An upscale hotel planned for downtown took another step toward reality when the State College Borough Council changed the property's zoning designation to fit the proposed hotel's requirements over the complaints of a single council member.
Council voted at last night's meeting to extend commercial incentive district (CID) zoning to the area between East College Avenue and Calder Way bordered on the east by Hetzel Street and the west by Garner Street. The area was also given another zoning designation, which makes the maximum building height 145 feet.
Architect Ed Olsen, representing land owner Charles Herlocher, described the hotel project planned for the area as "vital to the revitalization of the eastern end of town."
Olsen said the hotel building would be 105 feet in height. He said the first floor of the building would be retail space, the second and third would be for residential housing and the remaining floors would be hotel rooms. Olsen also said the roof of the building would host a rooftop restaurant.
Council President Cathy Dauler said she was looking forward to the hotel providing a "balance with the student apartments in the area." Dauler also said the project would be the first in the CID zoning that will be funded wholly by private interests, something she said State College Planning Commission had in mind when originally conceiving the CID zoning.
However, council member Don Hahn, the lone member to vote against the changes, said he was on the planning commission when the CID zoning was first created, and it was never intended to be used on the east side of downtown.
Hahn said the CID was originally applied to the western side of downtown because of the plethora of parking options in that area. Hahn said the eastern part of downtown is "already starved for parking," and the zoning change gives developers no reason to put more parking in the area.
The only other major project taking advantage of CID zoning is the Fraser Centre, which will host residential housing, retail and office space and a 10-screen cinema.
Former planning commission member Michael Freeman spoke in favor of the changes at last night's meeting. He thanked some members of council for creating a "new direction for our town that included all residents, not just students."
Hahn said that, while the proposed hotel height of 105 feet was not abnormal in the area, a building of the maximum allowed height of 145 feet would look out of place.
As part of the changes, the maximum height of buildings on the bordering block, bound on the east by Garner Street and on the west by Hiester Street, was raised from 45 to 65 feet.
Dauler said the intent of this change was to provide a "transitional height" from the rest of downtown. She added that there are no projects currently proposed for the area.
However, Hahn said this change was another reason he voted against the changes. He said the block, with establishments such as The Deli Restaurant, 113 Hiester St., and The Saloon, 101 Hiester St., has nostalgic value for alumni visiting the area.
"I think it's still part of the State College tourist core," he said. "I think we will really regret losing it."
