- 5/8/2025
On Thursday, Gov. Josh Shapiro (D-PA) held a press briefing to announce investments in creating jobs at Philadelphia Navy Yard.
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NewsTranscript
00:00All righty. Good morning, everyone, and welcome to the Navy Yard. My name is...
00:06Good morning. Thank you. It's like church. I got you. That's good. We can try it again.
00:11Good morning, everyone. Perfect. My name is Jody Harris, and I am the president of PIDC,
00:18the city's economic development partner that has owned and operated the Navy Yard since 2000.
00:24I'm honored to be here today with our governor, Josh Shapiro. We have Secretary Seiger,
00:29Representative Cephas, Senator Saval, and others from the Philadelphia delegation,
00:34so many partners to celebrate this incredible news for the Navy Yard, a transformational $30 million
00:41investment in Philadelphia's future from the Commonwealth. Thank you. For the new PA Sites
00:48program. The Navy Yard is proud to be one of the many sites across the Commonwealth that Governor
00:54Shapiro is making active investments in as part of a new innovative program, which awarded
01:00in total $64 million worth of funding to 11 projects in order to create jobs and advance
01:07Philadelphia's and Pennsylvania's economy. This grant, which was the largest awarded in this
01:13inaugural round allows PIDC and our development partners at Ensemble Mosaic to advance development
01:31of our Greenway District, a new purpose-built district at the Navy Yard designed to drive
01:36business growth and deliver high-quality jobs to Philadelphians. Spanning more than 50 acres just
01:42to our north, that way, the Greenway District represents one of the largest development opportunities
01:48for life sciences and advanced manufacturing in the city. This is a historical opportunity to
01:54attract anchor companies, build the infrastructure they need, and fuel the kind of economic growth
02:00that lifts up workers, families, and entire neighborhoods. This site is uniquely positioned with the
02:06capacity for large R&D and manufacturing facilities, a location in the heart of one of the most exciting life
02:13sciences ecosystems in the country, and accessible air and ground transportation just minutes away. No other
02:20local area offers this combination of scale, flexibility, and proximity to talent, transportation, and
02:28innovation. The companies that grow here will bring with them hundreds of good-paying jobs, not just high
02:35education jobs and medical research, but across all educational levels, including those in advanced
02:41manufacturing, construction, and operations. And let's not forget that this progress is built on
02:47decades of work, determination, and intentional strategy. 25 years ago, the Navy Yard was closed and 10,000 jobs
02:56disappeared overnight. Many said the land here was practically unsalvageable. But thanks to the vision and unique
03:03public-private partnership formed between PIDC, the city, and the Commonwealth, just look at where we are now.
03:10We have 150 companies and over 16,000 jobs, and we are just getting started.
03:15We are deeply grateful to you, Governor, for your game-changing investment and for recognizing that this site
03:27readiness is key to economic competitiveness. And I also want to thank our Mayor, Sherelle Parker, and our
03:33Council President, Kenyatta Johnson, for their continued leadership to ensure that this growth extends
03:39opportunities to all Philadelphians. To our development partners at Ensemble Mosaic, Brian Cohen, Mark Seltzer,
03:46Leslie Smallwood Lewis, and Greg Reeves, thank you for your commitment to delivering not just buildings,
03:52but opportunity for our businesses and our people and for the future. As I stated, this investment brings
03:58jobs, it sparks innovation, and it grows our local economy and will show what's possible when we work
04:04together to build a stronger economy that works for everyone. So thank you again, Governor,
04:10and I will turn it over to you. Thank you. Thank you very much. Thank you.
04:19Well, it's great to be back at the Navy Yard. Fun fact, this is my second trip here to the Navy Yard
04:27in a week. This Sunday, I was here cheering on not just the runners, but my two favorite runners in Broad
04:33Street, my wife, Lori, and our daughter, Sophia, who in my mind finished first in the Broad Street run.
04:39I don't know what the official record is, but I couldn't be more proud of her, and it is good to be
04:43back. I know we've got some business to conduct today, but first off, I do want to begin by offering
04:50my prayers and the prayers of my wife, Lori, our First Lady, and all Pennsylvanians for the brave
04:56Philadelphia police officer who was shot in the line of duty just yesterday. I think it is an
05:02important reminder that every single day, brave men and women put on a uniform and run toward danger
05:09to keep us safe. And we are grateful to them for their service, and we are indebted to them.
