What does the coronavirus shutdown mean for Centre County development projects?
With construction halted under the statewide stay-at-home order to prevent the spread of COVID-19, officials are working to implement contingency plans for Centre County development projects, some of which were slated to open in the fall.
Following Gov. Tom Wolf’s stay-at-home order and closure of all non-life sustaining businesses, construction in the State College Borough, on Penn State’s campus and Centre Region transportation projects have been suspended until further notice.
Will State College housing developments be finished by the fall?
Ed LeClear, borough director of planning and community development, said his department has been in contact with several of the design teams for projects under construction and those going through the permitting process.
“In all cases, they are developing contingency plans that may allow them to still meet their targets, depending on how long the prohibition on construction continues,” LeClear said. “I think it is still early ... and the lack of certainty makes it impossible to provide any reasoned opinion on impact.”
The longer the shutdown continues, the more likely that developments planned to open in August 2020 — like the Pugh Centre and Here: State College — will not meet their planned occupancy date.
According to Associated Realty Property Management’s website, all rooms have been rented in the Pugh Centre for the fall semester.
Here representatives declined to comment on construction delays and said they will update the public on any changes if need be.
The Yards at Old State, a Toll Brothers development in Ferguson Township, is still conducting business online and plans to lease rentals in the fall, Toll Brothers National Director of Brand and Marketing John Piedrahita said in a statement.
“We realize things are very fluid right now, and we are managing our schedules daily to ensure the best outcomes for our future residents,” he said. “With the uncertainty of the 2020-21 school year, we are also offering future residents more flexible lease terms in case the university’s academic or on-campus class schedule changes.”
In accordance with Wolf’s order, Penn State suspended all construction projects and bid submissions at University Park and its branch campuses. Bids that were scheduled to be submitted during the week of March 23 or March 30 have been postponed until further notice.
What’s next for PennDOT projects?
The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation has suspended all operations, including construction, except critical and emergency work.
PennDOT representatives said they will continue to monitor projects, like the North Atherton Street and Potters Mills Gap projects, and re-evaluate schedules once the shutdown is lifted.
In October, the $12.8 million North Atherton Street project was 90% complete, and the U.S. Route 322/Potters Mills Gap Project was 65% complete in February.
Crews will resume work on the project on the U.S. Route 322 project on Monday, according to a news release.
The $82 million PMG project began in 2015 was projected to be finished by fall 2020. The project is part of the critical work that continues statewide, addressing safety needs and work needed to eliminate roadway restrictions that could “impede the ability for the movement of life sustaining goods and services,” PennDOT wrote in a release.
PennDOT has not announced any delays or changes in the project timeline, but Press Officer Marla Fannin said the schedule will be evaluated for the impacts caused by the shutdown once operations are up and running.
“Regular monitoring will continue throughout the duration of the project and PennDOT will make every reasonable effort to keep the project on schedule,” Fannin said in an email.
This story was originally published April 4, 2020 at 6:00 AM.
