Summers On Allen, State College pedestrian plaza, falls short of council approval
A pedestrian plaza plan called Summers on Allen fell short of a passing vote at State College Borough Council’s Monday night meeting.
Council voted 4-3 to reject the plan, which appeared to have wide support at its public hearing Dec. 2, though several community members raised concerns for local businesses and public safety.
Council President Evan Myers and council members Daniel Murphy and Jesse Barlow voted to approve the proposal. Council members Janet Engeman, David Brown, Theresa Lafer and Catherine Dauler voted against.
Summers on Allen was brought forth by Groznik PR — headed by Brad and Andrea Groznik — and Centre Foundation to transform the 100 block of South Allen Street into a “pop-up park” from May 11 to July 3 using a $135,000 Knight Foundation grant. The park would include landscaping, a children’s play area, a small stage and programming throughout its three-month duration.
Groznik told council in October that the project was designed to attract more visitors and community members downtown during the slowest times for business in the summer.
Several council members had lingering questions and concerns about the proposal, and offered alternatives such as moving the project to the 200 block of South Allen Street, voting on it at a later date and forming different community spaces that don’t block part of a road.
“Whether I’m talking with people from Foxdale (Village Retirement Community) or young professionals in the community, most people do not see this as a space that they would come to. And that is a problem that I see with this,” said Lafer.
She also echoed comments from Magisterial Judge Carmine Prestia, also an Alpha Fire Company member, who told council at the public hearing that any increased time for fire engines to arrive at the scene of a fire on the 100 block of South Allen Street could mean decimation for the entire block. There have been three fires on the block over the past 50 years.
Myers countered concerns about increased traffic, loss of parking and fire safety with the idea that State College must take risks to grow.
“If we’re going to have downtown be more than it is, be a better representation of ourselves and the community, it needs to be a destination,” he said.
Alpha Fire Company leadership sent a letter to borough council stating fire safety was not a concern with Summers On Allen. In a previous presentation to council, Groznik said 20 of 22 businesses on South Allen Street supported the proposal. Woodring’s Floral Gardens and Rapid Transit Sportswear opposed the proposal because they said it would negatively affect business, particularly from their elderly customers.
“We’re just very disappointed that (council) chose to not support (Summers On Allen),” said Molly Kunkle, executive director of Centre Foundation. “I think that it’s a big lost opportunity for the borough and for the whole community. I don’t know about a path forward, I think that’s up to the borough. ... At this point, the project is off, and I don’t know if they’ll re-address it at some point.”
Summers on Allen was the second recent attempt made at a temporary pedestrian plaza — a previous application was withdrawn in May 2018, with Centre Foundation and the Downtown State College Improvement District saying the project needed more community input.
Kunkle said that the grant money will stay in the community, where Centre Foundation will work with Knight Foundation donor-advisers who administer the money to find a different use for it. The Knight Foundation’s primary goals for funded projects are creating community engagement and pedestrian friendly cities that will attract young professionals, she said.
Knight might try to bring a similar project to a different downtown in Centre County, she said, or find another needed project that fits its parameters.
“There are other projects that might meet (Knight’s) goals since this one didn’t work out,” she said. A new project could be announced next year at the earliest.
This story was originally published December 16, 2019 at 8:54 PM.
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