05:15And when something tragic like this happens, we rally behind them. I spoke to the officer's
05:22mother last night, and I mean the officer, no disrespect by not naming him. I believe that
05:26it has not been released yet by the mayor and commissioner Bethel. But I want you to know,
05:30I spoke to the officer's mother yesterday and let her know that we were praying for
05:37her family and of course for her son, and he appears to be doing better, thank God,
05:42and is on the road to recovery. Colonel Paris is coordinating closely with Commissioner Bethel,
05:49and I know that Mayor Parker certainly has the situation under control and spoke, I thought,
05:54beautifully yesterday after a really tragic moment. So all of our prayers are with that officer and
06:01their family and everybody who puts a uniform on every day to go out and keep us safe. It is good to
06:07be here today with an incredible group of leaders from business to organized labor. And we got to note the
06:14presence of these great IBW Local 98 members who are behind us. And by the way, they're not just here
06:24like they drove in and showed up for a minute and then they're leaving. This is where they work. This is
06:29the community that Mark and his team have bet on. You're going to hear from Mark Lynch and I know
06:34everybody hears from the leader oftentimes in press conferences like this. But make sure you get a good
06:40look at his members. These are the women and men who are quite literally building the city of Philadelphia
06:46and building the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. And we are grateful to them. And we invest in people like
06:51that every day in our Commonwealth. It is unique, I think, to have business and labor, politicians of
06:59both parties, local, state and federal government all working together. Yet that is what we have here at
07:06the Navy Yard. And that is what has led us to being able to take a defunct Navy Yard and turn it into
07:12this incredible place of economic power and promise. I want to just acknowledge a couple of our elected
07:19leaders, Senator Saval, who represents this district and Representative Cephas, who is here representing the
07:26entire Philadelphia delegation. We appreciate your partnership and we appreciate your work. And we know
07:33that PIDC has been an engine for so much of this work. And Jody, we thank you for the great work
07:39you're doing along the riverfront from the port to the shipyard to Penn's Landing to, of course, here at
07:44the Navy Yard, which is not just important for the city of Philadelphia. This is a major economic engine
07:51for the entire Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Listen, millions of people come to the city of Philadelphia
07:58to see the birthplace of democracy, to attend a great sporting event, perhaps even one that includes
08:05our world champion Philadelphia Eagles. But they also come. Go birds. They also come here to do
08:16research and to do business. We are building cutting edge biotech research right along the waterfront.
08:23We're building the next generation of cargo and container ships right here. Our nation's
08:28R&D is literally happening within just a few square miles of where we all sit here. And we need to invest
08:36in every single one of those spaces because they will play a critical role in Philly's future and in
08:43our Commonwealth's future. Over the last 25 years, PIDC has worked to revitalize the Navy Yard and turn it
08:50into a hub of major international brands like Urban Outfitters. They've turned it into a growing hub for
08:57cutting edge life sciences and biotech companies, companies that our administration and those who
09:03came before us have been proud to invest in as they grow and expand right here in the Commonwealth.
09:10Today, this Navy Yard is home to 150 companies that have created over 16,000 jobs. And hear me on this,
09:19we are just getting started. We are just getting started. Our administration
09:28Our administration is proud to be here today with all of our partners to invest in the next chapter
09:35of this Navy Yard's success. An investment that is part of our broader economic development strategy
09:43that has been put together over the last two and a half years with four concrete steps. I want to
09:48share those with you quickly. First, we needed to put a team in place that understood economic development
09:55and could deliver real results. You know, the motto of our administration is GSD. We get stuff done.
10:02And this is an example of a team that knows how to get stuff done, led by Secretary Rick Seiger,
10:07who you'll hear from in a moment. Second, we needed a plan. So we needed the people first,
10:13and then we need a plan. It had been 20 years since the Commonwealth had a clear economic development
10:19strategy. We decided in that strategy to focus our resources and attention on five key areas of economic
10:26opportunity, energy and robotics, ag and manufacturing and life sciences. It's important to note that all
10:34five of those areas of opportunity that we've cited are present right here in the Navy Yard. We also had to
10:42have a shift in mentality. You see, I believe that there's economic promise in areas like this, in our sprawling
10:52suburban office parks, in our high rises, in our downtowns, and through our fields in rural Pennsylvania,
10:59where we dominate in agriculture. The point is, we've got to invest in all of those areas. And that
11:05is exactly what we're doing. The people, the plan. And third, we needed more speed. Businesses need
11:13government to move at the speed of business. And historically, Pennsylvania had fallen behind.
