Lou’s View – April 9, 2015

Lost History

by Lou Bernard

What do the Crist House, the Peale House, and the Claster House all have in common?

If you said,”They were beautiful buildings in Lock Haven,” then you are correct. If you added,”But they’re no longer standing,” then you are also correct. And if you said,”They were torn down by Lock Haven University,” then give yourself the grand prize.

I’m going to begin by saying that this is an opinion piece. This is my opinion, and does not necessarily reflect the views of any of my employers, the Record, the city of Lock Haven, or any of the historic dead people I may mention. I hope that makes all the lawyers happy.

Look, I get it. Universities need to grow. Any business needs to grow. I understand that.

But is there a way for Lock Haven University to grow without hurting the rest of the city?

Several years ago, LHU purchased the Crist House, home of Samuel Crist, lumberman and former mayor of Lock Haven. They tore it down because they were in need of parking. LHU is always in need of parking, because in spite of the fact that they all presumably have college educations, it never occurred to any of them that people might choose to arrive by car.

I’d almost have some sympathy for it. Except for the Durrwachter Alumni Center.

At the same time they were tearing down the Crist House to make parking, they were building the Durrwachter Alumni Center on top of a parking lot. So, essentially, the University paid a lot of money simply to break even. It’s like nobody up there takes their own economics classes.

And now, LHU is coming forward with various plans to buy up homes on Church Street, and tear them down for parking.

I’m not totally against the college—They have the potential to do a lot of good in this community. I love working with the students, answering their questions, teaching them. I’ve had several LHU employees as guest speakers, and they do a wonderful job.

But the blatant disrespect that administration has for the rest of the city is frightening.

Maybe I phrased that wrong. Maybe it’s not so much disrespect as indifference. Did you know that LHU does not pay property taxes? Every time they buy a property, it goes off the tax rolls. Which means that the rest of the city sees a tax hike to make up the shortfall.

Does LHU care? Does it make a difference to them that the rest of the city is paying to solve their parking problem?

Recently, city council rejected a rezoning request by LHU, which would have made it possible for them to make homes into a parking lot. Councilman Ted Forbes, who was especially vocal, is my hero. I think city council made the right decision for the community they serve, and I hope it ends there.

But, whether or not this parking lot happens, there will be another time when the college wants to destroy part of Lock Haven. Just like the Crist House. Just like the old high school. And I understand that the college needs to grow. But it would make me feel a lot better if they showed some respect for the rest of the community they’re in.

Lock Haven citizens who work directly for the college benefit from the money that LHU brings in. The rest of us, who don’t work for the college, get a different experience. We get our property taxes raised. We get parties and noise late at night, and beer cans on our lawns the next morning.

LHU could make a huge difference simply by showing that they care what happens to the rest of the city. Donations to the city, or to various nonprofits within the city, would go a long way toward showing that they recognize a community outside themselves.

I’d like to support the university. I want to like living in a college town. But it would help if they supported and liked us back. After all, this is the city of Lock Haven—Not the city of Lock Haven University.