State’s site selection website lands national ranking
PASiteSearch.com, the commonwealth’s web-based business location search tool, was recognized as one of the top 10 websites in the State Rankings of Best Economic Development Site Selection Website Services for its ability to help businesses start up, expand or relocate in Pennsylvania.
Team Pennsylvania Foundation hosts and manages the only statewide site selection and corporate real estate database along with its partners at the Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED), PECO and PPL Corporation.
“Speed and ease for businesses to access a wealth of information when determining an ideal location is an important factor in today’s fast-paced business world,” said Department of Community and Economic Development Secretary C. Alan Walker. “This recognition confirms that Pennsylvania is leading the way and providing businesses an entry point to see why Pennsylvania is built to advance.”
The analysis, compiled by urban and regional planning consulting firm Sigala Inc., compared and ranked the online site selection assistance websites of all 50 states, based on how well each state performed in four categories: lead generation, community search, property search and location analysis.
Sigala Inc. ranked PASiteSearch.com seventh in overall excellence across the nation – ranking second among large states by population and third among other northeastern states. The search site received the top ranking for its community search function, tying with nine other states, which allows companies to effectively select the correct community to meet its business needs. The state’s location search tool ranked fifth for its website’s property search functionality, which enables companies to find a specific location for its business.
DCED and Team PA launched PASiteSearch.com in 2010 to position the state with a competitive advantage in the corporate site selection process. Built by GIS Planning Inc., the website was the first in the nation to directly integrate critical portions of site selection information through the state’s website in the form of widgets.
In 2014, the search tools were updated, enhancing the functionality to include business data and heat maps. Businesses looking to expand, relocate or put roots in Pennsylvania can search thousands of shovel-ready sites by demographics, location and assets. The state-of-the-art tool uses a Google Maps interface and provides valuable information on labor force, consumer spending and transportation.
Sigala Inc. performed a quantitative analysis of every state’s site selection website service from September 2013 to January 2014. States were ranked across the four main categories and by 300 individual measurement variables within each category.