11:18We were too damn slow. And so we fixed that on my watch over the last two and a half years. We put
11:24in place permitting reform that now includes a money back guarantee. If we don't give you your permit in
11:30time, we'll give you your money back. By the way, that's been in place a year and a half. We've only had
11:35to issue four refunds out of the hundreds of thousands of permits that we issue each year. We've got
11:42special fast track permitting processes for big developments like bellwether right next door.
11:49And we are moving more quickly today than ever before. We are speeding things up. The day I got
11:55sworn in, it took eight weeks to get a business license that any one of these businesses here
12:01requires. Eight weeks it took the day I got sworn in. Today, you can get it same day in the Commonwealth of
12:07Pennsylvania. We are moving at the speed of business. And by the way, we're also getting
12:12rid of our backlog. Anybody who's tried to develop a big parcel land, you know that you've been
12:17frustrated historically by the Department of Environmental Protection. You felt that it was
12:21too slow and there was a backlog. Eighty eight percent of that backlog has been eliminated at DEP. And
12:28guess what? We haven't had to issue a single refund from a permit through DEP. They are moving quickly.
12:34People, plan and speed. And then fourth and finally, what brings us to today,
12:39we needed the resources to be able to compete. We need the dollars to be able to incentivize
12:45growth. We simply didn't have it. We came together on a bipartisan basis. And I need to again,
12:52shout out Senator Saval and Representative Cephas, along with the entire Philadelphia delegation.
12:57Democrats and Republicans came together to add more than a billion dollars to our economic
13:03development toolkit, which allows Secretary Seiger and his team to incentivize
13:08growth all across Pennsylvania. We brought in the people that decide where companies can go.
13:14They're called site selectors. We brought them in over two years ago and said,
13:18hey, what are we doing right and what are we doing wrong? You know what those site selectors said to us?
13:23They said, look, gov, respectfully, y'all aren't even on the field. So forget about winning or losing games.
13:28You're not even making it out there to compete. I said, why? And they said, because if we brought
13:34a CEO to see you tomorrow and they said, give us your pad ready sites where we could develop,
13:41you'd have zero to show them. And the truth is we had nothing to show them. That has changed. As a result
13:48of this bipartisan work, we put together a half a billion dollar fund just to develop sites across
13:55Pennsylvania, sites in rural suburban and in urban communities. And that brings us to today. The PA
14:03sites initiative was launched thanks to the bipartisan work that we got done. There is a clear need for it
14:09in Pennsylvania. By the way, a $10 million sites pilot project netted $253 million worth of applications.
14:18We know the need is out there. So with this new half a billion dollars today, we are announcing round one
14:24of that funding, $64 million in total funding in round one and $30 million of it is coming right
14:34here to the Navy Yard in Philadelphia.
14:41This is going to allow us to have the electrical hookups, the water set, the pad built, and then it's
14:46going to give us the opportunity to bring a CEO, to bring a site selector and say, hey, you want to be in
14:52the Navy Yard. This is part of the culture you want to be a part of. And by the way, you don't have to
14:58wait a long time to get your project built. Right over here is a pad. It's ready to go. Everything's
15:03hooked up. You just tell us what you need and we will build it to spec. And I'm looking at a whole bunch
15:08of leaders in our building trades here. They know how to build the best of the best from these buildings
15:14to I-95. These folks know what they're doing and they're ready to get to work. And with the help of
15:20this PA sites money, we are now going to help open up the next chapter in the Navy Yard and bring this
15:27to fruition, create more jobs and economic opportunity here. So when someone leaves their
15:34condo right here, leaves their apartment here, they walk across the street to a new site,
15:38that is opportunity. That is power. That is economic growth. And that is the story of Pennsylvania.
15:45I shared with you two and a half years ago and we brought those site selectors together and
15:49I said, what are we doing right? What are we doing wrong? And they basically told us we weren't even
15:53on the field of competition. Today we are competing again. Now listen, I'm competitive as hell. I want
15:59us to be first in everything, but I want you to know that we are now making lists. We are now moving
16:06up in the world when it comes to economic development. Site selector magazine has now rated Pennsylvania
16:12the number one state to bring your business to in the Northeast. That's a big deal.
