The Keystone Contractors Association is heartbroken by the devastating loss this week of police officers Det. Sgt. Cody Becker, Det. Isaiah Emenheiser and Det. Mark Baker who were killed in the line of duty. The construction industry has a special connection to our police force and all first responders and we grieve and pray for the families of our lost heroes.
This week’s top construction stories:
University City in Philly Core & Shell Completion: Gattuso Development Partners announced the completion of the core and shell for their new lab-focused building at 3201 Cuthbert St., part of Drexel University’s campus renewal efforts. The six-story, 140,000-square-foot structure is now in active leasing for life sciences tenants, with amenities including rooftop terraces and ground-level retail. This marks a milestone in Philadelphia’s innovation district expansion, with tenant fit-outs expected to begin in Q4 2025. The project, valued at over $100 million, supports the region’s growing biotech sector. READ MORE.
PHARE Fund Expansion Grows to Fund Over 1,000 Affordable Housing Projects Statewide: The Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency (PHFA) kicked off implementation of Governor Shapiro’s expanded PHARE program, allocating an additional $85 million for 2025-26 to build or rehabilitate more than 8,200 affordable units. Since 2023, funded projects have surged 55%, with new awards targeting rural and urban gaps—such as 200 units in Allegheny County and 150 in Dauphin. The initiative, now capped at $110 million annually by 2028, includes low-income tax credits and aims to address a 200,000-household renter increase since 2010. READ MORE.
Updating Elevator Safety Standards in the UCC: The PA Department of Labor and Industry submitted draft regulations (Regulation #12-123) to the Independent Regulatory Review Commission on July 23, with public comments closing this week. The updates align Pennsylvania’s Uniform Construction Code with ASME A17.1-2019 standards for elevators, impacting new high-rise builds and retrofits in cities like Philadelphia and Harrisburg. Industry groups like PENNBOC praised the move for enhancing safety in commercial and residential towers, with final adoption expected by early 2026. READ MORE.
Stay Safe, Stay Informed & Keep Building Pennsylvania!
Building Pennsylvania 