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I am not a public official here to outline a "package" to help
attract you to my area. I am simply a member of the community,
who sees first-hand that there are several reasons that would make
The City of Chester, PA a
potential top choice for building a film studio:
- Availability of suitable building sites within the
city.
There are numerous locations which could be possible.
Chester has many underused commercial and industrial sites, many
including waterfront access on the Delaware River, that could serve
as likely locations.
- Available work-force.
Chester has one of the highest
unemployment rates in the Philadelphia suburbs, and as such could
represent a strong pool of available workforce, both in the
construction and on-going operations of the facility, which could
serve to limit the costs of construction. In addition, as you are
already aware, there are a large number of colleges and
universities in the Philadelphia suburbs, from which the studio
could attract any number of employees.
- Available Housing.
The region boasts a wide range of
housing options for relocating employees. From affordable urban
housing in the city itself, to one of the top 10 places to live in
the nation, according to Money Magazine. (Nether
Providence, a borough right outside the city limits, was listed
as #9 in Money's Top 100 places to live) This could be rather
attractive to crew members and facility management that chose to
live in the area.
- Community Impact.
 This
is perhaps the most important aspect of why I feel choosing Chester
would be a wise decision. The community has long had the motto,
"What Chester Makes, Makes Chester." With the drawback of
industrial production of the last several decades, the community
has felt a harsh impact. While the area has a long and proud
history, many residents are now faced with an uncertain future. It
is my strong belief that a Studio would be readily embraced as a
part of the community, and residents would quickly rally behind the
studio, in an effort to be part of the rebirth of their
city.
- Geographic Location.
With close access to Philadelphia Airport (which is actually mostly
within Delaware County), Interstate Highways, Railways, and the
Port on the Delaware River, the construction and operations of a
studio within Chester could be supported by Air, Land, and Sea. The
access to the port could also allow for the potential construction
of water/tank sets.
As a resident of the area myself, I can also attest to the fact
that there is an active amateur film community in the region. I
have worked on the production of two independently produced films,
myself, including having co-written the screenplay for the short
film, The Cracked Man (http://www.crackedman.com/) which
will be featured at the upcoming Wildwood Film
Festival and the Terror Film
Festival. For me it is a hobby only, but I can assure you that
there is a lot of creative and technical talent in the area that
would love the opportunity to support a studio's operations in this
area.
If any developers would like a personal tour of the area, please
do not hesitate to
contact me. I will be happy to show you first-hand the
opportunities that I see.
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