Outdoor dining deck and more: What to expect from renovations at The Tavern in State College
A downtown State College restaurant that’s been open long enough to serve three generations of Happy Valley families and Penn State students is getting a makeover.
The majority of the renovations to The Tavern Restaurant, which temporarily closed in November so the work could begin, are planned for the interior of the eatery that opened in 1948.
“We’re committed to making The Tavern, The Tavern,” restaurant operator Pat Daugherty said. “We’ve always been trying to be The Tavern and — at the same time — stay fresh and relevant and attract more and more people.”
Plans submitted to the borough show the American restaurant expects to most notably enhance its dining areas, modernize its kitchen and convert a residential space to restaurant use.
The foremost exterior renovation to 220 E. College Ave. is expected to be an outdoor dining deck on the second floor that would overlook East College Avenue and the Centennial Walkway.
Alterations are also planned to better accommodate those with disabilities, including new bathrooms and a ramp that is compliant with the federal Americans with Disabilities Act.
The plans were OK’d by the borough’s historical and architectural review board, which suggested the ramp complements the exterior of the building.
The eatery plans to reopen in the summer. A grand reopening date has not been established, though Daugherty said he hopes it will be before the first home Penn State football game.
“There’s something to be said about the freshness and the brightness of having all new floors, ceilings and walls,” Daugherty said. “It’s still going to be The Tavern, but it’ll be a bright, new, shiny Tavern.”
This story was originally published January 6, 2021 at 10:02 AM.