A new nightclub seeking to replace the old Mezzanine has raised questions about whether it’s on the level.
Public announcements by Levels marketing director Jason Weinstein have said the club plans to open at 420 E. College Ave., former site of the Crowbar and Cell Block clubs, on Feb. 24.
Yet the entrance of Levels Nightclub onto the State College scene has been bizarre enough to warrant a statement from Tom King, the borough’s chief of police.
“Officers spoke to several persons including the general manager of Levels Nightclub and they are a legitimate liquor license business that is planning to open up in State College in February 2012. We do not know if they have secured a lease yet for any specific location but they are advertising online for employees,” the statement said.
In an email, Weinstein spelled out big plans for Levels. The club would serve food from 9 p.m. until 2 a.m., and would bring a variety of musical acts to both the Bryce Jordan Center and the club.
“Hopefully, we’ll be doing 6 to 8 concerts a year at Bryce Jordan ranging from country artists to Top 40. Levels will then host parties for the performers after their show at Bryce Jordan,” Weinstein said in an email. “Levels will also serve as a concert venue for nationally known bands, celebrities and performers that aren’t big enough to fill Bryce Jordan. The venue will also be used to host student functions and corporate events.”
According to a statement Weinstein attributed to Li Tran, described as the nightclub’s sole owner, “All necessary paperwork has been signed in regards to our lease and liquor license.”
Stacey Witalec, a spokeswoman for the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board, said a liquor license transfer was approved by the board on Jan. 17. The license will be activated pending the return of forms requested by the PLCB, Witalec said.
Both the liquor license and the building at 420 E. College Ave. are owned by Charles Herlocher, who did not return a call for comment.
The club’s planned opening date could run into problems with local building code inspectors. Centre Region Code Agency Director Walt Schneider said he wasn’t sure what shape the building is in, and that it would need to pass a commercial occupancy inspection before it opened.
“Any construction has to be permitted properly and that takes time,” he said. “We’re definitely not an agency you can drop in and say, ‘We want to do this, this and this and we want to do it today.’ We need advance warning and time to make sure our jobs is done properly.”
State College borough inspector Kevin Kassab said he had done a walk-through with Levels management and told them about what procedures needed to take place in order to get the go-ahead to open.
“To this date, we have not heard a word back from them,” he said. “Nothing’s unrealistic, but ... I would say with a two-week window they’re looking to open, that’s really cutting it short.”
Nonetheless, Levels is legit, at least according to Bernie Punt, the director of sales and marketing for the Bryce Jordan Center. Punt said Levels’ management has agreed to financially back some nationally touring shows and aid in their promotion.
“They would be taking a financial risk,” Punt said. “It would be up to local rules and regulations when and if they can open, but ... there was a void in the State College music scene without that club there and I think (they are) trying to fill that void.”
More construction at Gray’s Woods
Mission Critical Partners, an emergency communications systems consultant, is building its new headquarters opposite the Geisinger Gray’s Woods center in Patton Township.
The company is building the two-story, 10,000-square-foot building to accommodate its rapid growth. Founded in 2009 with one employee, it now has close to 40, according to COO Sam Kerns.
“We’ve more than doubled in a year,” Kerns said. “Our plans were to add another 10 positions this year but we think we're going to blow through that.”
Though Mission Critical works all over the U.S., the company landed a big contract right in its own back yard when Centre County recently chose it to remodel its 911 emergency system.
“We try to be a big part of the community,” Kerns said. “It helps when people know who you are, and this contract will help with that.”
At first, Mission Critical will lease out the first floor of the new building, an estimated 5,000 square feet.
But with the company’s rapid growth, that lease is likely to be on a short-term basis.
Land deal
In a land deal I can’t claim to understand but feel I have a duty to report, on Jan. 11, S&A Homes sold 21 subdivided parcels of land along Science Park Road to Autumnwood Development Company for $1 million.
On Jan. 16, Autumnwood sold two of the parcels back to S&A for $160,000.
S&A Homes is owned by Bob Poole, and Autumnwood Development is a subsidiary of Poole Anderson Construction, also part-owned by Poole.
The lots, each about a quarter-of-an-acre in size, are all approved for development, according to Ferguson Township Manager Mark Kunkle. Each lies along the township’s growth boundary, adjacent to property Penn State owns and uses for farming.
A representative from S&A Homes could not be reached for comment by press time.
Cliff White can be reached at 235-3928.
