What’s next for The Nittany Lion Inn and The Penn Stater
By Gracie Mullan In the last 10 years in Downtown State College, two new hotels have opened, another refurbished, and another closed. That’s quite a lot of change for the region in a short time. The Hyatt Place opened in 2017 inside the Fraser Centre and the renovated and renamed Graduate Hotel followed suit shortly […]
Healthy Valley: Livability and quality of life drive high health ranking
By Nikki Ciecierski Image: Mount Nittany Conservancy With abundant outdoor opportunities, strong healthcare infrastructure and collaborative efforts between healthcare providers and local businesses, Happy Valley is a prime example of a community that thrives on healthy lifestyles.. In the most recent County Health Rankings & Roadmaps report, Centre County ranked #2 among the 67 counties […]
Creating a Happy Valley icon at The Corner Room
By Holly Riddle Photos: The Corner Room Every Penn Stater knows The Corner Room. The iconic restaurant, located right on the corners of West College Avenue and South Allen Street, and directly across from Old Main, has been featured in a bevy of tourism-adjacent promotional materials for the city throughout the years. Established in 1926, […]
Ironman Triathlon rekindles love of Happy Valley
By Ben Lawrence Ben Lawrence in the Happy Valley Half Ironman Triathlon. Photo: Jim Valent. Call it a midlife crisis, but after a couple decades of living in Happy Valley I’d reached the point of, “meh.” Don’t get me wrong, I still marvel at our beautiful surroundings, the allure of Penn State, and – at […]
Outdoor recreation is a key perk for workers in Happy Valley
By Nikki Ciecierski Last November, Pennsylvania’s Department of Conservation and Natural Resources reported that Pennsylvania sported the sixth-largest outdoor recreation economy in the nation. There are big numbers involved — outdoor recreation contributes $13.64 billion to Pennsylvania’s economy and accounts for 152,000 jobs — but even more important is the immense good that outdoor recreation […]
Happy Valley Infrastructure: innovating Downtown State College
By Gracie Mullan The 5½ square mile radius that includes State College Borough and Penn State has attracted billions in investment over the last decade and with good reason. Happy Valley is in demand. As part of an initiative to grow State College, numerous 12-story highrises have popped up in downtown State College in recent […]
History is big business in Bellefonte
By David Rockower Co-owners Dustin Elder and Matt Maris believe that one of the best ways to connect with a community is to learn its local history. Credit: Local Historia. When people ask me where I am from, and I answer, “State College, PA,” most people will steer the conversation toward football or Penn State. […]
Boomerangs combat brain drain, plus advice for winning talent over larger cities
By Holly Riddle Photo: The Corner Room “Having experienced another city, I came to realize that Happy Valley is a true gem,” Katelyn Stark said of her move back to the area to take a job at Restek in human resources following a stint on the West Coast. “I grew up in State College and […]
The benefits of highrises in downtown State College
By Gracie Mullan The HERE building seen from Beaver Ave and Garner Street. Image: Chuck Fong. With Penn State’s rapid growth in recent decades, faculty, staff, students and visitors continue flooding into Happy Valley. As you’d expect, both housing and visitor accommodations are areas that have required particular attention downtown. According to the Downtown State […]
