Mar. 1—In a modern office with large windows looking over downtown Johnstown, software developers at Sourceree are working on new mobile apps for public use and technology for government clients.

After nine months of building the office at 423-425 Main St., Sourceree opened it in November, relocating from Ebensburg.

Dozens of people, including county and city officials and local business leaders, visited Sourceree's office Thursday for an open house organized by the company's owners, Adam Murphy and Jess Murphy.

Rodney Patterson took in the sight of neat, spacious rows of open computer stations under high ceilings while standing near a conference room flooded with natural light, all designed by Franklin Integrated Interiors, of Pittsburgh.

"It's a clear investment," said Patterson, manager of Johnstown Area Regional Industries' accelerator program for businesses in the government contracting arena. "It's built to last. Obviously, they are here for a reason. And Adam and Jess are the kind of people who you know, no matter what, they succeed."

Sourceree, founded by Adam Murphy in 2010, employs 25 people and builds software for agencies including the Department of Homeland Security, as well as community and commercial enterprises in the Johnstown region and around the world.

"We have some community partnerships coming, and some new software products to release to the public — mobile apps as well as business-to-business apps — and we have growth in our government contracting space, too," Adam Murphy said. "Across the board, we have a lot going on."

Murphy said he wanted to relocate the company from Ebensburg for a "city vibe" and saw downtown Johnstown as up-and-coming. Johnstown is also a closer commute than Ebensburg for many of his employees, he said.

"We wanted to hold this open house to give the community a chance to see what we've built and how awesome it is to be downtown," he said.

At the open house, Nathan Gironda, a financial adviser in Johnstown, said Sourceree's presence helps reverse Johnstown's history of young professionals leaving the city.

"Being in Johnstown my whole life, I can say you hear about the brain drain," he said, "but Sourceree made a point to be here, and to come back to the city."

Not only is Sourceree a tenant of the building locally known as the former Park Building, but the Murphys also own the four-story building with Ryan Gindlesperger, managing partner of 1st Team Advertising, and Dr. Christine Cardellino. The group purchased it last year and has plans to build residential lofts for rent on the fourth floor.

Gindlesperger said he and Murphy see downtown at the tipping point of revitalization.

Gindlesperger and his wife, Cardellino, began investing in commercial and residential real estate in 2020.

"We have kids, and we thought if we are going to be here in Johnstown, we might as well make an investment to make it a better place to live and work," Gindlesperger said. "This project with Sourceree is a really cool space."