Read our Chester County Briefs every morning to stay up to date on the smaller developments happening around Chester County.

Navy Yard and Camden Project Draw Interest in Liberty Property

Seven years ago Liberty Property Trust decided towards increasing its industrial space while selling off close to 8.5 million square feet of office properties mostly located in suburban markets.  

Today, with over $500 million in sales this year and an additional $1.2 billion expected during the next, the Malvern based real estate investment trust has been making significant strides with its new strategy.

These funds will now be funneled towards new developments and purchases. The company expects to begin between $500 and $700 million in new developments next year, with a lot of interest being expressed from well known companies in its Philadelphia Navy Yard development and its planned waterfront project in Camden.

“It is safe to say that there is likely to be new development in Philadelphia next year, but we are not announcing any new development now,” said Jeanne Leonard, a spokeswoman for Liberty.

A Pioneer for Crime Victims’ Rights Leaves a Lasting Legacy

An inspiration for many, Constance “Connie” Noblet, a pioneer in the crime victims’ rights movement, died on December 6th at 91 years old, in Rhode Island.

As the co-founder and Director of the Rape Crisis Council of Chester County, one of the first rape crisis centers in the country founded over four decades ago, Noblet helped bring recognition to the victims’ movement that focuses on highlighting the emotional impact that is inflicted from violent crimes, as well as the importance of helping victims through the process of rebuild their lives within a criminal justice system that so often treats them unjustly.

Noblet worked past the age of 80, helping countless victims of crime, accidents, violence, war and other disasters through her prolific professional and volunteer career which spanned over five decades.

“She touched so many people,” said Peggy Gusz, Noblet’s successor as the CVC’s Director.

VPG Acquires Stress-Tek

Malvern based Vishay Precision Group, Inc., a leading producer of precision sensors and systems, announced on Tuesday it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire the privately held Stress-Tek company. Vishay Precision expects the acquisition to close by the end of the year, provided that all of the standard closing procedures go through without a hitch.

The purchase price for the designer and manufacturer of state-of-the-art rugged and reliable strain gage-based load cells and force measurement systems is expected to be around $20 million, which also includes the acquisition of real estate valued at $5.5 million. The purchase will be financed by a combination of cash on hand and third party borrowings.

“We are excited to welcome the Stress-Tek family of products into VPG,” said Marc Zandman, Chairman of the Board of VPG. “This acquisition supports our corporate growth strategy and allows us to expand our existing product portfolio to new end markets and geographic areas.”

Vote for the Phoenixville’s Person of the Year in Borough Patch Poll

After receiving nominations from dozens of people from around the borough, the voting process has begun for Phoenixville’s Person of the Year for 2015.

The poll is run annually by patch.com, and this year the nominated individuals are Lisa Longo, Dave & Kathy Gill, Brian Gallagher, Thomas Mitchell, and Paul Gurcules.

Currently, Brian Gallagher is leading in the poll for this prestigious title, but it is definitely still too early to know who will ultimately come out as the winner, as the voting will remain open until the end of day on December 31st.

You can cast a vote for your favorite by clicking here.

Senator Dinniman Issues a Reminder on the Tax and Rent Rebate Deadline

With only two weeks left until the deadline to apply for Pennsylvania’s Property Tax and Rent Rebate Program, State Senator Andy Dinniman reminded senior citizens and residents with disabilities to take the time to apply for this valuable benefit.

The rebate program, which is funded by the Pennsylvania State Lottery, already received thousands of applications from the Chester County residents, but many who qualify for this vital assistance have still yet to do so.

Dinniman also took the opportunity to remind seniors to be wary of mailings and unsolicited offers which are attempting to charge a fee for what is otherwise free information and process.

“Residents are not required to pay a fee to apply for the program. They can apply directly for free,” said Dinniman. “Free applications and assistance are readily available at hundreds of locations throughout the state, including my West Chester District Office.”