within 180 days of enrollment. The course fee is $145.

To register for the courses, visit extension.psu.edu/food-safety-2024 or call 1-877-345-0691.

Lawrence Mercer Manufacturers awarded $236,000 grant

The Lawrence Mercer Manufacturers Coalition received nearly $236,800 in grant funding from the Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry’s Industry Partnership program.

Funds will be used to promote local manufacturing career opportunities and offer technical and career-readiness training, particularly among young adults ages 16-24, career switchers and those transitioning into the workforce after significant time away.

The group will prioritize developing workforce retention and upskilling programs to advance the existing manufacturing workforce into higher-skill and higher-wage positions with their employers.

The Lawrence Mercer Manufacturers Coalition was formed last year by founding members Berner International, Blair Strip Steel Company, ELLWOOD, G.W. Becker, Hall Industries and Wheatland Steel Processing.

“This grant funding will help to accelerate our ability to accomplish our mission of improving visibility of the many rewarding and appealing manufacturing career pathways available in western Pennsylvania,” said Anna Barensfeld, vice president of strategic initiatives for ELLWOOD.

The U.S. Department of Labor awarded the organization nearly $1 million in 2023 for start-up and workforce development and training initiatives.

BCTA earns national marketing award

The Beaver County Transit Authority earned a national American Public Transportation Association marketing award for its 2023 summer youth pass campaign.

From June 1, 2023, to Aug. 31, 2023, BCTA offered children, teenagers, college students and parents with children ages 6 to 21 unlimited free transportation services. BCTA reported more than 4,000 riders throughout the three-month program.

This article originally appeared on Beaver County Times: Biz in the Valley: Affordable housing in Monaca, new Dollar General in Pulaski