Pennsylvania Power & Light Co. will contribute $100,000 to help the Allentown Economic Development Corp. establish a work force training center in a now-vacant downtown building.

Chairman William F. Hecht announced the company's commitment to the AEDC's "Portland Place" project Thursday morning (6/27) at a meeting of the Partnership for Downtown Allentown, a group of business and civic leaders created earlier this year by Mayor William Heydt.

The center will be housed in the former Lehigh Portland Cement Co. offices on Hamilton Street and will offer job training, literacy programs and other services to help people entering or re-entering the job market.

The AEDC expects the center to be open by the fall of 1997, with Lehigh Carbon Community College as a prime tenant. The Portland Place project is an effort to quickly implement one of the identified priorities of the Partnership for Downtown Allentown, which is headed by Hecht.

PP&L's commitment is being made through the company's Community Partnership grant program, created last year to revitalize urban areas, promote economic development and improve the quality of life across the region. PP&L will announce all of the 1996 Community Partnership grant recipients in July.

"The Portland Place project will bring new life and new energy to downtown Allentown. It shows what can be done by focusing on the assets and potential of downtown," Hecht said.

"The training center will support business growth in downtown Allentown by expanding the pool of available workers with the skills that today's businesses need," he added. PP&L's $100,000 grant represents a portion of the community funding the AEDC needs to move the work force training center project into the construction phase.

Previously, PP&L provided seed money in the amount of $75,000 to help the Portland Place project with start-up costs. Those costs included such items as architectural and engineering fees.

PP&L's Community Partnership Program is funded by corporate funds; none of the program cost is charged to PP&L customers.

"We have a long history of community involvement and a belief that an investment in the community is an investment in PP&L's future," Hecht said.

Last year, PP&L presented $2.4 million in grants to 39 community agencies and organizations across its service area.