Governor Wolf Announces Funding for New PATH Headquarters to Consolidate and Expand Services in Philadelphia
PATH Provides Behavioral Health Services for Children, Adults and People with Intellectual Disabilities
HARRISBURG, PA – Governor Tom Wolf today announced that Commonwealth Cornerstone Group (CCG) has completed a New Markets Tax Credit (NMTC) transaction of up to $9 million with PATH (People Acting to Help) so that it can centralize its operations after renovating a historic building at 1919 Cottman Avenue in Philadelphia. A new building also will be constructed on an adjacent parcel of land as part of this project.
PATH provides behavioral health and intellectual disabilities services for children and adults, regardless of their ability to pay. Its services include urgent care mental health services, residential services, case management, drug and alcohol recovery, adult day programs, in-school assessments and more.
“This new facility for PATH will allow the organization to work more efficiently and effectively and let it expand the number of people it can help,” said Gov. Wolf. “The role PATH plays in Philadelphia is vital.”
In 2018, PATH helped 4,200 people with its services. The two buildings planned as part of this project will allow PATH to increase the number of people helped to 5,500. The existing building that will be renovated is currently vacant and has five stories. That building, and the new building to be constructed, will provide 76,370 square feet of space.
This new headquarters for PATH will allow it to consolidate its current satellite operations into a single building. It will also accommodate growth for PATH to help more people. In addition to these benefits, the new location will be better for PATH’s clients because it’s closer to public transportation. Plus, the added square footage will let PATH provide space for up to nine additional social service providers to enhance the mix of services available to clients.
“These two buildings connected by a green space will allow PATH to do more to help people through behavioral support services,” said PHFA Executive Director and CEO Brian A. Hudson Sr. “By providing additional space to allow PATH to house other organizations, they will be able to offer more complete services to their clients on this new campus.”
This project is expected to create 150 full-time jobs and retain 600 full-time jobs. These positions will pay an average wage of $22.50 per hour; entry level positions will start at $13.25 an hour. All staff will receive health insurance, a retirement plan, ongoing training and continuing education credits. Additionally, this project is estimated to create 114 temporary, full-time construction jobs. More than 50 percent of all these jobs will be accessible to low-income people. Indirect jobs will also be created by the project’s construction and, afterward, by PATH’s expanded operations.
About PATH
PATH, Inc. was founded in 1973 by a group of dedicated community members who set out to provide critical services to northeast Philadelphia. With a $45 million annual budget and more than 600 staff positions, PATH serves more than 4,200 children, adolescents, and adults each year through a comprehensive array of evidence-based clinical programs. PATH has achieved the highest levels of accreditation, including a five-star provider rating by Philadelphia’s Managed Care entity, and consistently earns recognition and awards related to its high-quality programs and accomplishments by staff.
About Commonwealth Cornerstone Group
The goal of CCG, through its administration of New Markets Tax Credits, is to fund projects in key areas of communities that have historic or cultural value and offer opportunities to spark economic revitalization. CCG utilizes NMTCs to provide loans and equity investments for business expansion, mixed-use development, and community facilities across Pennsylvania. Examples of past developments that have benefited from CCG’s investment of tax credits include Bakery Square in Pittsburgh, the Coal Street Community Facility in Wilkes-Barre, and Schmucker Hall in Gettysburg. Learn more at: www.commonwealthcornerstone.org/.
About the New Markets Tax Credit Program
The New Markets Tax Credit Program was established by Congress in 2000 to spur new or increased investments in operating businesses and real estate projects located in low-income communities. The NMTC Program attracts investment capital to low-income communities by permitting individual and corporate investors to receive a tax credit against their federal income tax return in exchange for making equity investments in specialized financial institutions called community development entities, such as Commonwealth Cornerstone Group. The program is administered by the U.S. Department of the Treasury.
