Jim Estep, CEO and president of the High Technology Foundation, which manages the I-79 High Tech Park, is on a mission to recruit multiple federal operations to the park. The goal is to grow what is described as the knowledge sector, which brings with it, high-skill, high-wage jobs. The Tech Park houses federal entities such as NASA’s Katherine Johnson IV&V facility and facilities for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Estep said the park is the prime location for other federal agencies.
“Over $200 million of infrastructure investment has been made in the I-79 Technology Park and Research Center in the last decade,” Estep said. “Thanks to recent investments by DQE Corp. from Pittsburgh, we can now offer 400 gigabit per second broadband access in the park. We can compete with anybody in the world.”