Penn State poised to purchase, demolish downtown building. What’s next for the property, current tenants?
Penn State is moving forward with its plan to purchase more property in downtown State College — with plans to demolish The University Club, a private and historic three-story building that’s operated there for more than a century.
The board of trustees’ Committee on Finance, Business, and Capital Planning voted unanimously Thursday to recommend the full board approve the $4.07 million purchase at 331 W. College Ave. on Friday, which it is now expected to do. The 0.64-acre property would complete the university’s ownership of all the parcels on the northern side of College Avenue, in what one trustee deemed “a really critical connection point between West College Avenue and North Atherton Street.”
James Collins, president of The University Club, told the CDT that the organization’s nine-member board and 49 social members “overwhelmingly” voted to approve selling the property, before they first approached the university about a potential sale. Renovations would prove too costly, one official said during Thursday’s public presentation, so Penn State would seek to demolish the 15,580-square-foot brick building instead.
Although exact figures were not revealed, renovation costs were said to start at a “couple million” while demolition would likely cost “shy of $1 million.”
“Our purpose, really, is to have the land for future opportunities,” added Sara Thorndike, vice president for finance and business.
The University Club is a 501(c)(7) social club that provides housing for grad students and staff, in addition to offering banquet facilities along with rooms for visiting professors and others. The club itself was founded between 1908 and 1910, and The University Club was built in 1914. Based on an article published in Town and Gown Magazine in May 1982, the university actually deeded the property to the club for $1 in 1913.
The University Club was originally created to promote friendship among its members while emphasizing volunteerism. It was exclusively male through World War II and acted as the social center of the State College community in the early days.
But, due to the COVID-19 pandemic and with significantly more housing in State College these days, The University Club felt it needed to pivot. The social club, a 501(c)(7) organization, hopes to use funds from the sale to find another property downtown — or near downtown — to promote that sociability, instead of providing housing. It also plans to update its website to better reflect that renewed mission.
“Our purpose is to be a social club, and we have no business interests other than surviving as a social club in the future,” Collins said.
According to Collins, The University Club sought to cut back on costs before the pandemic by hiring repair and cleaning services as opposed to employees. Although it found firmer financial footing after that move, and renovated a number of rooms in addition to adding new furniture, COVID-19 greatly complicated matters and halted other planned renovations.
Plus, with the addition of new high-rises and other apartment buildings, Collins acknowledged rooms at The University Club — which include shared bathrooms and a shared kitchen — couldn’t compete with neighboring facilities that offered more for similar prices.
Collins knew demolition was a possibility in selling the property. But he said members are “OK” with that because they feel it’s best for Penn State — and, after all, Penn State sold them the property for $1 more than 100 years ago.
“We’re going to take our time in figuring out the best way forward,” Collins added, “because we want to make sure we have a solid foundation for the future.”
This story was originally published February 17, 2022 at 12:12 PM.
