Here’s what to expect in 2021 for 3 long-anticipated Centre County projects
Months after crews wrapped up the North Atherton Street project, there’s another lane closure on the roadway as construction moves forward on the Patton Crossing development.
North Atherton Street Associates have started work on the mixed-use site in Patton Township. The 30-acre property — the former location of Penn State Mobile Home Park — will host residential and commercial buildings once complete.
The single-lane restriction in front of the property is expected to be in place for two weeks while workers replace the sanitary sewer line, Patton Township Manager Doug Erickson said Wednesday.
An Aldi grocery store is the first business slated for construction on the site; Erickson said the developers expect work to begin in March. The discount grocery store will be located in the northwest corner of the development.
Once complete, developers hope Patton Crossing will be a home for residents and businesses and will provide space for events, concerts and markets.
“This is a big project, and it’s an important project,” developer Bob Poole said last year. “It’s different than what’s been done here in State College ... I think you’re going to love it, and I hope to heck we’re going to do this quick.”
North Atherton Street Associates aren’t the only ones making headway on projects.
Here’s a look at two more ongoing projects expected to make progress this year in Centre County:
Whitehall Road Regional Park
Whitehall Road Regional Park has been in the works for years, and the Centre Region Parks and Recreation Authority plans to move forward with the project soon.
“We recently completed the first round of bidding, and the bids are in the analyzing phase right now between our project management team and the CRPR Authority,” Pam Salokangas said in an email. “We are evaluating our budget based on bids received, and we do hope to award bids in early February.”
If CRPR meets the February deadline, Salokangas said the authority could break ground in the spring. The park is located between state Route 45 and Whitehall Road.
“The actual start of the project will determine when the project is complete and when we’d be able to open the park,” she said. “Natural grass sports fields do take two full growing seasons before they can be used so we’ll know more on an opening date once we have a confirmed project start date.”
The first phase of development includes two artificial turf rectangular, multi-purpose fields with LED sports field lights that can host sporting events. Two rectangular, grass, multi-purpose fields, parking, an accessible playground, walking path and pavilion are also included in the initial plan.
“We are very excited to be moving this long-awaited project forward, and I certainly look forward to announcing more information very soon,” Salokangas said. “Because our bidding process ended in mid- December, it will take us some time to get things fully reviewed since we are dealing with a holiday schedule for most of our project management team and authority members.”
Bellefonte Interchange
State Department of Transportation crews began work on the long-awaited Bellefonte Interchange project over the summer.
The local interchange project is the first in three-phases of construction to build local access and a high-speed interchange between Interstates 80 and 99. Work also aims to improve safety on Jacksonville Road.
The overall project is estimated to be $200 million.
The local interchange is expected to be finished in 2021, and improvements to Jacksonville Road and the high-speed interchange construction are slated for completion by the end of 2025.
