Lou’s View – May 26, 2016

Green Space

by Lou Bernard

As I write this, there’s a big metal fence around Sullivan Hall, up at Lock Haven University. Plans have been announced to tear it down to make room for an amphitheater. This is Phase Two of a project; Phase One was the removal of Russell Hall to create “green space,” a pretty little park for the students to enjoy.

I read about this as I sit down to dinner with my wife and son. My boy, Paul Matthew, is almost two years old, and can be something of a picky eater. We’re having chicken, and he has indicated that he doesn’t want any. “No,” he says, and throws it down to the dogs.

“Okay,” I agree. “You don’t have to have any chicken. But I don’t want to hear later about how hungry you are.”

To give Paul Matthew some credit, he is actually pretty good about this. If he says he isn’t hungry, then he genuinely isn’t hungry, and won’t demand much more than a drink of milk before bed. If he’s really hungry, then he’ll eat.

Why am I telling you all this? What does this have to do with the university’s new project?

It shows that my toddler has a better understanding of consequences than LHU does.

Before I continue, let me state that this is an opinion piece. This column reflects my views and opinions, and does not necessarily reflect upon the Record, my employers, the city of Lock Haven, Clinton County, or for that matter, the planet Earth. I am simply stating my thoughts and views here.

Lock Haven University is tearing down another one of their buildings, and using it for an amphitheater. They’ve previously ripped down a building for green space. Hey, it’s their property, and I agree that they can do whatever they want with it.

The problem comes in when they begin to move outward toward the rest of the city.

A little over a year ago, in March of 2015, the Lock Haven University Foundation asked city council for a rezoning on the 300 block of Church Street. The purpose of this was so they could purchase the residential homes there, tear them down, and make them into a parking lot.

This would join another parking lot near the corner of Main and Third Streets, where the Crist House used to stand. The Crist House was built in 1863, the home of Samuel Crist, mayor of Lock Haven. It was demolished by LHU in 2006, to make room for a parking lot. LHU needs lots of parking, apparently. You’d think they might have planned for people to arrive by car, but somehow they seem to have not foreseen that possibility.

The Church Street plan was voted down by city council. Bill Baney, Jonathan Bravard, and Ted Forbes all voted against it. Personally I’m glad they did, as LHU-owned property is a loss of real estate tax revenue, which means that every time they buy a property within the city limits, taxes are raised for the rest of us to make up for the shortfall. I can’t afford for LHU to own much more property; I have a child. And when he does decide to eat, I need to buy him food.

When it is suggested that the University build a parking garage for their parking problems, they have in the past claimed that it is not economically feasible. Not that they appear worried about economic feasibility for the rest of the community they are a part of.

So now they’re demolishing Sullivan Hall to create an amphitheater. That’s fine; it’s their property and they have every right to do it. But, as I would say to my son, I don’t want to hear later about how much parking they need. The next time there are parking problems, LHU can see how many cars they can fit in their green space.

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