North Preston Broadband Connect
By Robbie Baylor , Preston County Economic Development Authority Executive Director , and Tim Wotring , Prodigi President and CEO
Morgantown Industrial Park
By Mary Lemine , The Thrasher Group , Inc . Marketing Manager
Build it and they will come . No truer statement could be made about the Morgantown Industrial Park ( MIP ). Acquired by Enrout Properties in 2006 , the MIP has become a destination for economic development projects . The centerpiece is the 330,000-square-foot manufacturing facility occupied by Mountaintop Beverage . While it may be the most talked about piece of the park , it ’ s not a standalone operation — SI Group , Penske Trucking , Mon County Solid Waste Authority and Central Supply Company , amongst others , all call the MIP home , with more on their way to doing so soon . How did this more than 500-acre site go from sparsely populated to one of the area ’ s main economic drivers ? They are the direct result of PPPs .
It started with Enrout ’ s vision and an MIP master plan designed by The Thrasher Group . The two collaborated to develop a variety of shovel-ready pads to attract businesses of all sizes , with coordination between the Morgantown Utility Board , First Energy and Dominion Resources to ensure the right utilities were in place . Meanwhile , work behind the scenes with the Morgantown Area Partnership , Monongalia County Commission , West Virginia Division of Highways and West Virginia Department of Economic Development brought on a slew of additional opportunities . Whether establishing the MIP as a Tax Increment Financing District , planning a new interstate interchange , securing a U . S . EPA Brownfields Cleanup Grant or facilitating construction of a new MECCA 911 Center , each entity has played an invaluable part in moving the MIP forward .
Juggling so many moving pieces required a strong team on all sides and a highly coordinated effort . Enrout has deftly led the charge , bringing a clear vision and a passion for making it happen . Thrasher has also been a common thread through the MIP ’ s development . Putting its master plan to action , Thrasher has handled mass earthwork design , roadway realignments , utility extensions , architectural design and more to help the MIP blossom into a leading development for West Virginia .
The North Preston Broadband Connect project was undertaken through a partnership between the Preston County Economic Development Authority ( PCEDA ) and Prodigi , a local broadband provider . This partnership was formed to apply for U . S . Department of Agriculture ( USDA ) Community Connect grant funds to provide fiber broadband service to northern Preston County . The PPP model formed was supported by the Federal Communications Commission ( FCC ). The FCC encouraged publicprivate initiatives and using partnerships to apply for existing federal funds . The $ 3 million USDA grant for this project was awarded to the PCEDA on December 9 , 2019 . Prodigi and the PCEDA partnered to provide the required $ 450,000 matching funds .
Both the PCEDA and Prodigi relied on their strengths to make this project successful . The PCEDA handled the grant and funding management , which allowed Prodigi to focus on building fiber and providing broadband connections . The partnership also brought increased financial resources to the project . Finally , because the PCEDA is a public body , there was transparency on all aspects of the project .
The project was completed in November 2022 . Through the partnership , 111.8 miles of fiber broadband were built to serve customers who either had no service or limited service prior to the project . The project passed by 1,337 households , and at the end of the project , 871 residents had signed up for service and Prodigi was still receiving new requests for connection .
At the time the project was funded , the PCEDA and Prodigi had no idea how important broadband connectivity would become to everyone in just a few months with the arrival of COVID-19 . Through their working relationship and collaboration , they were able to complete the project on time and on budget during the pandemic and build more miles of fiber and pass more households than originally estimated with the funds available . Because of this success , the organizations have gone on to partner on additional broadband projects for Preston County .
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WEST VIRGINIA EXECUTIVE