The Beaver County Corporation for Economic Development (CED) has set a "wall breaking" date for the construction of a new innovation center in Beaver Falls, which will be housed in an existing building that will undergo renovations.
Officials will host the event on Feb. 17 at 1317 7th Ave., the future home of the Beaver Valley Innovation Hub, or B-HIVE for short. Those in attendance will have the opportunity to participate in a "hammer throw" to help mark the start of construction.
CED bought the building currently in its place in 2021 and now plans to renovate it so that it can offer 7,500 square feet of coworking space, educational and business services, a digital makerspace and job training programs.
CED is working with Penn State Beaver, Geneva College, the Community College of Beaver County, Job Training of Beaver County and the Beaver County Chamber of Commerce to build B-HIVE. The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania awarded CED a $734,025 Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program grant to help fund the project, which CED will all fully match with its own funds.
According to Beaver County public records, the structure that B-HIVE will be built inside of was first constructed in 1925.
