KEVIN RAUCH/FOR THE EXPRESS The Security Building, a fully equipped wireless technology center has opened its doors in Renovo as a business incubator.

KEVIN RAUCH/FOR THE EXPRESS
The Security Building, a fully equipped wireless technology center has opened its doors in Renovo as a business incubator.

RENOVO — Steve Murgas, of Snow Shoe, and CIO of Murgas Security discovered Renovo a few years ago through his business, as he tested the waters for a need of his security services in western Clinton County.

As he started taking on clients, he realized that he had a foothold in town, where he could work without necessarily moving to Renovo. Murgas is often traveling for his business.

Despite his business often seeing him working in much larger cities and areas, the remoteness of Renovo and its being a gateway to the Pennsylvania Wilds immediately pulled him in. He instantly saw the potential that the area has for many things, such as tourism, business development and even working remotely.

Two years ago, he began a plan that would enable him to call Renovo a second home and offer to others what he so enthusiastically sees as a myriad of opportunities in the area.

Murgas bought a building just across from the Renovo Borough Building, which is one of his many local clients in his security profession. What would follow is exactly what borough officials and anyone that wants to see the betterment of Renovo had always wished for. A person to take an old building, repair and update it and set up shop.

It was not easy and it was not about to be an overnight process.

The building had tens of thousands of pounds of clutter that had to be removed before the reconstruction could even begin. Next up was the general construction, all which Murgas did by hand, outside of when he could hire area youth who could use this as a learning experience.

This is where things took a major turn, however. With Murgas’s security and IT background, as well as his cheerleading for the potential that the area has, this was far from any type of typical upgrade.

The structure on 5th Street that was believed to have been built as a pre-19th century bakery, has now become the most secure and technologically advanced building in Renovo. Appropriately named The Security Building.

“The Security Building does not represent Murgas Security, it is more of ‘how do I get businesses moving into this town’ and this business incubator, I hope promotes that,” Murgas said as he unveiled the building to the public last week.

“It’s fully networked, Internet, printing, kitchenette, ADA bathroom, Zoom/Teams video conference room. I’m not done, but I’m just trying to show what can be here for business opportunities,” Murgas explained.

As you step inside of The Security Building it truly is something that exceeds any prior expectations.

Murgas may make his living on the technological side of things, but the construction and renovation itself are breathtaking.

Numerous options of desks and office spaces are fully equipped and ready for anyone in need of a workspace, from a start up to a fully established remote worker. His reference to “business incubator” is a perfect description of anyone needing a desk, to business executives searching for a private space for Zoom calls and video conferencing.

“I left room for being able to change things a bit because I don’t know what and who may want to rent space,” Murgas offered. “It could be mental health that needs privacy, tech where businesses want to connect. I was fluid as to what people could do here.”

The set-up has executive furniture, double desks and is just waiting for a small business, survey crew, general contractor or engineering crew that may need to set up a temporary or permanent shop.

Murgas is also fully open to tourists, such as ATV riders or even people living “van lives” to utilize space.

“When I started this I was trying to find a workforce here in this region and train them to do what I do, so I’m fortunate to have two young adults who are just graduating to come in and help set up four private office suites upstairs,” Murgas said of his summer plans.

“As I started to train younger people, I realized that they needed to cut their teeth on and to understand what a commercial fire burglar alarm system does, and to do that they have to know what’s involved in installing one,” Murgas explained. “This summer we will be starting with bare bones and then installing security camera systems with access control, all from the general contracting and very beginning of the wireless install.”