Which major Lancaster County building projects face delays due to COVID-19?

By now, it’s common knowledge that some people are more vulnerable to COVID-19 than others.

The elderly face the most risk, along with people who have certain underlying medical conditions, including chronic lung disease, diabetes and compromised immune systems, says the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Well, the same principle applies to proposed economic-development projects. Some types are more vulnerable to COVID-19 than others.

For instance, growth plans by companies in industries that have been devastated by the pandemic, such as the hotel industry and the live-event industry, are much more likely to be put on hold, logically enough.

“It is not surprising that some economic development projects are on hold given the current significant uncertainty in the business environment,” said Naomi Young, director of the Center for Regional Analysis of the Economic Development Company of Lancaster County.

“These projects rely on multiple sectors and businesses that are subject to different guidance on the timing and rate at which they can resume operations. Importantly, the ultimate success of these projects relies on a resumption of strong demand which no one can really forecast right now,” she added.

LNP | LancasterOnline this week checked with the developers of a half-dozen sizable, previously announced local projects, across several industries, to see whether the coronavirus outbreak has affected those ventures.

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