How could State College’s former Autoport be redeveloped? See new renderings
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- New designs offer a look at the potential future of the former Autoport property.
- Renderings show sleek buildings, new plantings and more along South Atherton Street.
- The project must advance through reviews and receive approvals before work can begin.
A new batch of renderings offers a glimpse at the potential future of a premier State College property.
A preliminary land development plan that could breathe new life into the former Autoport motel grounds includes several mockups showing a sleek shopping center complete with parking lots and new retail spaces. If approved, the project would significantly reshape the South Atherton Street property, which has sat empty for more than a decade.
Several renderings offer a bird’s-eye view of the proposed redevelopment, which includes the construction of five retail spaces and two restaurant spaces with drive-thru lanes and outdoor patios. The project would also include the construction of a convenience store paired with a 14-pump fuel station.
Street-level renderings included in the project show sleek, modern designs for the proposed retail spaces. Plans also call for the construction of retaining walls running along the property’s edge on South Atherton Street, as well as a new bus stop and renovated sidewalks.
Designs made available Thursday show new plantings spread throughout the property. The project calls for the planting of 75 trees and hundreds of shrubs.
It is not yet clear what businesses or restaurants are intended would occur the new spaces if development is approved. State College borough planning director Ed LeClear and the project’s developer, South Atherton Real Estate of the Welteroth Property Group, did not immediately respond to requests for comment on the plans.
State College’s Design Review Board is expected to review the plans at its April 7 meeting before the borough’s planning commission reviews them at its April 8 meeting.
The Autoport was Pennsylvania’s oldest operating motel when it closed in December 2015 before sitting vacant for more than a decade. The property, which was once considered for a new Hilton hotel, was posted for lease in June 2024 after crews removed some trees from its grounds.
This story was originally published February 19, 2026 at 3:06 PM.
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