Business Briefs are concise stories bringing you up to date with what’s happening around the county.

Memorial for the 22nd and Market Tragedy Looking for the Public’s Help

The project to create a $1.4 million memorial to honor the six killed and 13 injured when a wall collapsed on the Salvation Army store at 22nd and Market on June 5, 2013, is asking for the public’s help in funding.

Jerry Sweeney, CEO of Brandywine Realty Trust and a committee member of the memorial park fundraising group said that the construction cannot begin until all the funds are in the bank and the project is still $400,000 short.

The call for help came on September 29th, the same day as the start of jury selection for the criminal trial over the collapse.

“The beginning of today’s trial connected to the demolition of this site that resulted in six deaths again emphasizes the importance of this memorial park to the city,” said Sweeney, adding that “human life must be placed ahead of all other considerations.”

Three Schools in Chester County Honored with the National Blue Ribbon

Three schools in Chester County have been recognized for excellence and designated as National Blue Ribbon Schools by the U.S. Department of Education.

They were among seven schools in the Philadelphia area given the honor by the Secretary of Education, Arne Duncan. The winning Chester County schools are Radnor Middle School and St. Norbert Elementary School in Paoli, and St. Agnes Elementary in West Chester.

The award is given to schools around the country annually, and it recognizes schools either for their strong learning standards or for making remarkable strides on closing achievement gaps. This year, the award was achieved by 285 public schools and 50 private schools. Representatives from all the winning schools will travel to Washington this November to receive their award.

Duncan praised the awardees by saying “This honor recognizes your students’ accomplishments and the hard work and dedication that went into their success.”

Coatesville to Receive Energy Upgrades

On Monday, members of the City Council voted unanimously to approve performance contracting between Johnson Controls and the city of Coatesville in order to reduce the city’s energy usage, and in the process save the city money.

Performance contracting does not require an initial capital expenditure and is funded using future savings instead of capital reserves. Johnson Controls is required to cover the difference if the projected savings do not materialize.

The project includes upgrades such as citywide LED street lighting, Ash Park and the pool complex exterior lighting, 11 wireless security cameras installed in the city, as well as a number of upgrades to City Hall.

The project, which is estimated to cost $1,829,947, is expected to help the city save $2,206,848 over a period of 20 years. According to City Manager, Michael Trio, work on the project could begin in the first quarter of 2016.

Sunoco Pipeline Discussion Heats Up

The Chester County-based Pipeline Safety Coalition hosted a pipeline safety public forum in Downingtown to help residents understand the current developments and advise them on possible courses of action regarding the Sunoco Logistics Mariner East Pipeline Project.

The meeting was attended by Chester County Commissioner, Terence Farrell, who spoke to the numerous residents and representatives from the Pennsylvania Energy Infrastructure Alliance saying that “the pipeline issue is here to stay.”

A number of residents, who were present at the meeting, received easement agreements from Sunoco and were concerned about the legal language and possible outcome if they did sign, with some wondering if Sunoco even has eminent domain rights.

Using this opportunity to be heard, proponents of the pipeline stated their support saying that it would provide “well-paying jobs”, while the opponents expressed their concerns regarding safety and environmental issues.