A new four-story apartment complex is under construction in downtown State College, and the process for leasing one of the 12 two-bedroom apartments will begin toward the end of September, according to the building's owner.
The building, named Jeramar Plaza, at 232 S. Allen St., will have one story of commercial space and three stories of apartments available for rent, zoning officer Herman Slaybaugh said recently.
Commercial space will be located on the first floor, and apartments will be located on the second through fourth floors, Slaybaugh said.
Slaybaugh said the building is about 14,700 square feet, with 5,265 square feet of commercial space and 21 parking spots. The State College Planning Commission accepted building plans in 2007.
Ralph Heimer, the building's owner, worked with Bellefonte architect Ed Olsen to conceive the final building plan. Previous to the current plan under construction, the State College Planning Commission had approved several other plans that were larger and had up to nine stories.
"We've been planning to build there for a long time but could never quite find the right solution. Finally the plan just came together, and it was the right time," Heimer said.
The building's quaint four stories and exterior design retain the "character and fabric of downtown," Olsen said.
Olsen and Slaybaugh said red bricks on the bottom of the building will resemble the appearance of the State College Municipal Building and Schlow Centre Region Library, both of which are located across the street.
Other materials being used in the construction include vinyl panels and a metal roof, Slaybaugh said.
The entrance to the apartments will be located separately from the entrance to the commercial space. The commercial space entrance will be accessible from Allen Street, while the apartment entrance will be located on the north side of the building, Olsen said.
Specific rent and parking rates have not been decided yet, but they should be comparable to other new apartment complexes in the downtown area, Heimer said.
More specific information will be available later this month and can be obtained by mailing a request to Jeramar Plaza, 805 S. Sparks St.
"I think it's going to be a very, very nice building," Heimer said.
