Pennsylvania Awards $500K Grant for Upper Moreland Municipal and Police Complex Expansion

On August 28, 2026, Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro visited Upper Moreland Township in Montgomery County to formally announce a $500,000 state grant awarded through the Commonwealth’s Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program (RACP). The state investment will support the ongoing $28.3 million expansion and comprehensive modernization of the Upper Moreland Township Municipal Building, a central civic hub located on Park Avenue in Willow Grove that houses both the township's administrative offices and the Upper Moreland Police Department.

The municipal building renovation and expansion project officially commenced preliminary site preparation in June 2026, with construction scheduled to conclude in October 2027. Originally constructed decades ago to serve a much smaller suburban population, the existing facility has struggled with significant space constraints, outdated public safety infrastructure, and deferred mechanical maintenance. The comprehensive overhaul will add two new dedicated wings totaling 13,125 square feet of usable floor area. The expansion allocates 6,325 square feet specifically for law enforcement operations and 6,800 square feet for general township governance, community meeting chambers, and administrative staff offices.

The newly announced $500,000 grant increases total commonwealth financial assistance for the project to approximately $4.1 million across three successive funding cycles. Previous state allocations under the RACP program provided $2.85 million in October 2022 and an additional $750,000 in November 2024. The latest funding allocation is earmarked for extensive civil and site preparation works, including heavy grading, foundation excavation, stormwater management mitigation, utility line relocation, redesigned public parking configurations, and high-efficiency HVAC and electrical upgrades designed to meet modern environmental and accessibility standards.

During the announcement ceremony, Governor Shapiro was joined by local municipal leaders and state lawmakers, including Upper Moreland Chief of Police Scott Bendig, Township Manager Patrick Stasio, State Senator Maria Collett (D-12), and State Representative Nancy Guenst (D-152). Law enforcement leadership emphasized that the renovated facility will deliver vital improvements for modern policing, including secure intake rooms, dedicated juvenile processing areas, climate-controlled evidence storage vaults, and enhanced emergency dispatch infrastructure. Chief Bendig noted that these structural upgrades are crucial for officer safety, operational workflow, and ensuring the department can effectively respond to community needs across Montgomery County.

Elected representatives representing the region highlighted the critical importance of state-local collaboration in financing large-scale municipal infrastructure without placing an undue burden on local property tax rolls. Senator Collett and Representative Guenst noted that Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program funds are designed precisely to assist suburban communities in modernizing aging civic infrastructure that would otherwise require substantial local borrowing. Township Manager Patrick Stasio stated that the project will create a modern, ADA-accessible, and welcoming civic campus for residents accessing public services, permitting, code enforcement, and commissioner meetings.

The Upper Moreland project aligns with broader statewide investments targeting local government modernization and emergency services infrastructure across Pennsylvania. Administered directly by the Pennsylvania Office of the Budget, the RACP program provides competitive grants for regional economic, cultural, civic, and historical improvement projects across the commonwealth. As municipal entities throughout the state confront rising construction material costs and evolving regulatory standards for law enforcement facilities, targeted state capital grants continue to play a pivotal role in ensuring local civic institutions remain functional, resilient, and equipped for long-term public service.