Poorman College Signage Goes Up Minus City Approval

LOCK HAVEN—A sprawling mural extolling Stephen Poorman College has gone up on the side of a Grove Street building and the City of Lock Haven is investigating how it got there.

The mural, on the north side of the building at 114 Grove Street, facing E. Church St., was undergoing finishing touches on Tuesday. City code officer Cyndi Walker, contacted by therecord-online Tuesday, said no permit for work approval had been requested, as required by the city’s sign ordinance. She said information relative to the placement of the sign has been referred to the city solicitor for an opinion as to how to proceed.

The building ownership is listed as 114 Grove LLC. County records show it was sold by local businessman Stephen Poorman to a West Coast developer in June of 2009 for $28,000. Taxes on the property are to be mailed to 114 Grove LLC at Poorman’s E. Main St. office address. A call to Poorman’s office brought word that he was not in on Tuesday.

The mural promotes the Stephen Poorman College of Business, Information Systems and Human Services at Lock Haven University. Several years ago the university celebrated a property and cash pledge of $7.1 million towards its business school from Poorman and his wife Pamela A. Fisher-Poorman. A call to LHU about the new downtown signage did not produce an immediate response.