As one of the few remaining historic buildings in State College, the bus terminal on North Atherton Street may face demolition in the near future.

But community members, including Bob Donaldson, a member of the Centre County Historical Society, are trying to find a way for the 75-year-old former train station to continue standing.

"The building will simply be mowed down and demolished," Donaldson said.

One possible way to keep the building is to find someone willing to finance moving it from its current position to a location possibly on Sparks Street and turn it into a retail store or a community center, he said.

Although she would not be overseeing this type of project, State College Downtown Improvement District Director Teresa Sparacino said she likes the idea.

"Every time you save a piece of history, it's important," she said.

After an estimate determined the building to be structurally sound and priced the move at about $18,000, Donaldson and other community members are looking for someone to sponsor the operation.

There are several old train stations in the area that have been successfully turned into other types of businesses.

Whistle Stop Restaurant, located on Pennsylvania Avenue in Centre Hall, was originally a train station built in 1884, owner Marcia Gemperle said.

Since a severe flood in 1972 that washed out the tracks, the building has been home to several businesses, including a chiropractor's office, before becoming the Whistle Stop Restaurant in April 1991, Gemperle said.

"It's one of the largest selling points," she said, adding that the food and service also draws in a lot of customers.

Forster's Trains and Toys, 140 Mary St., Lemont, is also a former rail station. After being burned down, the station was rebuilt, and in 1994, Forster's Trains and Toys opened up in the building, owner Jim Forster said.

"Having a train shop in a train station works out pretty well," Forster said.

Another possible solution if the station cannot stay at its current location is to move it where a new bus station may be located. Two of the four possible relocations are close to its current one, Donaldson said, so moving the building would be easier.

The State College Borough Council has not yet taken an official position on the matter and does not have anything in the budget to fund the operation, State College Planning Director Carl Hess said.

If a site was found, however, the borough would be supportive of saving a piece of early State College, he said.