Keeping the Schlow Memorial Library, 100 E. Beaver Ave., downtown is a crucial factor for the future of State College, borough officials say.

Members of the State College community have expressed concern that downtown has turned into nothing but pizza shops. Borough officials say the library, as well as several other projects included in the Downtown Vision and Strategic Plan, will prevent that from happening.

"The library was a critical element to keep the downtown from going downhill," said Borough Council member Jim Meyer.

After an extensive debate with the surrounding townships over parking, area governments decided to keep the library at its current location on the corner of Beaver Avenue and Allen Street.

The building itself, which was the old State College post office, will be torn down, Borough Council President Richard McCarl said.

The new $9.2 million library is scheduled to be completed in 2006.

"There's the feeling that bigger venues need to be located in the suburbs," said Teresa Sparacino, executive director of the Downtown Improvement District.

Borough Council voted to purchase the land currently behind the existing library for expansion.

"The borough felt it should remain downtown," McCarl said.

In addition, the council provided the library fund with an extra $500,000 for the expansion project, he said.

"The library is the centerpiece of any community," said David Lee, chairman of the Downtown Improvement District Board. "It draws an awful lot of people."

Following renovations, the new 38,000-square-foot library will stretch from Beaver Avenue to the municipal building on Allen Street. The library will have both a parking garage and surface lots, Lee said.

"I think there's a move on to diversify the place," McCarl said. "We can make the downtown into a cultural center as well as a pizza place. It doesn't have to be all eating places."

Well-known stores such as Abercrombie & Fitch, 138 S. Allen St., Panera Bread, 148 S. Allen St., and Hollywood Tans, 111 W. Beaver Ave., have already established themselves downtown, McCarl said. When people come into the downtown area to use the library they also patronize local businesses, he said.

"I think there's a lot of people who care about downtown," McCarl said. "The town's very generous, it's a good place to live."

Borough Council will discuss whether to accept the Downtown Vision and Strategic Plan during tonight's meeting.

The plan will outline what the downtown area will look like for the next 10 years.

"It's important to everyone to have a vibrant downtown," Lee said. "It's good for residents, good for businesses and good for students."