| State College,
PA may be best known as the home of Penn State University, but it
is also a bustling community of 80,000 people. Located at the intersection
of Allen and Foster Avenues, the three-level structure provides 20,000
square feet of space to house borough offices. The feeling of the
new building is warm and inviting, a marked change from the small,
dark facility it replaces.
According to Doug Henry, project architect with L. Robert Kimball & Associates of State College, the town wanted a high-visibility structure that would encourage citizen participation. A large plaza in front leads to a lobby that will be used as an exhibit space to showcase community talent. Henry adds: “A building like this is designed to last 75 years at a minimum, so the building materials were selected for endurance.” The architectural precast on the second and third levels is bricked to match a number of buildings in the town and on the campus.
The building is strategically positioned at the end of Allen Street, which is anchored on the other end by an entrance to the campus, suggesting the interdependence of State College and the university.
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