The first things that may strike you about the newly constructed two-and-a-half-story, six bedroom, six-and-a-half bath luxury home at 3 South 30th Avenue in Longport are the extraordinary elegance and grace of its exterior design, the way its southern exposure maximizes the amount of sunlight it receives and, of course, its proximity to the beach in a shorefront community whose geography makes it less apt to attract crowds of visitors.

But if your first impression is how enticingly all this comes together, you may be further beguiled to discover that theres a whole lot more to its appeal than meets the eye.

Everyone sees a faade, but they never get to look behind the walls, says custom builder Albert Puggi, owner of Puggi Construction LLC, in describing his approach to designing and constructing homes for over 30 years, which this particular residence exemplifies. I build homes with meticulous attention to detail and maintain a high-quality standard as if I was going to live in them or even retire in them.

Every bedroom of this particular home, for example, has its own private custom-designed full bathroom, affording residents and guests complete privacyand each bathroom, as Puggi notes, is 100 percent marble, including showers, floors and sills, rather than tile, and comes with a window to keep it bright.

Theres also an elevator thats accessible from the outside and transports occupants from ground level to any of its three floors, and vice versa, which eliminates the difficulties (and hazards) of navigating stairs for retirees that keeps many of them from buying a house with more than one story. The elevator, Puggi points out, provides efficient and safe access to all floors of the home for occupants of any age, especially when theyre carrying things. The staircases, he says, are split-level with landings to make them both safer and easier to ascend.

Then there are what Puggi calls the hidden features of the home, such as 3/4-inch-thick hardwood engineered flooring throughout the entire house, which keeps the floors from warping or buckling from the moisture of being near the ocean. Another is spray foam insulation throughout the entire exterior of the house for optimal energy efficiency, along with hurricane windows designed to withstand winds of up to 150 miles per hour. Even though these windows are no longer required by code, theyre still a standard feature of all the homes Puggi builds, along with insulation in all interior walls and floor joists to insure privacy for each room.

The many additional amenities to be found throughout this custom home include a fabulous gourmet kitchen, upper and lower LED accent cabinet lighting, and 1-inch granite countertops with OG edges. Occupants can experience outdoor dining with an oversized exterior covered deck accessible from the kitchen for added ambiance. The living room includes a remote-controlled gas fireplace, and it is pre-wired for a surround-sound system complete with built-in speakers.

Among its other advantages are three-zone heating and air conditioning units; a security alarm system for the interior as well as pre-wired surveillance cameras for the exterior; an attached garage with a driveway big enough to accommodate four additional vehicles; an extensive ground-level storage area on a concrete slab under the entire house, and two enclosed private outdoor showers with motion sensor lighting for added convenience and safety.

In addition, should an owner wish to put in a swimming pool, theres room enough to do so and even to add a second detached garage that can double as a cabana (the kind of flexibility that not too many shore properties offer).

As for the location, besides being just six houses from the beach, and two blocks from Longports playground, tennis and basketball facilities, its just a five-minute walk to the restaurants and shops of Margate, as well as having two convenience stores along the way.

To arrange a showing of this state-of-the-art residence, you can contact listing agent Jaime Kravitz at DiLorenzo Realty Group LLC at either (609) 350-7475 (office) or (609) 226-9634 (cell phone).

More here:
This Longport luxury home has a lot more to offer than looks - Press of Atlantic City

HERE

Deals for new skiers and snowboarders

Want to learn to ski or snowboard? Consider taking an adult clinic at Pats Peak in New Hampshire and get a lesson, half-day lift ticket, and lunch for less than the cost of a regular half-day lift ticket. The Weekday Adult Ski/Snowboard Clinics run Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday mornings (with a few holiday exclusions) through the end of the season. Clinics cost $40 per day for a one-time pass to $300 for a 10-clinic package. Or sign up for Passport Program PLUS, a weekend program that includes four beginner lessons, lift ticket, and rental packages. After finishing the program, you get a free Pats Peak Unlimited Season Pass, a free pair of Elan skis and bindings (limited quantities available), and discounts at ski shops in Concord, Salem, Nashua, and Manchester, N.H., and at The Ski House in Somerset, Mass. The prepaid program costs $389, for 18 and older. 888-728-7732, http://www.patspeak.com.

