4. AGRiMED coming to Greene County
With the support of Steelers Hall of Fame linebacker Jack Ham, Philadelphia-based AGRiMED Industries secured one of the dozen licenses across Pennsylvania to grow medicinal marijuana at a specialized facility in Greene County.
Ham represented the company during its successful effort to build the facility on a 61-acre site in Cumberland Township near the Nemacolin Mine coal refuse dump that once was planned for a power plant.
After reviewing 177 applications from companies across Pennsylvania, the state Department of Health issued a permit to AGRiMED in June with the stipulation that the facility would be in operation by Dec. 20.
The growing and processing operation will employ 62 workers, although that number could grow as production increases. A ground-breaking ceremony was held Oct. 11 for the first building, which will house about 2,400 plants. The company, which plans to invest $25 million in the project, hopes to have its first products ready to distribute to dispensaries in the first quarter of 2018.
Meanwhile, one of those medical marijuana dispensaries will be located in Washington. The Healing Center on West Chestnut Street will be one of 52 dispensaries in the state. The company plans to raze the existing structure on the site and construct a new building, which is slated to open for clients in 2018. — Mike Jones