Rockview state prison has 5,700 acres. What could happen to the land if it closes?
Gov. Josh Shapiro’s administration has not detailed plans for the vast Rockview state prison property as its proposed closure looms, leaving Centre County residents wondering how the landscape between State College and Bellefonte could change.
Rockview’s property includes more land outside its perimeter than any other of Pennsylvania’s nearly two dozen state prisons, accounting for 45%. The next nine largest areas combined are about equal to Rockview.
With more than 5,700 acres, the prison’s property — owned by the commonwealth of Pennsylvania — is nearly twice the size of State College and five times the size of Bellefonte. If you’re looking for a more direct comparison, it’s just shy of the 5,900-acre Bald Eagle State Park.
When asked about the state Department of Corrections’ proposal, a spokeswoman told the Centre Daily Times it is “too early in the process to make that determination.”
One option would seemingly be the state keeps the land and there’s little visual change among the rolling farmlands and woods that only Rockview employees are permitted to hunt on specific dates. The public has not been permitted to hunt there since at least 2014.
Next door, Benner has 42 acres outside of its perimeter.
The government could also consider selling some or most of the property, a prospect that has already caught the attention of Centre County Commissioner Steve Dershem.
“It is home to some of the largest and most pristine farmland and property in our community. I think there needs to be some very, very, very serious conversations — and I’m hoping with this organization — as to the outcome and the use of that property moving forward,” Dershem said during a commissioners’ meeting earlier this month. “I hope it’s not just a land grab and just go out there and figure out how we’re going to give this property away. I think we need to be thoughtful about it because this is the largest piece of property in the county that’s really unaccounted for.”
So what could happen with the property if some of it is sold? Clues can be found if you look at municipal boundaries and zoning, the regulations that dictate how land can be used.
A complicated puzzle
There are varying degrees of likelihood for what could be done with the property, which largely sits in Benner Township but also covers about 1,500 acres in College Township.
Among the most likely would be the more than 40 permitted uses in the area Benner Township has zoned agricultural — perhaps better known as the land that’s bisected by the booming Benner Pike.
That’d include everything from agricultural operations and horse riding academies to single-family and personal care homes.
Regulations only get more strict. There are more than two dozen conditional uses, which would allow Benner Township’s supervisors to impose specific terms and conditions before any project moved forward.
They include breweries and wineries, a shooting range, golf course and even a zoo.
A host of other uses are also technically possible, though there would be even more hoops to jump through. Property owners could submit a request to deviate from the township’s zoning laws, asking to use the land in ways that wouldn’t otherwise be allowed. The approval process includes a public hearing and approval from at least the township’s zoning hearing board.
For now, however, the DOC is working to schedule a public hearing in Centre County about its proposal to close Rockview. Quehanna Boot Camp is also slated for closure.
Separate from that hearing, a state lawmaker who represents a portion of Centre County has scheduled a handful of forums through early April.
This story was originally published March 3, 2025 at 7:00 AM.