Bostons annual Celtic festival

Celtic musicians, singers, and dancers from around the world gather in Cambridge Jan. 16-19 for the 17th annual Boston Celtic Music Festival, known as BCMFest. The event includes more than 60 performances at Club Passim, The Sinclair, and The Atrium in Harvard Square, showcasing artists from Irish, Scottish, Cape Breton, and other Celtic communities. Enjoy performances by renowned Cape Breton fiddling duo Mary Jane Lamond and Wendy MacIsaac, Irish step dancer Kevin Doyle (a US step dancing champion), and dozens of local dancers and musicians. Dont miss the Boston Urban Ceilidh Jan. 17, a Celtic dance party with live music at The Atrium, and Dayfest, which features more than 12 hours of Celtic music Jan. 18 at Club Passim and The Sinclair. Tickets range from free to $25, depending on event. Two workshops on Cape Breton music and dancing take place Jan. 19 at The Passim School of Music ($45 per person). 617-492-7679, http://www.passim.org/bcmfest.

Reel fun in Belmont

Bring your kids to Belmont World Films 17th Annual Family Festival and enjoy animation workshops and more than 35 films from around the world. This years festival, themed Where Stories Come Alive, features live action, animated, and documentary films geared to children 2 to 12. It begins Jan. 17 at Belmonts Regent Theatre with the East Coast premiere of Hacker, a Danish film about a boy whose mother, a scientist, disappears under mysterious circumstances and that ends happily. Subsequent days focus on different themes: the animal kingdom (Jan. 18), short films (Jan. 19), and the ideals and values of Martin Luther King Jr. (Jan. 20). Also attend The Very Hungry Caterpillar Show Storytime with storytelling and an audience participation puppet show, and talks and workshops with writer/director Cinzia Angelini, the head story artist for Abominable. Tickets: $6 (shorts) to $20 (workshops); $50 festival pass includes all programs except workshops. 617-484-3980, http://www.belmontworldfilm.org.

THERE

Tis the season for Drunk Yoga

Two people walk into a bar and their discussion over a glass of wine leads to the founding of Drunk Yoga, a program that encourages people to try something new without feeling intimidated. Eli Walker, the founder of Drunk Yoga and a certified astrologer, isnt a proponent of getting drunk though youre welcome to enjoy a complimentary wine, beer, or mimosa in her yoga classes but its about getting drunk, in a sense, on the good feelings of connecting with others, celebrating community, and trying something new with supportive strangers. Walker has teamed up with CheapCaribbean to offer a three-day New Year, Do You Retreat in Cancun, Feb. 20-23, which focuses on self-care, mental wellness, and beachside fun. It includes Drunk Yoga classes (with cocktails, coffee, or water in hand), one-on-one birth chart readings, sunrise (sober) beach yoga, Walkers character-development workshops, and a copy of Walkers book, Drunk Yoga: 50 Wine and Yoga Poses to Lift Your Spirit(s). Cost: $1,299 per person, includes roundtrip flight from Boston, three nights at Haven Riviera Cancun Resort and Spa, and the above activities. http://www.tiny.cc/3ul2hz.

New hotel within Austin city limits

Austins newest hotel has a state-of-the-art gym overlooking Lady Bird Lake, an in-house yoga studio, and a welcoming dcor thats influenced by the areas historic craftsman-style homes and art nouveau flair. Austin Proper Hotel, the areas first LEED Gold-certified hotel, offers 244 rooms and suites that come with Nespresso machines and Apple TVs. Borrow an electric bike to cruise around town or have a Peloton bike sent up to your room for a private workout; the hotels full-service spa and swimming pool with private cabanas open this spring. The property has a Mediterranean grill with Israeli- and Turkish-inspired fare and an elegant sunken bar with signature cocktails. A coffee shop and caf with take-out options opens soon. Rates start at $350 per night, double occupancy. 888-333-0546, http://www.properhotel.com.

EVERYWHERE

An insulated chair for travelers

Keep warm on your winter adventures with Helinoxs portable Chair One and Seat Warmer. Chair One has rugged aluminum poles with internal bungee cords that make setup and breakdown a breeze they spring into place during setup and easily come apart for packing and a durable canvas material that quickly attaches to the frame. Slip Helinoxs new Seat Warmer, made of synthetic down, over the chair for extra warmth on colder days; cinch the cover in place using the drawstring cord so it doesnt shift around when you do. The low-riding chair packs down to the size of a loaf of bread and comes with a handy zippered travel bag so you can stuff it in the corner of your car or backpack. It weighs less than a pound and supports up to 320 pounds. $100 chair, $70 seat warmer. 877-267-2882, http://www.helinox.com.

