Ferguson Township is looking to make a downtown of its own, and it is an interesting concept for Centre County.

Conceptual plans are being created for a downtown center located between Circleville Farm and the newly constructed portion of Blue Course Drive. The idea is to make it similar to Allen Street, with small shops and eateries to make it more of a community.

The planned downtown area is very preliminary, and there is no set timeline for when the specific design and concept will be ready.

But the idea is striking.

Eventually, Penn State is going to be much more mammoth-like than it already is. Students have begun, and will continue to, live outside of campus and often far at that.

It may come to a point when students and faculty, graduate students and the like will need places to go for leisure that offer more convenience. Instead of having to drive or take a bus into downtown State College, community members outside can enjoy convenience a block away from where they live.

Considering Penn State's master plans to expand the campus' reach, there will need to be more options for the members of the Penn State community.

While its goal isn't specifically aimed at Penn State students, it is giving them more options, and that is really important in a time when a lot of students' housing decisions are based on convenience over financial issues.

And when looking at the options for the residents of State College and the surrounding communities, let's face it, State College offers only minimal options for a diverse community. It's understandable that a 55-year-old resident may not enjoy a packed State College bar on a Friday night when the students are here.

The idea is a good one in that it promotes a variety of options for a lot of people.

With students taking the option to live away from campus, expanding Ferguson into a more homey and community-like atmosphere will only help out all parties in the end. One shouldn't be forced into driving and/or taking a bus into State College just to be able to sip a cup of coffee. He or she shouldn't be placed with only one stop to grab a beer at a bar.

This idea is also a nice turn from suburban-sprawl by adding a new Super Wal-Mart or five. Instead, it can offer a small shop that specializes in something particular.

This idea offers jobs, convenience and a community-oriented space. Everyone could benefit from that.