With winter still in full force, students living downtown who have to trek to campus just to study or attend events at the HUB-Robeson Center may soon be able to reduce the distance they need to travel.

Lena Matternas, Off-Campus Student Union vice president, said the use of the community room in the State College Borough Municipal Building, 243 S. Allen St., for off-campus students was suggested at a meeting in December with Student Affairs Vice President Vicky Triponey.

Although no plans or ideas have solidified, Matternas said she hopes to begin using the room in the spring.

Borough Manager Tom Fountaine said the community room can hold about 100 people and is currently used for film series and exercise and dance groups but is most commonly used for public meetings. Fountaine added that the Off-Campus Student Union would need to reserve the room only when it wants to hold events.

Matternas said one event the union would like to host is a March Madness party with free food. "It would be a substance-free event, because not everyone living off campus is 21," she added.

In addition to offering space for social gatherings, the room could also be used to host similar events that the HUB offers, such as game nights, Matternas said. She added that it could also be a good place for students to study.

"Downtown is more food, bars and hangout places," Matternas said. "There needs to be more study spaces downtown."

The use of the room would be geared toward off-campus students, but it would not be limited to them, Matternas said.

Mayor Bill Welch said the use of the municipal building for students is a good idea.

"There is always a need for more alcohol-free venues downtown," he said.

Barry Bram, senior associate residence life director and Off-Campus Student Union adviser, said the group hopes to hold at least one or two events in the municipal building each semester.

"It's part of an effort to give students a sense of living downtown and the resources that are available to them," Bram said.

Emily Kuhlman (senior-nutrition) and Lauren Germanowski (junior-kinesiology), who both live off campus on the 500 block of University Drive, said they have a hard time going back and forth to campus for classes and other activities offered only on campus. "When it's snowing, it's terrible to get onto campus ... The sidewalks are never cleaned off, and the buses are late," Germanowski said. "It prevents me from going on campus for group meetings."

Kuhlman agreed and said she thinks some off-campus students would take advantage of the space available in the municipal building because of its location downtown.

Matternas said the next step would be to gain student interest and begin to finalize potential ideas that would take place this spring. "Our main goal is to open up opportunities and space for off-campus students," she said.