KARI BODNARCHUK

Kari Bodnarchuk can be reached at travelwriter@karib.us.

Read the original:
Celtic music, drunk yoga, and a new hotel that brings a Peloton to your door - The Boston Globe

Jan. 1, 1920

Christmas business best in years. Assistant Postmaster Howard Hamlin says that the Christmas business handled at the Osakis post office was over 100 percent greater than last year and probably the heaviest the local office has ever handled. Osakis merchants without exception report a most satisfactory business. The general stores and drug stores also reported a heavy Christmas trade and a good business in all lines.

Fred Meyer slow to recover. Drayman, Fred Meyer, who has been laid up for the past five months suffering with a broken leg which has failed to knit properly, is still confined to his home and is facing the probability of being laid up the balance of the winter. The local Red Cross branch called Monday evening the sum of $50 per month for a period of four months be awarded to Fred and his deserving family.

AD: New Years greetings from the Gingery. At the trails end of the old year we send warmest greetings. May you and those whose happiness depends upon you, enjoy abundant blessings and may your best desires meet with a response that will give you new purpose and courage. The Gingery.

50 Years Ago

Jan. 1, 1970

John R. Hanson receives special Sousa award. A long-time Osakis civic and school booster was honored last Saturday evening when John R. Hanson was presented with a special John Philip Sousa award. The presentation was made by band director Don Enger during the annual Pop Concert on behalf of all bandsmen of the school.

Todd 4-H to have Telelecture series. 4-H Adult and Junior leaders in Todd County will participate in A Telelecture Series entitled 4-H Leadership Development during January. Telelecture is a new medium that operates with a telephone connection with the University and is amplified to a public address system in the Court Annex basement. The speakers at the University will be heard live by the attendees, and slides will be coordinated with the speakers presentations.

Happy New Year! The staff of the Osakis Review joins in wishing all a most prosperous and Happy New Year. May you find everything you desire in the year ahead.

25 Years Ago

Jan. 3, 1995

C.J. Mohror retires as Osakis mayor. The Osakis community said, Thanks and a job well done, Friday afternoon to retiring Mayor, C. J. Mohror, at an open house at City Hall. Mohror announced his intent to retire from public service after serving the community for 30 years, seven as mayor, 23 on the Osakis City Council.

VFW has new manager. Deb Hinrichs, who has been employed at the Osakis VFW Club for the past four years, has been named the new manager, effective Jan. 1. She replaces Mark Ferris, who managed the club for nine years.

Breakfast benefit planned for Chris Tweet Hunt. A benefit pancake breakfast and bake sale will be held for Chris Tweet Hunt on Sunday, Jan. 8 at the Ed Pollard Community Center. Mrs. Hunt was paralyzed in a car accident on Nov. 11 and remains in St. Cloud Hospital. She expects to be moved to the Sister Kenny Hospital in the Twin Cities in early January and hopes to come home in March.

10 Years Ago

Jan. 5, 2010

Osakis VFW starts remodeling project. A crew of Osakis VFW club members gathered Sunday evening to help employees remove the old bar from the building. The club will remain open during the remodeling project that includes a new bar and flooring. All bingo and card games are on during the construction as well.

Police website asks for help with crime tips. The Osakis Police Department (OPD) is online and it wants you to get involved. The website offers information on its officers, community programs and ordinances. The site also has links to services online forms for burning permits and vacation house checks and other web sites.

Veterans Scenic Drive approved by board. Attorney Randy Brown, along with Kathy and Fred Edenloff, were present at the Todd County Commissioners meeting to discuss designating the scenic loop in Todd County as the Veterans Scenic Drive. They are requesting that the board formally adopt the name Veterans Scenic Drive as the name of the loop.

Read the original here:
Remember When, 1995: Mohror retires as mayor - The Osakis Review

Campbellsville (Kentucky): In the late 1990s, the town of Campbellsville in central Kentucky suffered a powerful jolt when its Fruit of the Loom textile plant closed. Thousands of jobs making underwear went to Central America, taking the communitys pride with them.

