Housing, hotels and more: What to know about 5 Centre County construction sites

With snow and winter weather right around the corner, peak construction season in Centre County is nearly over. But there are still plenty of active work sites out there, some of which you may have been wondering about.

This year has been one of steady progress for some major projects that are underway, including the Interstate 80/Interstate 99 interchange, the Happy Valley Casino, Mount Nittany patient tower and Beaver Stadium renovation.

Not every project is as easily recognizable as the casino, for example, with the bright blue fencing that surrounds it at the Nittany Mall. There are other worksites that you may drive by that make you wonder, “what’s happening there?” or longtime projects you’ve been looking for an update on.

We’ve rounded up a handful of those projects here. If you have questions about the sites, or if there’s one that you think we should include future stories, email jmichael@centredaily.com.

TownePlace Suites by Marriott

Construction on a TownePlace Suites by Marriott at the corner of Fox Hill and Bernel roads in Patton Township began in September. It’s being developed by Nittany Valley Hotel Partners, LP, the name of a business partnership formed between Decibel Partners, LP and the Shaner Hotel Group.

According to an August press release from the Shaner Hotel Group, the future 89-room TownPlace Suites by Marriott will offer “convenient access to University Park Airport and Penn State University” while setting “a new standard for accommodations in the region.”

Included in the hotel’s accommodations are fully equipped kitchens, flexible workspaces and comfortable living areas, and it will accommodate both long- and short-term guests.

The Shaner Hotel group expects the hotel to be completed around the fourth quarter of 2026.

Rutter’s

A construction site that will eventually become Centre County’s second Rutter’s is located at the corner of Blue Course Drive and West College Avenue. The county’s first Rutter’s is located along the Benner Pike and opened in 2020.

Final land development plans for the new gas station and convenience store were approved by the township’s supervisors in March, and include a 13,470-square-foot retail building, 16 fuel pumps, 80 parking spaces (including 29 for RVs and four American Disabilities Act-approved spaces), a beer cave and an RV sewage dump area.

Construction on the gas station began in early October after it was granted a liquor license in August. The timeline for when construction will be completed and the store will open has not been shared.

Chipotle

Centre County is home to two Chipotle locations — one in downtown State College and another along North Atherton Street — but construction on a third is underway in College Township.

The popular fast-casual chain has a new location in the works at 1880 S. Atherton St., the former home of Chen’s Mongolian Buffet, which closed in early August.

According to College Township Manager Mike Bloom, a building permit was issued for the Chipotle on Sept. 17, which allowed the contractor to begin work on renovations to the former buffet. A timeline for the project’s completion was not submitted.

A company spokesperson told the CDT in August that the chain plans to open a new State College restaurant in 2026.

Another Centre County Chipotle is also in the cards for the Paradise Shopping Center, where the Giant grocery store and a recently-constructed McDonald’s are located.

While no development plans have been approved by the Benner Township Supervisors, the group did approve a memorandum of understanding for the project in February, which states the developer will reimburse the township for the engineering costs of the plan, with the county acting as an enforcer. The county’s planning commission approved the MOU in March.

The Retreat at Westerly

Landmark Properties, in partnership with Golden Primera and Peninsula Investments, are developing new student housing complex in Westerly Parkway Plaza on an 11.2-acre parcel of land.

According to a recent press release from Landmark, The Retreat at Westerly will have 142 townhomes and garden-style units, in a mix of two to five bedrooms. In total, the project will provide 546 beds.

The units will feature quartz countertops, stainless-steel appliances, hardwood-style laminate floors, in-unit laundry and private baths for each bedroom. They will also come fully furnished, feature Wi-Fi enabled thermostats and will be wired for high-speed internet and cable.

Additionally, a clubhouse will be located on the site that will include a resort-style pool, pickleball court, sauna and cold plunge, Jumbotron, study lounges, fitness center, grilling and fire pit areas, multi-sport simulator and additional green space for outdoor recreation.

Plans for the complex have been the works for years, with plaza tenants including Goodwill, Fuji & Jade Garden, My Thai and The Frame Factory and Gallery all relocating in recent years.

With the complex’s development plans approved in 2024, construction at the site began in mid-October, and is expected to end in the fall of 2027. Leasing for the apartment is set to begin in fall 2026.

State College Town Centre

The long-planned State College Town Centre is being built at 224 S. Allen St. in a joint venture by the State College Redevelopment Authority, State College-based real estate developer Highland Holding Group and Maryland-based architect firm Nehmer.

According to the authority’s project overview website, the development will bring a nine-story boutique hotel to downtown State College, along with two high-end restaurants with outdoor and rooftop dining options, and a music and banquet venue.

Additionally, a food hall-style incubator kitchen will be built next to the hotel which, according to the site, “will provide space for multiple chefs to solidify concepts and build solid brand roots,” and allow for the kitchen’s visitors to taste test “multiple food concepts under one roof before chefs branch out into brick and mortar spaces of their own.”

A former Verizon location at the site was demolished before construction began.

Officials at the borough, Highland Holding Group and Nehmer could not be reached for an update on the project’s timeline.