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By STEVE MOCARSKY smocarsky@leader.net
Monday, March 17, 2003 Page: 3A
WILKES-BARRE – A state-funded study appears to back up what Wilkes-Barre
developer Thom Greco has been saying for the past few years.
Because of its blight and abandoned steam heat system, Wilkes-Barre can be
a model “cyber-city” and attract numerous companies and high-paying jobs if
his technology plan is implemented.
“This project will enable this area to spring into economic prominence.
… It’s a phenomenal explosion of information accessibility, and that’s what
the next economy, the next technological revolution, is based on,” Greco said
at a press conference Sunday.
The blight is in the form of empty buildings available for occupancy by
companies that need the technology. Steam pipes below the city would carry the
wiring used to “light up” the proposed cyber-city.
Greco’s plan is to feed high-grade fiber optic wire through pipes that once
provided heat to almost all the buildings in a 20-block city grid. That
fiber-optic network would provide Internet, voice, data exchange and video
streaming at a rate 70 times faster than what’s currently available in most
cities.
And, the technology would be available to businesses for the same price as
T-1 Internet access – the fastest available in most areas.
A remaining structure of the steam generation plant would be renovated and
used as a base for network operations, a cyber-school, visitor center and
technology incubator for businesses.
Greco said the $90,000 Tech 21 Initiative Feasibility Study verifies that:
the technology would draw numerous businesses to the city and create more
than 5,100 jobs in 15 years with average annual salaries climbing from $53,000
to $73,000 in that time period.
the steam pipes are “in great shape” for the project.
the project should be pursued as a public-private partnership.
Greco also said a question of ownership of the plant and right of way to
the pipes will no longer impede the project, because the courts decided he
holds exclusive title and all appeals have been exhausted.
Greco’s announcement at the Genetti Hotel & Convention Center in
Wilkes-Barre was attended by city and county officials, representatives of
technology companies and local business people, all of whom heralded the plan.
Talcott Phillips, a Kingston native who directs operations at a Manhattan
engineering consulting firm, led the study team of KPMG Consulting – a San
Francisco technology firm; CISCO Systems – a San Jose, Calif., technology
company; a Harvard-educated economist and a Wharton graduate.
Phillips said the technology Greco wants to offer is only available in big
cities. He said he knows corporate bosses who want to move to other areas, but
other cities can’t afford to provide the necessary technology infrastructure.
Wilkes-Barre can offer it at tremendously lower cost than other cities
because G-Net, Greco’s business, already owns the right-of-way to buildings in
the 20-block grid, and streets would not have to be dug up to access the
network.
Greco said he has $3 million in private funding in place for the $12
million project, CISCO Systems committed $800,000 and the city spent $400,000
to demolish and clean up the steam-heat property. He hopes to secure $3
million in low-interest loans, $5 million in state and federal funding and a
$175,000 city grant.
Greco hopes to woo Gov. Ed Rendell with the plan today during an economic
summit at Wilkes University. He said his project is the perfect example of
projects suggested by Rendell to revitalize the state’s economy.
If the funding falls into place, work should begin in the fall, Greco said.
He said he expects the network to be operational some time in 2004.
Steve Mocarsky, a Times Leader staff writer, may be reached at 459-2005.