Urban village OK'd; residents skeptical

By LISA HAARLANDER
Collegian Staff Writer

The State College Borough planning department approved the first development plan under new zoning regulations for the urban village, but some residents say that increased development will change the neighborhood's character.

Property owner Jim Scourtis wants to demolish the existing building at 811 W. College Ave. and build two rental apartment buildings that could house 60 people. Each of the 10 apartments would have three, two-person bedrooms.

The architect, Al Drobka, went to the design and review board in October with a preliminary plan. For four months, instead of the usual two, they worked together to determine landscaping and building materials. The interaction requires more time but yields a better result, Planning Director Carl Hess said.

The urban village is the area from Buckhout to Barnard streets and from Railroad Avenue to Calder Way.

The urban village zoning ordinance encourages interaction because the board can award incentive points, which give developers greater design flexibility in return for design aspects that the borough wants, Drobka said.

For instance, Drobka received permission to exceed the limit for building square footage in return for putting most parking underground, designing a courtyard between the two buildings and making the building match its surroundings.

"It's a different type of zoning than has been in existence before, but it's an idea that really hasn't been used before, so we're all on new ground," he said.

The ground is partly familiar to Drobka because he served on the design and review board for 10 years and has always lived in the area.

The planning department approved the plans, and Drobka will start construction at the beginning of April. One building will be ready for occupancy by August, Drobka said.

Mike Christy (junior-fine arts) and Marty Pepe (senior-history) live across the street and are not looking forward to the change or the noise from construction.

"I really don't like the idea of any apartments because the nice part of this area is that it's quieter than the eastern end of town," Christy said. "An apartment building would change the ambience of the neighborhood."

The Art Monk Construction record company and the band Samuel now occupy the house, which a developer will demolish. Christy and Pepe have gone there to hear local bands as well as groups from Arizona, Maryland and New York. The band Donora lived there last year, and Da Joint also lives in the area, Christy said.

"They have a place to come and play," Pepe said. "It's a great deal for us to go over there, pay a buck or two and hear bands from across the nation."

The ordinance does not intend to uproot anyone but to preserve historical buildings, renovate the area and allow the district to grow as the west campus expands, planning commission member Christy Rambeau said.

The area's renovation and development by private individuals will parallel the intensity with which the University develops the west campus, she said.

On March 15, the Planning Commission will discuss the ordinance because some members want to strengthen incentives to preserve contributing historical structures and to limit population density.

"We may need to look at a couple of things relating to side-yard setbacks, landscape requirements for buffer zones and further protection for properties that contribute to a historic district," Rambeau said. "I think the ordinance needs to be fine-tuned in order to get what we like -- an attractive and healthy district of the borough."

Christy said the urban village already has those qualities and further development would diminish them.

"I think it already is and it would be less so with a lot of apartments here," he said. "Right now, it's just quiet houses with friendly people."