16:21Forbes magazine has rated us one of the best states in the country to start a business.
16:26Wallet Hub says that our Commonwealth ranks in the top three states for quality of life. CNBC puts us in
16:33the top 10 states for affordability. Our work is beginning to pay off. It's not just the jobs and
16:42economic opportunity we're going to create here at the Navy Yard. It's an entire lifting up of the
16:47spirit of our Commonwealth and real economic opportunity spread throughout from our main
16:53streets to our farmlands, to urban settings like this. If you can't tell, I am bullish on
16:58Pennsylvania. I'm excited about our future and the Navy Yard is a huge piece of that. I want to thank
17:05again our lawmakers who are here who got that bill to my desk to make sure this new PA sites initiative
17:12got off the ground. I want to thank you all for your commitment to this community over the last
17:1725 years. Because of your hard work, because of the work of my predecessors, we're now in a position to
17:24take us to even higher heights. One of the people who's going to help us do that is a great developer
17:30named Mark Seltzer who's going to come up and tell you his story of progress here at the Navy Yard.
17:35And it's a story of progress that I know is going to be is going to be advanced by so many other
17:40developers and so many other companies. So thank you for your work. And once Mark and the other
17:44speakers are complete, I'll take some questions. Thank you all very, very much.
17:47Mark Seltzer
17:59So first public service announcement. If anybody ever asked you to talk before or after the governor,
18:04I would choose before not the easiest act to follow. So today. Good morning. I stand before you as a
18:12partner and managing director at Ensemble. My partner, Brian Cohen, as well, and all of our
18:19colleagues in the back that we work very closely together with. And of course, Leslie Smallwood
18:24Lewis and Greg Lee, Greg Reeves from Mosaic. My second big thank you is to Governor Shapiro,
18:31who has made it okay not to wear ties anymore. So I think on behalf of all of us, a sincere applause.
18:37That is your jacket. Yeah, I'll keep the jacket on. But from there. So you've heard a lot about
18:45the Navy Yard today, right? And and what's really great for myself and for Brian, we've been here for
18:5120 years, right? We've been working on this project for 20 years, literally working together and and trying
18:59to make things everything you see come to fruition. None of this was here, you know, when we first got here,
19:04right? So this has been sort of our life's work here coming together. And today marks a really
19:10incredible day. You know, for for 125 years, the Navy Yard was a place where Philadelphians and
19:17Pennsylvanians defended our country from war, right? Today, there are Philadelphians and Pennsylvanians
19:25literally defending our country from cancer, right? We heard all these great stories about
19:31Iovance and adapt immune and others where Philadelphians and Pennsylvanians are working
19:36for people from around the country curing cancer like melanoma and many others. That's the work that
19:42happens here. In addition to that fashion designers at Urban Outfitters World Headquarters, you know,
19:48these great shipbuilders, both at Ottawa and and Rhodes Industries and creating diagnostics in in
19:54BiomareU large global company making diagnostics at their global innovation center here.
20:01That's the type of work that's happening. And that's why we are here today. All of this great work
20:08has led us to our next chapter. But before we talk about that next chapter, that's the first thank you,
20:14right? Thank you to all of those tenants, all of those people that committed to the Navy Yard early on
20:21over those last 20 years to invest their capital anywhere. They chose Philadelphia and they chose
20:28Pennsylvania. And we're really appreciative to all of the past administrations to making that happen.
20:35So with that, thank you. The true thank you goes to Governor Shapiro, the great work of Secretary Seiger
20:43and Ben Kirschner and Aaron Pitts and I'm sure countless others that have put this program together. This is a
20:48program that we have been waiting for for many, many years building on this success that now,
20:54together with those dollars, creates one of, if not the best, sites for advanced manufacturing,
21:02research and development and life sciences in the most competitive state in the country to do business.
21:08And that is directly the result of the work that the governor is doing. And we live it every day,
21:14right? And his team. We meet with those site selectors all the time. That's what we're hearing.
