James C. Lolli, Architect LLC

Suite 210

Established in July, 2008, James C. Lolli, Architect LLC is a small firm located in Phoenixville, Pennsylvania.  Mr. Lolli has over 20 years experience and, prior to establishing this firm, was a principal for eight years in the firm Lenhardt Lolli & Rodgers Architects located in Fort Washington, Pennsylvania.

Our firm is focused on providing architectural services for healthcare, senior living, commercial and educational related projects.  We are experienced in both new construction and renovations.  Many of the renovation projects require addressing accessibility issues.

Each project, from the initial design concept to the completion of construction, receives significant involvement from our firm’s principal.  Engineering services are provided through our consulting engineers specifically selected according to their project experience.

The firm utilizes the latest in computer technology and is in the process of implementing Building Information Modeling (BIM) to better enable the client to visualize the building design and to provide more accurate and efficient documentation

The group has been in existence for 2 and a half years.  Their mission is to create a relaxed atmosphere for business owners to get to know each other professionally and personally. This is accomplished by pre breakfast conversation, sharing a meal, listening to fellow businesses speak about their company or organization and participating in testimonials.

“By doing this we not only help others grow, but we grow professionally and personally through this weekly contact”.

The Group is now meeting every Wednesday morning from 7:45-9AM at Franklin Commons, 400 Franklin Avenue in Phoenixville. They meet in the conference room, Suite 209. Park in the Grant Street Lot and come in the front door. Cost to join is $50 the first year and $20 each year after and $10 per week for breakfast. Each week a member gets to speak for 20 minutes and at the end we all pass business cards and have an opportunity to give  a 30 second commercial.  Meetings end on time,  if you choose to hang out and talk further to anyone, please  go into the Bistro.

Networking is the least expensive way to promote your business! We all know that people  do business with those they know, like and trust and the only way to build those relationships is to network, network network!!! Hope to see you at the next meeting!!!

Area Residents  now have the services of SE PA’s self titled “Life Change Expert.” at their disposal to help them help themselves. Eleanor Fineran who is a Certified Hypnotherapist and Reiki Master, uses these Mind-Body healing techniques to tackle a variety of problems such as Stress Management, Smoking Cessation, Weight Management, and get relief from chronic problems such as fears and pain.

For more information call 610-680-8476 or visit www.soulcenteredhealth.com

May is Mental Health Awareness Month and Soul Centered Health will be opening at the Franklin Commons this month in Phoenixville.  Soul Centered Health champions Mental Health as one of the keys to overall health and wellness.  The business supports clients with mental, physical, and emotional concerns using Mind Body techniques including Hypnotherapy and Reiki.

Phoenixville, PA,  Soul Centered Health is launching a new Office in Phoenixville. Area Residents will now have the services of SE PA’s self titled “Life Change Expert.” at their disposal to help them help themselves. Eleanor Fineran who is a Certified Hypnotherapist and Reiki Master, uses these Mind-Body healing techniques to tackle a variety of problems such as Stress Management, Smoking Cessation, Weight Management, and get relief from chronic problems such as fears and pain.

Soul Centered Health has an office located at Franklin Commons, 400 Franklin Avenue Suite 222, Phoenixville, PA 19460.

For more information call 610-680-8476 or visit www.soulcenteredhealth.com

The Chester County Keystone Innovation Zone has expanded geographically and now has four additional educational institutions involved in the program.

West Chester University, Cheyney University, the Franklin Commons education and enterprise facility in Phoenixville, and Tredyffrin’s Evolve IP Corporate Center are now participants in the KIZ, a program that supports young life science, biotechnology and information technology companies in the county.

The new boundaries will include both West Chester University’s main campus and its Graduate Business Center at 1160 McDermott Drive near Route 202.

“Given all the layoffs, having a KIZ with people starting new companies is absolutely critical at this time,” said Mary Fuchs, project consultant for the Chester County Keystone Innovation Zone.

According to the organization’s annual report, CCKIZ companies in 2009:

received their full requested awards in KIZ tax credits for a total amount of $693,251 for seven companies in the zone

reported increased revenue of more than $19 million from the previous year

created 53 jobs

retained 255 jobs

leveraged more than $6.6 million in funding

Prior to its latest expansion, the county had seven KIZ areas, all located in office parks in the Route 202, Route 100/Turnpike, Exton, Goshen, Downingtown, Great Valley and Chesterbrook areas.

State Sen. Andrew Dinniman, D-19th, of West Whiteland, said expanding the zone is good economic policy.

“Chester County’s KIZ is one of the most successful in Pennsylvania,” Dinniman said. “We have had an incredible numer of companies grow and move from research and development to commercial enterprises. By expanding the zone, you are expanding the opportunities. It’s a step in the right direction.”

Fuchs said there are 21 companies that have received services or support from the Keystone Innovation Zone in Chester County.

To qualify for assistance, companies must be in high-tech industries, be physically located within the zone and be eight years old or less.

Those currently listed as Chester County KIZ companies are: Alliance Pharma, Bythezip.com, Carbon Nanoprobes, Epcot Crenshaw Corp., Evolve IP, Frontage Laboratories, GreenPointe Energy, Level One, Melior Discovery, Momentum Dynamics, Nanopack, Neuronetics, Nuron Biotech, Pharmatrope, Progenra, Promedior, Reaction Biology, Shifa Biomedical, Syan

dus, Tetralogic Pharmaceuticals and Y-Prime.

Companies within the zone get a variety of services, from help in finding interns, to training programs for existing employees and connections to venture capital firms. The companies are also eligible to sell tax credits of up to $100,000 a year, giving them access to much-needed working capital, Fuchs said.

Now in its third year, the program is administered through the Chester County Economic Development Council and is funded through a declining state grant. It received $225,000 in 2008, $187,500 in 2009 and $125,000 this year to do so.

Attracting and keeping life science companies is important to the county’s future, Dinniman said.

According to a May 2009, Milken Institute report, after accounting for the ripple effects, the life sciences sector in Greater Philadelphia was responsible for generating 380,800 jobs, $20.2 billion in earnings, and $39.7 billion in output in 2007.

“One of the reasons why Forbes Magazine ranked Montgomery and Chester counties as the ninth- and 10th-best places to live in the country is the many excellent jobs provided by local cutting-edge companies both large and small,” Dinniman said. “But we cannot rest on our laurels. The challenge in this new economy is not only to keep great jobs here but also to create new ones by attracting and supporting entrepreneurs looking to launch new companies — companies that could eventually become the next Siemens Medical Systems or Cephalon.”

Becoming part of the zone is a good fit for Franklin Commons, which now can offer educational opportunities for residents from pre-kindergarten into adulthood, said Dave Moskowitz, a partner in the effort to bring various schools under one roof in Phoenixville.

Within the 225,000-square-foot former industrial building in north Phoenixville is a daycare, a preschool, a Renaissance Academy with 1,000 students from kindergarten through 12th grades, a Lansdale School of Business campus and a Neumann University location, as well as an after-school rock and roll school, a performing arts school, a language center and a number of private businesses.

“It’s the only building in the United States in which you can start at 3 months and finish at a university,” Moscowitz said. “We thought, why not allow small businesses to innovate here and see what would come of that. We have a lot of small businesses already here and lots of professors and teachers here who could take advantage of it.”

FREE to public non-partisan class held Thursday May 27, 2010 from 7-9pm in Franklin Bistro