Every year on the Monday after Arts Festival downtown drivers and pedestrians still see the temporary landscaping on Allen Street and the street still blocked off.
We’re resigned to the fact that it will be another year before the fun and frivolity of Arts Festival returns.
Like kids that wish every day could be Christmas, I wish every day could be Arts Fest.
I love the live music, the town’s energy and most of all how pedestrian-friendly the closed off areas of Allen Street become. I am slightly prejudiced in that regard, having lived in Charlottesville, Virginia for a couple of years and spending time on the downtown mall there.
Years ago they closed off a downtown street, put brick down and created a permanent walking mall. It is an inviting place to be and there are restaurants, shops, apartments and office space above the retail spaces. There are adjacent parking garages that provide plenty of space for people visiting the businesses there.
Each year after Arts Fest I get to thinking about an idea like that for State College.
The beauty of the downtown mall in Charlottesville is that it pre-dated the building of “town centers” that have sprouted up all over the country. These town centers are essentially outdoor malls combined with office and apartment space — and they are built by tearing up undeveloped land far from downtown cores. They are like a Disney replication of a real downtown.
The Charlottesville Downtown Mall is the real thing. A downtown Mall in State College could be the real thing too.
An Allen Street Mall would be serviced by three large parking garages all within a block. It could be a pedestrian-friendly place to stroll, have a cup of coffee outside or even dine outside as places like the Corner Room, Pickles or Cozy Thai suddenly find they have more room to work with. In Charlottesville the restaurants are able to set up tables on the mall and diners can enjoy a meal or a beer under the afternoon or evening sky.
The key to having a successful downtown will be continuing to give people something that they can’t get elsewhere. A fall evening spent strolling or dining outdoors on Allen Street would be unique to downtown.
That is only one part of a Dream Downtown.
The second part involves Penn State. At one time the school had plans to demolish that long dinosaur along College Avenue known as Hammond building. That building and the connected extensions create a barrier, a wall of mid-20th century architecture that is as uninviting as it is imposing.
In its place could be an outdoor greenspace. A plaza would really open up that end of campus, removing a physical barrier between town and campus while creating an inviting entrance to the alumni center. At one end of that new open space the university could build a permanent band shell to host outdoor musical and theater performances.
It would create a unique open-air performance space for students majoring in music and theater. It could become a dynamic outdoor venue drawing musical acts and people into town for concerts. That same plaza could also be utilized for outdoor BMX or skateboarding competitions by setting up temporary venues there.
But for it to be Arts Festival every day there has to be a cold weather draw.
When Jack Frost turns the page from autumn to winter the plaza could have an outdoor skating rink set up. Think Rockefeller Center Ice Rink meets Penn State/College Avenue. It would sure be a great date-night destination to go ice skating at the outdoor rink above College Avenue. It could also be a fun venue for youth hockey programs to play outdoor games — their own “Winter Classics”.
What it boils down to is this; the downtown area has assets that set it apart from everywhere else in the area. It has a location near campus. It has history, charm and holds the memories of countless Penn Staters. It can become an even stronger draw to out of town visitors.
The key is to find a bold future vision that will draw generations of both students and professionals to live and make their own memories there. My Dream Downtown is one person’s opinion and I am sure many see things differently. (My inner-child would also love to flood Calder Way like the San Antonio Riverwalk.)
The idea here is to spark conversation, to fuel discussion. Downtown State College is the beating heart of our community and its health impacts the entire region. Already, new projects have begun and there are buildings rising ever higher in the downtown core. Three large cranes tower above the skyline signaling new buildings, retail, office space and hotel rooms.
The key to capturing new momentum is to envision a day when downtown becomes a little more like having Arts Fest every day.
