Demolition has begun for new State College student housing complex. Take a look
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Tenants in Westerly Parkway Plaza vacated businesses for demolition after plan approval.
- The Retreat will provide 142 townhomes and garden-style units for 546 total beds.
- Construction completion expected in fall 2027, apartment leasing expected in fall 2026.
Demolition work is underway at the Westerly Parkway Plaza to make room for a long-planned 11.2-acre student housing complex.
Construction on The Retreat at Westerly, which is being developed by Athens, Ga.-based Landmark Properties, in partnership with Golden Primera and Peninsula Investments, started in October, and demolition of some of the plaza’s empty commercial spaces began earlier this month.
The former commercial spaces used to hold tenants like Goodwill, Fuji & Jade Garden, My Thai and The Frame Factory and Gallery, although those businesses all vacated their properties following the approval of the complex’s development plans in 2024.
Businesses on the other side of the plaza, including Weis, are not affected by the plans. In fact, new tenants have moved into several spaces in recent years, including Crunch Fitness, the Comic Cove and the restaurant Fatoum Bistro.
According to an October press release from Landmark, the new complex 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.
“The expansive site enables the inclusion of a wider range of amenities than what’s typically feasible in infill locations,” Landmark Chief Development Officer Jason Doornbos stated in the October release. “These factors, paired with continued enrollment growth, positions The Retreat to meet the need for students seeking spacious, highly-amenitized living near campus.”
Additionally, a 10,500-square-foot 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.
On-site parking is planned for 417 cars, as well as storage for bikes and scooters, and a CATA shuttle stop is also planned on the premises.
According to the Retreat’s website, the complex’s construction is expected to end in the fall of 2027, and leasing for the apartment is set to begin in fall 2026. Landmark did not respond to a request for an updated timeline on the project.
When completed, the Retreat will be Landmark’s fifth student housing complex in the State College area. The developer owns and operates 2,483 beds across four properties — The Station State College, The Legacy at State College, The Metropolitan at State College and The Standard at State College.
Landmark is also constructing The Mark, a 12-story, multi-family residential and student apartment building in downtown State College with commercial and retail space. The developer previously anticipated that building to open in August 2028.
