Construction starts for luxury condo-hotel at old Lowe’s site

By Jennifer Thomas

- jthomas@centredaily.com

With a swing of the golden sledgehammer — OK, it took multiple swings to get things started — construction of the “P” Hotel and Spa was under way in Patton Township.

Business briefs

It was a unique start for a project that is the first of its kind in Centre County.

The “P” will be a 100-suite luxury condominium hotel — units will be purchased by owners who will rent them out as hotel space when they’re not in use — that includes retail space, a 9,000-square-foot spa and a specialty restaurant. It will go up on the site of the former Lowe’s on Waddle Road.

A demolition instead of a groundbreaking seemed fitting, particularly given the “green” nature of the project, said Ben Heim, CEO of Tricore Group.

“This project is exciting because it’s cutting edge,” Heim said.

The “P” will be only the second Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, or LEED, gold-certified hotel in the United States. “This is the first condo hotel of its kind,” he said.

Tricore, a local construction management and real estate development company focused on commercial property, has partnered with John and Doug Wolf, of Wolf Furniture; Michael, Richard and Leonard Fiore, of Leonard S. Fiore Inc.; and Mark DiSanto, of Triple Crown Corp., for the project.

The LEED designation will recognize the hotel’s efforts to be environmentally conscious by using solar panels, reusing rainwater and geothermal heating for guest rooms, with programs to sense and adjust when the room is empty, preferred parking for hybrid vehicles and more. Even cleaning materials will be green.

The project will recycle much of the material from the demolition and plans to utilize recycled materials from the regional market during construction.

Heim said the goal is to make the property a model for the Centre Region and prove that green projects can be completed cost effectively.

“This project debunks that myth (that it can’t be done),” he said.

Building permits for Kohl’s

The final signatures are in on plans for a new Kohl’s.

Patton Township Manager Doug Erickson said the retailer’s final documents came in on Monday, and township officials signed off on them.

“They are going to start getting their building permits next,” he said.

That means construction could be right around the corner.

Unfortunately, Kohl’s officials haven’t mentioned any timetable to township officials, except to say the company wants to get construction under way.

Menu changes

It was time for a change — albeit a minor one at Mario & Luigi’s.

The restaurant at 1272 N. Atherton St. has revamped its menu to include seasonal fare, which will change based on the local produce available, said Jennifer Zangrilli Hoag, director of operations, food and beverage for Dante’s Restaurants, Inc.

That doesn’t mean your favorites will disappear, but it does mean six new choices each of appetizers, pastas and entrees based on the season.

Zangrilli Hoag said that the decision mirrors a trend going on locally to use more local foods.

“It’s just natural that we eat that way,” she said.

She said the plan is to cut back on the restaurant’s festivals, such as the asparagus or mushroom festival, which would lock the restaurant into a specific menu for a set time. This way, the choices can change.

She said Carnevale and cenone, the traditional Christmas eve celebration, will continue.

Renovations complete

The dust has cleared at East Coast Health and Fitness, and it’s back to exercising as usual after an extensive renovation project.

The expansion added about 5,000 square feet to the fitness center at 250 W. Hamilton Ave., general manager Darian Pletcher said. That space became available after the gym’s neighbor W.S. Lee closed in 2006.

“Even though we have higher numbers than we ever had, everyone’s happy. It’s just been a great thing for us all around,” he said.

Pletcher said that will likely be the last expansion for a while.

“From this point on I want to make what’s here better,” he said.

The extra space made room for a new cardio section, which added 12 new pieces of equipment, expanded the weightlifting area and the day-care center, and made room for new and significantly larger locker rooms for men and women.

The renovation added a new 1,500-square-foot pilates and yoga studio, which offers Pure Yoga Pilates classes with Kerry Bestwick for gym members and non-members. An additional aerobics room and a room for spinning classes were built on the basement level.

Pletcher said there are plans to showcase the new renovations in late April, with membership specials to be offered at that time. Jennifer Thomas can be reached at 231-4638.