21:19And it is very real what you have today. So with that and being brief, wanted to thank, as I mentioned,
21:27the members of the Shapiro administration, certainly Mayor Parker, who her energy,
21:34her leadership and enthusiasm is critical. Sincere and Tiffany, who have been great supporters,
21:39a part of that team. Our council president, Kenyatta Johnson, who is in session today,
21:44but a longtime supporter of the Navy Yard. Of course, our partners at PIDC, Jody and Kate
21:51and Sam and Kevin and the many, many others. That partnership is really what brings all of this
21:56together. Our friends and neighbors at Local 98, Mark will be up here. They've made a commitment,
22:02Mark and TJ to move here and be a part of it. Reversing one, Sal Paddy, as part of PIDC,
22:09a great advocate of the chair of the board for PIDC, but certainly Senator Saval, Rep Sivas. These are
22:16all people who are engaged in what we were doing. And we're very grateful. Our last thank you,
22:22Steve and Molly from Wojak have been incredible advisors. So we thank you for your guidance
22:26along the way. So in addition to thank yous, I think we also have to say we won't let you down,
22:33right? We understand the trust that you've put in us. We take great pride in being stewards of this
22:41land. This is an incredible responsibility that I promise you we do not take lightly.
22:46We greatly appreciate and we will deliver on this promise to bring jobs and great jobs to Philadelphia.
22:52So thank you all for coming. I'd like to introduce Secretary Seiger as well.
23:10Good morning, everyone. A lot of thanks have been said, but but let me just do it again because
23:16economic development is really a team sport and we can't win. We can't compete in the global market
23:21without great local partners like PIDC. Thanks to Jody, Kate McNamara, not just for today and the
23:28time I've been in this job, but for 25 years stewarding this site. Thanks to the Ensemble and
23:32Mosaic team who you just heard from. And of course, thanks to the governor for really championing this
23:36opportunity. His direction and leadership have led us to the point where we're making at scale
23:42investments in sites in a way that Pennsylvania has never done before. And I will say that, you know,
23:48a lot of that is because since we took office, we've been doing a lot of listening.
23:51We've listened to business leaders, real estate professionals, folks all around the world really
23:56that do this work. And from the beginning, one really key piece of feedback, in fact, the number
24:02one strategic initiative in our strategic plan is we've got to have product, we've got to have industrial
24:08and commercial sites ready to compete with other states. Without an inventory of the sites like we're
24:13talking about enabling today, businesses just don't have as many options to expand.
24:19And they're looking for the speed that you get when you have a pad ready site like the Greenway
24:23District. And honestly, that status quo was not acceptable to us was not acceptable to the governor.
24:29And it really wasn't acceptable to Pennsylvanians who are looking to create jobs here across our
24:34Commonwealth. And really, this is among the very best examples of bringing this theory to fruition.
24:40The Navy Yard has become a model of what can happen when an intentional strategy and meaningful
24:47development and investment are put forward. And this is a terrific next step. And that's why,
24:53frankly, investing more dollars with the legislature was so important and why we were so thrilled
24:58to have the trust of the legislature to move a half a billion dollars forward over the next three
25:04years in site development funds. So I'm so proud today to be highlighting these initial projects,
25:09again, the largest of which, by a fair margin, by the way, is the Navy Yard here. These projects
25:15enable us to go to work, to move into the marketplace to attract businesses to Pennsylvania,
25:20not just here in Philadelphia, by the way, but in suburban areas and rural areas all across
25:24Pennsylvania. You know, we have a saying on our team. In fact, it's like literally our business
25:30facing brand for Pennsylvania, Pennsylvania gets it done. Today's an example of how we're fulfilling
25:36that promise. We heard from business that we needed sites. We worked tirelessly on the right
25:41plan for Pennsylvania. We worked with our legislative partners on a bipartisan basis to get the funding.
25:46And today we're delivering. And frankly, as you heard the governor say, people are taking notice.
25:51People are excited to be doing business in Pennsylvania. It's my honor to be here with each
25:57of you to celebrate this first round. And there will be, by the way, many more to come in the coming years.
26:01Thank you so much for having me today. And let me just wrap up by saying that starting where I began,
26:09which is that economic development is a team sport. And certainly a key member of that team
26:13are our colleagues in organized labor. And it's my pleasure to introduce
26:16someone who now makes a home here in the Navy Yard, Mark Lynch from IBEW. Mark, please.
