Several years ago, when the Tri County Theater for the Performing Arts came to Pottstown there were many people that said, "Oh, yeah- a theater in downtown Pottstown, what good is that going to do for our economy?" Well, aside from opening up wonderful new avenues of entertainment for young and old in this area, just let me tell you a little story about exactly what that theater and other places like The Gallery School of Pottstown have managed to bring to the area...
VideoRay, LLC and Pottstown Area Industrial Development, Inc. announced plans today for the relocation of VideoRay’s headquarters to Pottstown, Pennsylvania. VideoRay, the global leader in observation Remotely Operated Vehicle technology, is working on plans to acquire and renovate the former Levitz building at 212 E. High Street.
The building would initially be occupied by 35 VideoRay employees working in management, corporate administration, marketing, engineering, assembly, and repair functions. The rapidly growing manufacturer of very small underwater ROVs expects to increase the size of its workforce over the next several years.
“I am very excited about what we can do when we relocate to downtown Pottstown,” said Scott Bentley, president and majority owner of VideoRay LLC. “There are a lot of reasons why we will be better off in Pottstown than where we are now. We were recruited by PAID and I have found (Pottstown) manager Jason Bobst and the borough staff to be very helpful in addressing some zoning and parking issues. It has been great working with PAID and the borough.”
Pottstown Borough Council President Stephen M. Toroney said, “VideoRay is exactly the type of employer we want to attract to our community ... A global high tech company with tremendous growth potential will soon call Pottstown home and we are pleased to welcome them.”
PAID and the borough have been working with VideoRay since November to help determine the feasibility of relocating and alleviating concerns about moving from a rural to urban environment. The company has outgrown its current location in East Pikeland, Chester County.
“We presented the many benefits of establishing operations in Pottstown,” said Steve Bamford, executive director of PAID. “The idea of locating in a classic, walkable downtown was appealing to the company. Proximity to restaurants, the Tri County Performing Arts Center, public transportation and convenient parking factored into their decision, as did plans for expansion of the Schuylkill River Trail and the continued growth of Montgomery County Community College in the borough.”
VideoRay is also exploring establishing a robotics campus in the building by leasing space to independent companies that provide some of the accessories and software used by VideoRay and its customers.
“The prospect of additional technology companies moving to Pottstown is tremendously exciting and we are here to be of assistance,” said Bamford.
About PAID, Inc.:Pottstown Area Industrial Development, Inc. is the non-profit corporation designated by a partnership of the Borough of Pottstown, Pottstown School District and the Montgomery County Redevelopment Authority to coordinate and lead economic development efforts within the Borough of Pottstown, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania.
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