Grants Awarded for Cutting-Edge Research, First Responders in 106th District, Mehaffie Says

December 7, 2021

HARRISBURG – Grants announced today by Rep. Tom Mehaffie (R-Dauphin) will assist Swatara Township develop a new public safety building as well as support medical research at both Penn State College of Medicine in Derry Township and Penn State’s Harrisburg campus.

Grants awarded by the Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program include:

• $3 million for Penn State College of Medicine’s Comparative Medicine Research Facility in Derry Township, where approximately 25,000 square feet of space will be renovated and 20,000 square feet built to accommodate groundbreaking research, including research into cancer treatments.
• $419,032 for the Bio-Behavioral Research and Education Clinical Care Center, which is tackling demolition, abatement and renovation of space in the Wrisberg Hall Annex on Penn State Harrisburg’s campus in Lower Swatara Township. The center examines health in an integrated manner, recognizing that many factors impact health.
• $600,000 for Swatara Township to use when constructing new fire, police and public safety facilities on Eisenhower Boulevard. Plans call for secure rooms for meetings with crime victims, decontamination bays, training facilities, covered parking and an emergency management operations center.

“I’m thankful I could advocate for these important projects across the 106th District,” Mehaffie said. “With the Penn State projects, we recognize that we have world-class research happening in our own backyards. We are so fortunate for that. For Swatara Township, safer and upgraded facilities will acknowledge the sacrifices of our first responders, including the time they spend away from their families.”

“I’m proud to join Rep. Mehaffie in announcing state funding for this important community project that will benefit local residents and taxpayers,” Sen. John DiSanto (R-Dauphin/Perry) said of the Penn State College of Medicine undertaking.

“I am pleased that Rep. Mehaffie and I were able to play a role in returning these tax dollars to our districts, where these projects will benefit the citizens of the 48th Senatorial District and the 106th Legislative District. These projects will have tremendously positive impacts in our communities. We were particularly excited to see that the funds for the Bio-Behavioral Research and Education Clinical Care Center will be used to improve access to patient/reception waiting areas, individual and group therapy rooms, classrooms, and an audiology chamber. Additionally, the investment in Swatara Township will go toward much-needed upgrades for the first responders. Ensuring that our communities have proper public safety facilities is of vital importance to the people who they directly serve,” said Sen. Chris Gebhard, R-Dauphin/Lebanon/York.

Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program grants are meant to address regional economic, cultural, civic, recreational, and historical improvement projects. The program is administered by the Office of the Budget.

Representative Tom Mehaffie
106th Legislative District
Pennsylvania House of Representatives
Media Contact: Jennifer Fitch
717.260.6335
jfitch@pahousegop.com
RepMehaffie.com / Facebook.com/RepMehaffie