26:29I appreciate the round of applause, guys. And yes, we're a big fan of the shirts and
26:41and our guys and girls down here. So I want to appreciate or thank them for everything they do
26:45every day. Good morning, everyone. My name is Mark Lynch. I'm the business manager of IBEW Local 98.
26:51It's an honor to stand here today at Philadelphia's Navy Yard, a site with deep roots in our city's
26:58history. And as of today, a bold new vision for future. Governor Shapiro, Secretary Seiger,
27:05thank you for your leadership and recognize extraordinary potential right here in Philadelphia.
27:11With today's announcement, a $30 million investment through the Philadelphia or Pennsylvania
27:17strategic investments to enhance sites program is kind of a tongue twister. So bear with me with that
27:22one. $30 million. You're not just developing land, you're laying the foundation for opportunity.
27:30The Greenway District, 54 acres prepared for advanced manufacturing, life sciences,
27:37and research represents 500 to 700,000 square feet of possibility. Roads, utilities,
27:46and stormwater systems that are the nuts and bolts of progress.
27:54But what's most important is what it means. Jobs, innovation, and a future built right here in the
28:02Commonwealth. This is exactly the kind of bold vision we believe in at Local 98. Local 98 is proud
28:10to call the Navy Yard our home as well. But we didn't come here just to occupy space. We came here to be
28:16part of the transformation. Every day at the Navy Yard, our union invests in people. Through our
28:22apprenticeship program, we open doors to careers that come with good wages, benefits, and the skills to
28:29compete in tomorrow's economy. Through our charitable work, we support the neighborhoods and communities
28:36that make Philadelphia what it is. And through our assistance, we drive policy that puts working
28:41families first. So when Governor Shapiro talks about shovel-ready sites, we understand what that means
28:50because our members in the trades are the ones holding the shovels. We are the ones pulling the cable,
28:55running the pipe, and installing the systems, and powering the future. Governor, thank you for this
29:03investment. You made it clear. Pennsylvania is not waiting for the opportunity to knock on the door.
29:09We are building that door, and Local 98 will be right here at the Navy Yard opening that door for the next
29:15generation of workers every single day. So thank you, Governor. Thank you for everybody who came out.
29:22Thank you to the fine gentlemen sweating, the girls sweating back over there. It's an honor to be
29:27partners down here, be neighbors. We're excited about what the future holds, and it's my honor to
29:33introduce Senator Soval. So thank you. Thanks, Governor. Thank you, everyone.
29:41Good morning, everyone. My name is Nikhil Soval. I have the honor of representing the people and
29:54communities of Pennsylvania's first senatorial district, and serving as chair of the Senate's
29:58Philadelphia delegation, alongside my colleague and dear friend, State Representative Morgan Cephas,
30:03in the House, from whom you'll hear shortly. Thank you so much, Governor, and your team for
30:09bringing us together to celebrate this significant investment. Thank you to PIDC, all the partners at
30:14the Navy Yard, Mark, Brian, and everyone, Leslie, Greg, everyone at Ensemble Mosaic,
30:21the hardworking members of IBW Local 98. It's an incredible achievement. You know, I've been coming to the
30:29Navy Yard a number of different times to see the development, but also to come with my children.
30:35It's a great place. It's a great environment. And as they build out residential and just make it a
30:41really walkable, dense environment, you can see that transformation every day. It is becoming a
30:46neighborhood, and it is becoming a true model of development. Pennsylvania thrives when we invest in
30:51the brilliance and capacity of our people and communities. The greater Philadelphia region serves
30:56as an economic engine, generating more than $450 billion in gross regional product. This positions our
31:04region not just as the largest market in Pennsylvania, but one of the biggest in the country.
31:08By supporting local agencies to secure necessary permits and build out critical infrastructure,
31:14the SITES program serves as an important bridge to connect our communities with major businesses and
31:19employers who want to expand across our Commonwealth. Secretary, we were just speaking with one of those
31:25folks just a couple days ago. We're always talking to people who want SITES, who want to build in
31:30Pennsylvania, and this is critical. And the development here at our Navy Yard, a successful
31:35reclamation of a heavily industrialized space, has created opportunities for our city to grow and
31:41flourish, which is really important in the geographic region that has a very limited footprint.
