“If you build it, they will come.” This is an often quoted line from an old movie. But it isn’t always true. State College used to look very much like Gettysburg with 2-3 story buildings.
In 2010 their Planning Commission voted 5-2 against an 8 story apartment building.
Quoting from the website StateCollege.com, Charles Gable, who was a member of their Planning Commission in 2010 and one of 2 votes for the high rise, said the decision to allow the construction of high rise apartment buildings in State College was “to help strengthen the borough tax base.” The same words he is using here in Gettysburg.
The decision was eventually made to allow the construction of 10 story apartment buildings. Right now, the 13th high rise is under construction in State College, and the town has serious regrets. Rentals are unaffordable and there are very high vacancy rates.
Like the proposed plans here, developers were allowed extra height if they provided commercial space on the ground floor — space that was financially out of reach for the mom and pop stores that were displaced by the new construction.
A great number of those store fronts still sit vacant. But the damage is done there. There is no going back. Please don’t let Charles Gable convince Council to make the same mistake in Gettysburg. Let’s take a lesson from their experience.
Nancie W. Gudmestad, Gettysburg