Sansom Common: Job engine?

In an attempt to help spur the local economy, many of the construction jobs created by the Sansom Common project have been given to area women and minorities, University officials said yesterday. The project is expected to generate about 275 temporary construction jobs, as well as several hundred permanent employment positions in the new hotel, book store and surrounding retail, according to the University's top economic development official, Jack Shannon. "Since this is a uniquely commercial retail project, we're looking to identify and capture permanent employment opportunities for minorities and women," he said. Shannon added that Penn is "seeking to identify other contracting opportunities for minority-owned and women-owned business enterprises, as well as local businesses, once the stores open." Officials will begin filling the permanent positions for the project at the beginning of next year, he said. The construction-related jobs generated by the development of the upscale retail district will be in the structural, masonry, interior finish, electrical and mechanical trades. Forty construction workers are currently employed at the site, including 21 minorities and 2 women. Permanent jobs will be in three primary areas, including hotel operations and management, Barnes & Noble management and operations and positions in the project's businesses and restaurants, most of whom have not yet been announced. The Inn at Penn is expected to create 12 management-level positions along with 185 other full-time jobs, including 29 job opportunities in the two or three fashion apparel stores that will be located in the hotel. Some of the other full-time jobs created in the hotel phase will include internal landscaping, promotional flag and banner printing and disk jockeying positions. The Book Store's current 40-person staff is likely to follow the operation into the new bookstore location at 37th and Walnut streets, Shannon said. Ten new employees will be hired due to extended store hours. The "Bookstore Phase" of construction will also see the addition of two or three stores -- including a brew pub and restaurant, a bistro and cafe -- and the creation of 47 retail-oriented positions and 112 restaurant-oriented positions. Many of the new jobs will be in the window cleaning, garbage collecting and product supply professions. Other job openings will be created from leasing and business development opportunities and service provision, procurement and other contracting opportunities. "Once the Barnes & Noble Book Store, the hotel and other retail establishments open, we are going to make sure local residents are identified and appropriately trained for the jobs," Shannon said.

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