31:46The success of this work shows the importance of development that fosters density, honors accessibility
31:51through walkability and public transit, and embraces design and infrastructure that will enable
31:56communities to thrive for the long term, even as our region faces extreme weather and rising sea levels.
32:03This work is affirmed by the recent gold certification from the U.S. Green Building Council,
32:08lifting our city as a model for the kind of development we need to be looking toward,
32:12and our Commonwealth as an exemplar of the dynamic support needed to achieve this. Our world is hungry
32:18for this kind of forward-thinking development. There's barely any vacancy. There's constantly demand
32:24here at the Navy Yard. And the PA SITES grant we are recognizing today will support soil excavation,
32:30stormwater management, roadways and utilities, allowing this important work of building a cohesive,
32:35enduring community to continue. Thank you, Governor Shapiro, for your vote of confidence in all this work
32:40that is getting done. I'm very excited for the future. And with that, I'm honored to bring up my
32:45colleague and friend, State Representative Morgan Cephas.
32:56Listen, I understand I'm between you and getting out of the heat, so I will be brief.
33:02Thank you, Senator Saval. As he stated, I am State Representative Morgan Cephas, and I represent the 192nd
33:08Legislative District out in West Philadelphia. It's about 45 minutes away from here, and I let you know
33:14that to remind you when you're coming down Lancaster Avenue to drop another $30 million off that way.
33:20Governor, when you come back. I also have the distinct pleasure to be the Philadelphia
33:25delegation chair, representing 25 members in Harrisburg, including our Majority Energy Chair,
33:31Representative Elizabeth Fiedler. And not only does she represent the Navy Yard, but she takes every
33:37opportunity possible to highlight the investment and the role it plays in a thriving Philadelphia.
33:43She doesn't oftentimes share Local 98 with us, but we do want to thank her for her presence in this
33:49area. And thank you, Mark, for all that you do. I too want to give my thoughts and prayers to the
33:53officer from the 19th Police District who was injured in one of my neighborhoods trying to break up an
33:59altercation. He hasn't fully recovered, but moving positively. And I want to thank our law enforcement
34:05men and women who go to work every day rushing towards danger to save and protect our communities.
34:11They represent the grit that is Philadelphia, knowing that at times we must take our own destiny in our
34:17hands to ensure we continue that our city can thrive. The investment our governor is making today
34:23represents that same Philadelphia grit. While we watch Washington, D.C. pull back and retreat
34:29from investing in communities while also implementing policies that has begun crippling economies,
34:35I am proud to stand here on behalf of our city's lawmakers with our governor as he doubles down on moving
34:41our economy in our city forward. Thank you.
34:45As was stated, the PA sites program is a strategic and targeted strategy to unlock economic growth
34:55by preparing sites for business expansion and job creation, setting us up for economic prosperity.
35:01As the governor mentioned that this is the first and the largest, let's not forget the largest,
35:06of 13 statewide grants totaling 73 million in new funding for development to create shovel ready
35:12sites for businesses to help Pennsylvania and Philadelphia compete, attract and invest and create jobs.
35:19The governor's investment here today, which is $30 million, I felt like you heard that several
35:23times for this delegate for this $30 million for this site at the Navy Yard will continue our efforts
35:30in Philadelphia and at the Navy Yard to achieve not only the delegation's priority, but our mayor's vision
35:36for economic opportunity for economic opportunity for economic opportunity for all. Targeting life sciences,
35:40research and manufacturing on one hand, as well as funding roadway and utility work on the other,
35:46will provide the infrastructure support needed to support the cutting edge work being undertaken here.
35:52Strategic investments like this not only create thousands of good paying jobs, moving people out of
35:57poverty, but it lays the foundation for sustainable growth for years to come. This sends a clear message to
36:03businesses in Pennsylvania and across the nation that Philadelphia and the Navy Yard are open for
36:08business with a workforce ready to meet the moment and we are on the move with a steady focus on growth
36:15in this challenging environment. So I want to thank you Governor Shapiro for recognizing the value of
36:20investing in Philadelphia and the Navy Yard. Please again, don't forget West Philadelphia. Anytime you need
36:25some time to go over there, let me know. The Philadelphia delegation looks forward to supporting
36:30this project as we continue to revitalize our city and our region. And now I want to turn it back to our
36:35number one Eagles fan when he's in Philadelphia, Governor Shapiro. Thank you, thank you.