Greater Hazleton already has so much to offer business owners and developers, but one more advantage has brought tremendous results - the Keystone Opportunity Zone (KOZ) and the new Keystone Opportunity Expansion Zone (KOEZ) programs.

KOZs and KOEZs are select parcels of real estate that provide greatly reduced or no tax burden for property owners, residents and businesses for up to 12 years.

By eliminating state, county, local and other miscellaneous taxes within specific areas, communities within Pennsylvania are experiencing economic growth and investment, with Hazleton playing a very large role in the success of this these initiatives. In fact, since the KOZ program began, Greater Hazleton has landed almost one-third of the KOZ jobs created statewide.

This program is so successful that Business Facilities, one of the nation’s leading business and site selection magazines, gave it a Gold Award in its Eighth Annual Economic Achievement Awards in the category of Statewide Economic Development Strategy.

Because of the tremendous success of the KOZ initiative, the KOEZ program was added in 2000.

This is just one more example of the commitment to revitalization that is taking place in the Greater Hazleton community.

The Markle Building is the first renovation project in the state of Pennsylvania that will utilize the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania's KOZ program as it was originally intended – by redeveloping an urban area through the revitalization of a vacant building.

The KOZ status means the following pertains to any businesses or tenants that locate within the Markle Building.

• The city, county, and school district have all suspended taxes for those who meet the KOZ (and KOEZ) program criteria.
  
• The City of Hazleton's Mercantile tax is lifted for existing city businesses that relocate to the Markle Building!
  
• Real Property Tax in the Keystone Opportunity Expansion Zone is exempt in accordance with the provisions and limitations hereinafter set forth within the boundaries of the Keystone Opportunity Expansion Zone, in accordance with the Act for a period commencing January 1, 2001, and ending December 31, 2013;
  
• The exemption shall be 100% of the real property taxation on the assessed evaluation of property within the Keystone Opportunity Expansion Zone;
  
• Luzerne County waives business gross receipts tax for operations conducted by a qualified business; earned income received by a resident and/or net profits of a qualified business received by a resident or nonresident of the Keystone Opportunity Expansion Zone attributable to business activity conducted within the Keystone Opportunity Expansion Zone.