By Greg Woodman
In State College, what you hear isn’t waves crashing, it’s the roar of over 108,000 fans at Beaver Stadium, the energy of nearly 50,000 returning students, and alumni who aren’t merely visiting, they’re investing. With cranes set to rise this October, more than one-third of the 70 units at the Nittany Residence Club are already under contract, clear evidence that the market is speaking. Real dollars are validating demand for downtown living.
In 2024, Happy Valley welcomed 5.1 million trips—including 1.8 million overnight stays—and generated over $1 billion in visitor spending, according to the Happy Valley Adventure Bureau. With demand surging, walkable downtown residences offering ownership with hotel-style flexibility are exactly what the market seeks.
This is the new oceanfront: college towns like Happy Valley, where identity, investment, and experience converge in a walkable, vibrant core.
A Smart, Market-Sensitive Answer
Located at 321 West Beaver Avenue—a former photo lab and bioplasma center—the Nittany Residence Club presents a pioneering condohotel model: 70 deeded condominium units managed as a luxury hotel. Owners can occupy their condominium unit when they visit Happy Valley and have the option to take part in a professionally managed rental program when they are not using their unit. The model delivers maintenance-free ownership, income potential, and built-in Penn State identity AND the potential to offset home ownership costs.
With increasing restrictions on Airbnb-style rentals in many neighborhoods, this structure offers a compliant, hassle-free alternative. Owners gain pride in ownership without maintenance burdens or regulatory risks.
Demand Confirmed by Numbers
According to the Happy Valley Adventure Bureau:
- 5.1 million trips to the region in 2024
- 1.8 million overnight stays—up 100,000 over two years
- Day trip spending rose by $50 million; overnight spending grew by $77 million to $542 million.
- 64% of overnight visitors returned within 12 months, up from 51% in 2022.
These trends—growing visitation, repeat stays, and demographic shifts toward solo travelers, couples, and alumni groups—underline strong demand for centrally located lodging.
Alumni-Owned, Alumni-Focused
The first buyer group: four Class of ’96 roommates who pooled resources to secure a shared unit, anchoring a nostalgic home base for game weekends, spring visits, and family outings. “We wanted something permanent… The ability to rent it out made it an easy decision,” they said.
This is not outside speculation, it’s alumni investing in legacy, lifestyle, and community. Many of the core developers have children now enrolled at Penn State, further deepening personal ties to place and project.
Proven Local Leadership: Developer Credentials
The leaders behind the Nittany Residence Club are alumni who’ve transformed downtown State College before. At the forefront is Gary Brandeis, whose transformative work includes:
- The Fraser Centre’s Hyatt Hotel and Scholar Hotel, which reshaped the downtown core.
- The comprehensive renovation of the iconic Nittany Lion Inn
- Major updates to the Penn Stater Hotel & Conference Center, a key welcoming presence on campus
- Brandeis has long been bridging Penn State University and the broader community, aligning hospitality assets with campus vision. His continued commitment through this project builds on decades of city-shaping credentials. Venture and Jamison Morse, longtime partners in downtown development
- Jim Venture and Jamison Morse, lead architects and engineers and longtime partners in downtown developments.
Other investors include Christian Hackenberg and Michael Mauti, former Nittany Lion athletes now investing back in their hometown.
- Jim Venture says, “This isn’t just real estate, it’s about creating place and community.” Brandeis adds, “This is a legacy project; we built this for alumni and fans who want to stay close to what they love.” Hackenberg notes, “This reflects the spirit and pride we felt at Penn State.” Mauti shares, “It’s about experience and contributing to State College’s future.”
Timing Meets Upgrade
The planned opening in August 2027, the Nittany Residence Club perfectly aligns with the conclusion of Beaver Stadium’s $700 million renovation, now the second-largest stadium in the Western Hemisphere. At the intersection of big-time college sports, small-town charm, and alumni passion, this development threads the needle, meeting demand with heart, hustle, and a place people genuinely want to be. Happy Valley isn’t just smart, it’s magnetic.
Homecoming on Demand
The Nittany Residence Club fulfills the modern desire for “homecoming on demand.” For alumni and visitors, it’s not nostalgia, it’s full immersion. Walk to Rec Hall or the Corner Room, and Eisenhower, hear Old Main’s chimes and the distant roar of Beaver Stadium, be surrounded by 50,000 students. There’s energy here akin to oceanfront vibrancy, and now year-round.
Designing a Legacy Lifestyle
Observing with admiration as cranes rise downtown? Know that they don’t signify erosion of charm, they symbolize alumni-led growth, consumer demand, and purposeful evolution. This model elevates downtown identity, solidifies tax base, and reinforces a legacy of place.
As retirees increasingly choose Happy Valley, alumni return with families, and community events expand, demand for smart, walkable ownership grows. This condo-hotel offering weaves lifestyle, legacy, and logistics.
College towns nationwide are outperforming traditional second-home markets by offering intellectual stimulation, cultural vibrancy, and climate resilience. Anchored by Penn State’s vast infrastructure, modern amenities, and amazing college/professional athletes now calling the area home, arts scenes, and 750,000 acres of public land, Happy Valley’s value proposition is clear.
With only approximately 40 units remaining, the message is unmistakable: demand is real. Momentum is powerful. The future is here.
Welcome home. You’ve always been invited. Now’s the time to stay.
Visit www.nittanyresidenceclub.com for more information.
