What big parking changes are being considered for downtown State College? Here’s an early look
Big parking changes could be coming to downtown State College over the next few years.
State College’s oldest parking garage — Pugh Street Garage — could be replaced by 2026, as part of a wider borough parking project currently estimated at $46 million over the next five years, based on an early list of priorities that still needs approval from the borough council. No financial commitments have yet been made, and the borough is essentially on the “ground floor” of such early plans.
Still, with those potential plans being discussed publicly (and that list, known as the Capital Improvement Plan, set for council adoption Aug. 2), the borough’s future vision for downtown parking is coming into better focus.
The improvement plan, which — if passed, as expected — would serve as a guide and not a list of financial commitments, outlines $5 million set aside for buying property for parking-related purposes in 2022. According to borough spokesperson Doug Shontz, that property could then serve as the site of the Pugh garage’s replacement or potentially a new paved lot, as it’s also possible the Pugh garage could be rebuilt at its current site.
The improvement plan also outlines $15 million set aside for 2023 and $26 million in 2026. Shontz confirmed those funds are intended to go toward parking structures (i.e. garage and potentially a paved lot), in addition to whatever emergencies might arise.
“Parking is always in the conversation around here, whether you’re a visitor, student or long-term-resident,” Shontz added. “And we’re just trying to come out of this pandemic in a way that we’re able to make sure that we can continue to offer parking at the level that is being demanded by not only our residents but the visitors of the area as they return to Happy Valley.”
The improvement plan does not specifically name the Pugh Street Garage, but public council discussions have repeatedly pointed to the garage as the priority replacement. After all, it was built in 1972 — making it 13 years older than the next-oldest garage on Fraser Street — and consultants told the borough, as early as 2002, that the garage was nearing its end and would eventually need to be replaced.
In a March report, Walker Consultants told council that the Pugh Street Garage had about 7-10 years of useful life left. That same consultant recommended the borough spend $591,000 in Pugh maintenance this year alone.
“We have to replace the Pugh Street parking structure,” borough manager Tom Fountaine added at Monday’s council meeting.
The borough’s four parking garages combine to total 1,563 parking spaces — with the Pugh Street Garage accounting for 31% of that, or 491 spaces.
The projected $46 million price tag for the project makes it the costliest of the 31 projects in the 2022-2026 Capital Improvement Plan. The other 30 projects amount to an estimated $85 million, which could be partially off-set through state grants or other means.
“One, we don’t want the parking structures to fall down,” Councilwoman Theresa Lafer said. “Two, we don’t want to have insufficient parking structures, making it impossible for the continuing and possibly even growing number of people coming here on various vacations ... so the need for parking garages and the need for them to be safe is clear.”
Lafer was quick to address residents, however, and emphasized that the borough council would not commit to spending more than it can afford. Passing the Capital Improvement Plan does not commit finances to those 31 projects; instead, it merely serves as the first step so budget discussions in future years have a foundation to start from.
“We don’t want to do anything that’s going to cost us more than we have to spend,” Councilman Evan Myers said. “But we don’t know what that is yet — so it’s kind of like a placeholder.”
Each project in the Capital Improvement Plan is ranked by priority. The new garage is considered something the borough “should do,” as opposed to “must do” or “could do.” Projects the borough “must do” include parking garage maintenance, projected to cost $4.275 million through 2026, and sinkhole repairs.
The Capital Improvement Plan was first presented to council May 10, before council met for three public work sessions and two public reviews. Adoption is scheduled to take place during the 7 p.m. council meeting Aug. 2.
“The whole idea is to make sure we’re in a position to do something not to overload our downtown parking system,” Shontz added.