Unemployment hit 28% before an unlikely saviour arrived as the century was ending: a madly ambitious start-up that let people buy books, movies and music through their computers.

Amazon leased a Fruit of the Loom warehouse about a mile from the factory and converted it to a fulfilment centre to speed its packages to Indianapolis and Nashville, Tennessee, and Columbus, Ohio. Its workers, many of them Fruit veterans, earned less than what the textile work had paid, but the digital excitement was overwhelming.

Twenty years later, Amazon is one of the worlds most highly valued companies and one of the most influential. Jeff Bezos, Amazons founder, has accumulated a vast fortune. In Seattle, Amazon built a $4 billion urban campus, redefining a swath of the city.

The outcome has been different in Campbellsville, the only sizable community in Taylor County. The county population has stalled at 25,000. Median household income has barely kept pace with inflation. Nearly 1 in 5 people in the county lives in poverty, more than in 2000.

The divergent fates offer a window into what towns can give to tech behemoths over decades and what exactly they get in return. Campbellsvilles warehouse was among the first of what are now an estimated 477 Amazon fulfilment centres, delivery stations and other outposts around the country. That makes Campbellsville, with 11,415 inhabitants, a case study for what may happen elsewhere as Amazon continues expanding.

Amazon has had a really good business here for 20 years, Mayor Brenda Allen said. They havent been disappointed at all. And were glad theyre here.

But, she added, I really would feel better if they would contribute to our needs.

In central Kentucky, Amazon has reaped benefits, including a type of tax break that critics label Paying Taxes to the Boss. In the arrangement, 5% of Amazon workers pay checks, ordinarily destined for the county and the state, go to Amazon itself. The company netted millions of dollars from this incentive over a decade.

Although that tax break has run out, Campbellsville itself still gets no tax money from Amazon. The warehouse is just outside the town limits. The city school system, which is its own taxing authority, does get revenue from Amazon. Both the city and county school systems recently raised their tax rates because of revenue shortfalls. (The city increase had to be rescinded for procedural reasons.)

No one wants Amazon to leave, though. It is Campbellsvilles largest private employer. Its online mall has given the towns shoppers access to a paradise of goods.

Less visibly, Amazon shapes the local economy, including which businesses survive and which will not be coming to town at all. It supplies small-screen entertainment every night, influences how the schools and the library use technology, and even determined the taxes everyone pays.

We were a company town with Fruit of the Loom, and were becoming a company town again, said Betty J Gorin, a local historian.

Amazon said it was not solely responsible for Campbellsvilles vitality. It pointed out other big local employers, including a hospital and a Baptist university. Amazon is not the only barometer, it said.

The company said it had spent $53 million remodelling its warehouse to benefit employees. The facility now includes a classroom for training workshops and, it said, on-site college classes. Amazon declined a request for a tour.

Some cities and towns are now weighing the costs of Amazon versus the benefits. The nationwide total of all state and local subsidies for the company over 20 years is $2.8 billion, according to Good Jobs First, which tracks tax breaks for corporations.

Activists protested New Yorks plan to give Amazon billions of dollars in tax breaks, causing the company to abandon its plans this year to move into Queens. (Amazon began opening new offices in Manhattan this month without any incentives.) Maryland residents rejected a proposed warehouse last summer, citing concerns about noise pollution, traffic and safety.

In Campbellsville, the relationship between Amazon and the residents is facing some questions as it enters middle age.

The needle has not moved in the last two decades on the quality of life in Kentucky, especially in places like Campbellsville. What does that tell you? said Jason Bailey of the Kentucky Center for Economic Policy, a research and advocacy group.

He called the state a fiscal mess because of tax giveaways to Amazon and other companies. Kentucky has had 20 rounds of budget cuts since 2008, he said.

Old Economy Meets New

In 1948, a Kentucky underwear company set up an outpost in the basement of the old Campbellsville armoury with five employees. This eventually became the largest single mens underwear plant in the world, with 4,200 workers producing 3.6 million garments a week.

The money was good, especially for women and African Americans, who had few other opportunities. Fruit, as it was eventually called, built the first public tennis courts and paid the city $250,000 in 1965 to expand the wastewater disposal plant. Factory executives spurred the creation of a country club and the public swimming pool.

