08/11/2023
The Borough does not NEED these two properties. They are engaging in favoritism and biased application of an unsavory tactic to build a new garage, while not really even making an improvement in the process.
The McAllister Parking Deck + these two properties would provide about the same 41,000 sq ft footprint as the Pugh Street Garage, but provide a net-zero effect on the available spaces, leaving downtown ~200 spaces short of their projected demand (This according to the Borough's statements).
Why would you go through the trouble, and the cost, and the shameful use of taking someone's property, without making a vast and justifiable improvement?
For example, on the other side of the McAllister Deck is the Calder II building, which has a 15,000 sq ft footprint and offers no valuable or unique spaces or opportunities for local businesses.
Calder II is a dated, brutalist structure that has had problems maintaining tenants, and even if it were fully rented (its not) it is mostly office space.
The impact on office tenants for relocation would be almost nothing. An office is an office... Meanwhile the character of the Beaver Ave property, warts and all, is synonymous with a few of the occupants, particularly the Brewery.
The Brewery cannot be relocated. Offices can.
The curious thing here is:
Why must these two properties (totaling 10,000 sq ft) be taken by force, over say...the 15,000 sq ft that makes up the Calder II building next door, which would provide access to Calder way, and a would have an overall lesser impact?
There has been no mention of that property in this project.
And even if these properties MUST be taken for the garage....why is Calder II not being taken by eminent domain also?
Surely, it can't be about what businesses are located on which property, or who owns them, right?.... Because that would be the Borough staff, Council, and (probably) some land owners picking winners and losers, and dictating who gets rich and who gets trampled...
- Why wasn't there previous action on existing (cheaper, less invasive) options like the Garner Street lot (before it became HERE) for developing a parking garage?
- Why weren't public/private partnerships mandated, or significant parking requirements put in place, rather than the 1st & 2nd floor requirements for the high rise construction? (Instead we got about half a Million square feet of vacant, out-priced Retail and Class A Office Space with little demand)?
- Why weren't (largely) unimproved lots targeted first (They would be MUCH cheaper and less invasive to acquire)?
As State College continues planning to replace the aging Pugh Street Parking Garage, the borough intends to use eminent domain to acquire a downtown
