Ever heard of a Redevelopment Authority? (And do you know why it’s so awesome that our town has one?)
The State College Redevelopment Authority – aka “the RDA” – is a local government organization made up of volunteer appointees that impacts life in our town in lots of meaningful ways. But many locals have never heard of it and don’t realize what an asset it is for our community!
Even the team here at Rediscover State College, a project which is funded by this very organization, had very little idea about how it worked or the impact it had around town.
Thankfully, that’s changed. And after we spent the past year or so working with the RDA on a new website (keep reading for the Before & After!) we can now officially say we get it.
While the RDA does most of their work behind the scenes, it’s clear they have a finger on the pulse of our town’s current needs and challenges and remain a persistent champion of innovative, community-first development. We’re fortunate to have them in our corner, diligently working to foster a more vibrant State College.
So! As we officially celebrate the launch of their new website, we thought we’d take the opportunity to highlight some of the great work that’s in progress or been done by the RDA so far – and invite you to consider how you might partner with them in the future!
The “Before”: This is what the RDA’s website used to look like. Check out the new site here!
Recognize some of these RDA projects?
Fraser Centre
Previously situated on municipally owned land and now the home of “Downtown Target,” the Hyatt, Federal Taphouse, and others, this was the RDA’s very first project!
Nerdy fact that you might be delighted to know? By PA law, municipally owned land sales have to go to the highest bidder (regardless of whether that may be in the best interest of the town.) But because the RDA is able to function outside of this requirement, it becomes possible to bring lower profit (read: not student housing) but highly worthwhile resources and amenities into the local landscape. So the next time you’re sipping a fun beverage with friends and enjoying a window seat at Federal Taphouse while overlooking the State College skyline, thank the RDA!
Fraternity house turned human resource hub
We’ve talked about the property at 406 S Pugh before. This innovative project transformed the historic former Alpha Chi Sigma fraternity house into a home base for Centre Helps, allowing them to expand their suicide hotline, among other services. The building will also be outfitted with 4 affordable and fully accessible housing units.
Feel-good fact? When no outside developers raised their hand to partner in the redevelopment of this declining property, the RDA committed to moving forward solo, ensuring that critical human services stay local and accessible.
State College Town Centre – coming soon!
The RDA shines in collaboration! And State College Town Centre is the perfect example of what’s possible when public and private entities each bring their unique brand of firepower to a project.
In this public-private partnership between the RDA and Highland Holding Group, the RDA handled the land acquisition, set goals for what the scope of the project should be based on local needs and interest, and then solicited developer interest to help bring the vision to life.
Now, a previously empty Allen Street lot will welcome a 9-story boutique hotel, planned to include two restaurants with outdoor and rooftop dining options as well as music and banquet venues.
And next door, a food hall style incubator kitchen will provide space for multiple chefs to solidify concepts and build solid brand roots. State College locals and visitors will get the benefit of taste testing multiple food concepts under one roof before chefs hopefully branch out into brick and mortar spaces of their own, making way for the next round of chefs.
The U3 Project
If you’ve ever wondered what the plan was for all of that empty space below the high rises downtown, this one’s for you. In 2022, in recognition of the growing amount of vacant commercial space downtown, the RDA took the lead in commissioning a business attraction/retention study to explore what steps could be taken to fill approximately 84,000 sq ft of empty retail space.
One of the recommendations that came from that study was to hire a full time staff person at the Downtown State College Improvement District (DID) whose sole purpose would be filling that retail space. Kendra Kielbasa was hired in 2024 and hit the ground running and has been consulting with businesses, connecting them with resources, and helping to remove roadblocks and promote growth downtown ever since. (Look familiar? You might recognize Kendra from one of our Getting to Know the Neighbor newsletters!)
Have a project of your own?
The RDA would love to hear your ideas for making our town even better. Meetings are held the fourth Wednesday of every month at noon or you can reach out to start a conversation here!
Don’t have a project in mind? Browse the new website to learn more about how the RDA is working behind the scenes to lay the groundwork for innovative projects that will bring even more richness, variety, and purpose to the Borough.
