North Central Sight Services Moves into New Building
Courtesy of the Williamsport Sun-Gazette September 14, 2007
By Eric Long

North Central Sight Services officials cut the ribbon to dedicate a new, bigger home Thursday afternoon, citing space as the reason for moving into the former industrial site at 2121 Reach Road.

Jeff Rauff, NCSS board president, said hard-working people built the organization into what it is today. “This originally started in 1957 when a group of people before us decided there was a need,” he said. “Hopefully, people will look backward at this 20, 30, 50 years from now and say that those people knew what was going on. We are proud of our 63,400 - square-foot facility here.”

Rauff later said the facility is the former home of TPS, which was preceded by Gruen Oven and Lunaire. The building was converted to offices and some space was kept for the NCSS industrial work areas. About $1.4 million in renovations were done to the building, including putting on a new roof, building offices and installing carpeting inside, according to Jamie Snyder, facilities director. The total investment for the building purchase and renovations was $2.4 million.

Rauff said NCSS moved from its former home at 901 Memorial Ave. because of a need for more efficient space. “Here, we will all be on one floor,” he said. The group initially was known as the Lycoming County Association for the Blind when it formed in 1957, but the name changed to North Central Sight Services in 1988 to reflect an expanded service region, which covers eight counties — Lycoming, Clinton, Sullivan, Centre, Tioga, Bradford, Susquehanna and Potter.

The agency serves 562 customers and employs 58 associates, who work at the facility, completing tasks such as assembling flash drives and making labels and even cardboard targets for military use. Document shredding services are offered by NCCS, as well as social and rehabilitation services, such as life skills and education, transportation and escort services, chore services such as shopping and radio reading services and reading programs. An access technology center also allows for people who have low vision or who are blind to use computers.

Of course, the organization also provides blindness prevention and other sight services including examinations for children and adults.

After the ribbon-cutting, people were invited on tours of the facility to see first-hand what the organization is doing at the site.

Click Here to Return to the NCSS Homepage