The State College Design Review Board on Tuesday heard an overview of plans for a proposed mixed-use building that would replace a downtown apartment complex for low-income seniors.
Developer Primecore in December submitted a preliminary land development plan for “Encore,” a seven-story building with ground-floor commercial and six floors with 40 apartments at 120 E. Beaver Ave. on the current site of Arnold Addison Court, which offers income-restricted housing for individuals 62 and older or with disabilites.
The privately owned Addison Court was constructed in 1994 using Income Housing Tax Credits, and the 30-year affordability requirements attached to those expired at the end of 2024. In early December, residents received a letter from property manager Calibre Residential stating that the property was “under consideration by new investors” and that all current leases would have an end date of Nov. 30, 2026.
In a Dec. 23 letter to tenants, however, State College Planning Director Ed LeClear wrote that staff from the borough and the Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency, which administers the LHTC program in the commonwealth, have “reviewed legal documents related to the property” and believe many tenants have a right to stay through December 2027. Borough Manager Tom Fountaine said on Monday that he had no new updates.
The future of Addison Court residents and when they might have to leave if the new building moves forward — which would be outside the scope of the DRB — were not discussed on Tuesday. Tony Fruchtl, of project engineer PennTerra, said the developer hopes to submit a final land development plan in March or April and begin construction sometime in 2027.
The proposed U-shaped building would mirror and virtually abut the neighboring Pugh Centre, which was co-developed by Primecore and designed with the possibility of a complementary complex being constructed on the Addison Court property, said John Campbell of project architect AE Works.
“It’s going to be right up against, literally inches away from the Pugh Centre,” Campbell said.
Encore’s eastern side would be 72 feet to the roofline, matching the Pugh Centre’s height, and with an elevator tower reaching 81 feet. The western side drops to 45 feet, in line with the neighboring Schlow Centre Region Library.
Exterior materials would correspond to Pugh Centre, including brick, metal paneling, fiber cement siding and lower-level cast stone veneer. Its main entrance is planned next to Pugh Centre’s.
Plans for parking include an internal garage on the first and lower levels with 71 spaces, exceeding the required 69, accessed from Beaver Avenue. Ten bicycle parking spots are also included, though DRB member Nathan Piekielek suggested more should be included.
The first floor would also have two 2,120-square-foot spaces for commercial tenants, along with a lobby, mail room, lobby and fitness center for residents.
Floors two through five would each have eight five-bed apartments, while floors six and seven have four apartments each. Four apartments will be designated for inclusionary housing, Fruchtl said.
“The apartment units, everything are based on the same type of unit at the Pugh Centre, which has been received very well by our client’s tenants,” Campbell said
A rooftop terrace is also planned for the upper level.
Like the Pugh Centre, the project would use an all-LED lighting package, Energy Star appliances and a natural gas generator. A thick layer of insulation will envelope the building, Campbell said, and the concrete block and plank construction is designed to “last a long time.”
Security features include cameras throughout the property, electronic card-swipe access for residents, and a video intercom system that allows tenants to identify and grant entry to guests.
“All the students at Pugh Centre have a system where somebody can ring a bell down at the front door,” Campbell said. “They will see their face on a little screen in their apartment, and they can buzz them in. So that’s a lot more secure than just letting people in the building at will.”
The State College Planning Commission will review the preliminary land development plan during its meeting at noon on Wednesday.
Borough Council does not typically review land development plans, but the Addison Court matter is expected to be discussed at future meetings.
Borough staff have met with tenants “to provide information and support to tenants,” Fountaine said at a council meeting in December, and the Centre County Housing Authority has been notified to advise residents on next steps.
Council President Evan Myers said in December that as an accessible downtown home for seniors, Addison Court is important to the borough, but it is limited in what it can do because it is privately owned.
“Clearly, we have a strong interest in the property. This is an important apartment complex and housing unit in downtown State College, and that is of critical importance in the community,” Myers said. “But … I think it’s important that the community understand the legality and the real estate and who owns what and what we can do and what we can’t do. And what we can’t do is have an impact on this particular property as it exists now. As long as people have submitted a plan or are going forward under the current law, we have to abide by that.”
Council member Kevin Kassab said he wants the borough to think long-term to avoid potential displacement of affordable housing residents down the road.
“We all know it’s probably going to be very difficult to locate [Addison Court residents] in the borough,” Kassab said. “And I understand why they want to be in the borough … the access to CATA and all that, shops, Target. So it is a really sad situation. So I just want to make that clear that when we look at things like this, that we look at the future and what it does to individuals.”
