Observer Reporter
Tuesday, April 27, 2004

Commissioners OK work at Curry Home
BY CARA HOST

WAYNESBURG- Greene County commissioners acted quickly Thursday in awarding a contract to remove mold and asbestos from Curry Memorial Home in Franklin Township.

At least part of the former nursing home, which has been vacant for 13 years, is supposed to be converted into lab and office space for Separation Design Group, a high-tech product development company. The company and commissioners signed a lease agreement this month.

At their regular meeting Thursday, commissioners agreed to hire Canfield Development of Pittsburgh to address problems with the building. Canfield submitted the lowest bid, $123,000, among the eight possible received. The offers ranged as high as $239,000.

The county will use money it received from Greene County Industrial Development Authority to start the project. However, that money will be reimbursed if the counry obtains a grant from the state Department of Community and Economic Development.

SDGroup, formed in 2003, operates from a small facility on Elm Street, Franklin Township. It has been developing a variety of inventions that use oxygen enrichment technology. Their devices will be able to separate oxygen from the air and concentrate it.

The company's work has attracted a few grants from the National Science Foundation and the National Institutes of Health. SDGroup employs 10 people, five full time and five part time.