The easy times ended with the North American Free Trade Agreement, which took effect in 1994. Amazons arrival five years later offered a second chance. Campbellsville was more than 40 miles from the nearest interstate, but it had a 570,000-square-foot modern warehouse and thousands of eager workers who knew how to hustle.

To woo Amazon, the local fiscal court passed the payroll tax measure, which opened up the state coffers. Amazons workers, like other employees in the county, would pay a 1% payroll tax and a 4% state income tax. But that money went directly to Amazon as a reward for bringing in jobs.

This type of tax break was first developed in Kentucky and is now widespread. Amazons incentives totalled $19 million over 10 years, including exemption from the states corporate income tax. The company said it had ultimately received less than half that amount, though it declined to explain the discrepancy.

The enthusiasm with which yesterdays workers embraced tomorrows economy was a big story that drew national attention. Making underwear was not sexy. Selling things online was.

Arlene Dishman began working at Fruit in 1970. She said she had earned as much as $15 an hour the equivalent of about $100 now sewing necklines on V-neck T-shirts. You cant hardly turn that money down, she said.

Her starting rate at Amazon was just $7.50 an hour, but she relished creating a digital outpost in Campbellsville. We felt responsible for a lot of the success of Amazon, she said. We were just so proud.

She became a trainer, worked with Bezos himself when he came to town, and was promoted to management. These were years of turmoil at Amazon as the dot-com bubble burst in the early 2000s. Pressure ramped up.

I worked on the third floor, Dishman said. No air-conditioning. I would have people on the line pass out constantly.

As a manager, she said, she was too understanding, which was her undoing.

I had worked with these people for so many years at Fruit that when a situation came up that management was not liking, I had a tendency to take the workers side, she said. She left after three years.

David Joe Perkins, who worked for Fruit for 24 years and then for Amazon, said he also took pride in being part of the e-commerce start-up.

We treated it like our company, he said. I have personally worked with Jeff Bezos. I actually liked the guy.

What Perkins did not like were Amazons managers.

My manager called me into the office one day and said, Dave, your performance is not what it needs to be. I said, How can I improve? He said, You dont fire enough people.

Several months later, Perkins was let go with little explanation.

Both Perkins, 64, and Dishman, 71, have Amazon Prime accounts. Dishmans daughter works for Amazon as a data analyst. Dishman even thought about returning to the warehouse during last years holidays to earn a little Christmas money. She did not follow through.

All the Numbers

Just about everyone in Campbellsville remains grateful to Amazon for coming and hiring people. Those workers take their pay-checks and spend at least some of the money around town.

There are not as many workers as people think, though.

When Amazon arrived, it said it would employ 1,000 people full time within two years. Thats still the official total from the Kentucky Cabinet for Economic Development, a state agency, and in Gorin and Jeremy Johnsons two-volume history of the town, published this year. Team Taylor County, which solicits new industries for the community, puts the number of workers at 1,350.

Amazon said in October that the total was 655 full-time workers.

Im shocked, Gorin said.

Kelly Cheeseman, an Amazon spokeswoman, said the head count started to shift at the warehouse around 2016 to 2017. She said automation the deepest fear of every community with an Amazon warehouse had nothing to do with it.

We regularly balance capacity across the network, Cheeseman said. In November, Amazon said full-time workers had risen to 700.

Amazon said the money it paid in wages was an investment in Campbellsville and that it had contributed $15 million in taxes to Taylor County over the last 20 years. It declined to break down the numbers further.

Records and interviews indicate that Amazon paid about $350,000 in taxes this year to the city school system. The company paid the county $410,000 in property taxes.

Good Jobs First, the group that analyzes tax benefits for corporations, thinks that is not enough.

What has Amazon really done for the community? asked Greg LeRoy, the centers executive director. Its not like its a tech lab, diffusing intellectual property or spinning off other businesses. Its a warehouse.

Allen, the mayor, wants more money to pay the towns bills.

The people in Seattle are getting rich, she said. They dont care what happens to the people in Campbellsville, not really.

In the Community

In the 1970s and 1980s, life in Campbellsville revolved around Fruit. Townspeople learned not to be near downtown when the plant let out at 4 p.m., and traffic briefly became overwhelming. When Fruit shut down for the first two weeks in July every year, the town was so dead that other industries in the area scheduled their vacations for the same time. Fruit officials were active in the chamber of commerce, civic clubs and associations.

Amazon is not like that.

