Lexi Shimkonis reported on one of State College’s latest downtown developments earlier this year, which will be the demolition of this utilitarian building that I snapped a photo of during Homecoming last week:

It was a beautiful Friday afternoon when I snapped that photo at the intersection of Beaver Avenue and Pugh Street, and it’s striking to me both because it captures that building in likely the best possible light, and also because it’s one of those photos that actually presents a scene far better than the architectural rendering of what’s to come presents things:

But I am excited about this new building, which will probably start construction sometime next year. It’s the sort of building that is an improvement of what’s there precisely because it doesn’t try to do anything other than improve the corner where it will be, and aesthetically complement the height and only modestly ornamented style that characterizes so much of State College’s downtown.

The rendering of what’s to come probably doesn’t really convey how incredibly tall it will look when standing on the downward-sloping Pugh Street when compared to the stumpy little three story building it replaces.