Amazon is everywhere and nowhere, Gorin said. This town runs on Amazon, but their employees are not in positions of political power.

Amazon is linked into the community in other ways that often end up benefiting Amazon. In 2016, the company donated 25 Kindle Fire tablets to Campbellsville kindergarten and first grade classrooms. It also donated $2,500 in content. The town schools are increasingly buying supplies from Amazon for a total of about $50,000 in the last fiscal year, records show.

We want to do business with those in our community, those paying local taxes, said Chris Kidwell, finance director for Campbellsville Independent Schools. Its kind of a good-neighbour policy.

The county school system, with 2,800 students, is dealing with state budget cuts. One way it has made up some of the shortfalls is by selling corporate sponsorships. Taylor Regional Hospital bought the naming rights to the health services room; Campbellsville University did the same for an education center. Amazon is not a corporate sponsor.

Were proud to have them in our community, and we would be proud to have them as a corporate sponsor, said Laura Benningfield, the assistant superintendent.

Last spring, the local library was to receive a $10,000 gift from Amazon for science and technology education. Amazon planned to supply whatever the library wanted by ordering the material through its own site. As this article was being reported and Amazon was emphasizing what it had done for the town, the company just sent the library the cash.

Were on the receiving end of a blessing, said Tammy Snyder, the town librarian. The library, like other public institutions in Kentucky, is dealing with the states largely unfunded pension system. Proposed changes that involve the library paying significantly more will bankrupt us, she said.

Justin Harden, 35, said he had no illusions about Amazon. He and his wife, Kendal, recently opened Harden Coffee, a popular meeting spot, on Main Street.

If they can figure out a way to cut me out and take my business, theyll totally do it, he said. They would destroy me, absolutely. But I am a 100% supporter of Amazon. I have five kids. We get stuff from Amazon almost every day.

He paused, acknowledging his own contradictions. Thats why theyre winning, he said.

Rubble Nation

A pile of rubble on Campbellsvilles southern approach marks the ruins of the Fruit plant.

The property is owned by Danny and Sandy Pyles, commercial contractors who run an excavating company in nearby Columbia. They bought the textile factory with other investors a decade ago with the goal of building a retail complex called Campbellsville Marketplace.

The graffiti-covered shell was torn down, and a Louisville developer, Hogan Real Estate, cobbled together a deal. Kroger, the countrys largest supermarket chain, would close its two Campbellsville stores. It would then become the Marketplace anchor tenant with a 123,000-square-foot superstore.

Work was supposed to start within weeks. Then, on June 16, 2017, Amazon announced that it was buying the upscale grocery chain Whole Foods. Kroger shares slumped. Its deal in Campbellsville was put on hold and then abandoned. Hogan chased other possible anchors Menards, Meijer, Home Depot but none were interested. (Kroger declined to comment.)

We used to talk about the Walmart Effect when you saw vacant storefronts in these small towns, said Justin Phelps of Hogan Real Estate. Now its the Amazon Effect.

Pyles Excavating is a good Amazon customer. The company needed a muffler recently for a track hoe. It would have cost $1,200 from a dealer. On Amazon, it was half that.

The internet has brought the world to our fingertips, Danny Pyles said.

The Pyleses recently bought out the other investors in the Fruit site. Their investment is now more than $2 million.

It really is a great piece of property, but right now its a reminder of the day Campbellsville literally shut down, said Sandy Pyles, the daughter of a Fruit worker and relative of many others. Its a sadness.

They would like a Whole Foods there but know the town is too small to support it. Danny Pyles has another idea: an Amazon Go store. These are experimental outlets with no cashiers.

That would put local competitors who still needed humans at a disadvantage while adding hardly any jobs. But it would be an investment by one of the worlds richest companies in one of the towns where it began.

Amazon is the future, he said. Wed like to be part of that.

David Streitfeld c.2019 The New York Times Company

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Prime Anchor: An Amazon Warehouse Town Dreams of a Better Life - News18

Midtown Gainesville

Midtown was in the news a good bit in 2019, and for good reason: Gainesville is angling to finally close the deal on a revitalization of the area that has been in the works, or at least in the hopes, for years.

In 2019, a real-deal developer signed on to build a multi-use project on the other side of the midtown bridge. Construction of more than 200 apartments and 10,000 square feet of retail space could start as early as May and take up to two years.

But things are already happening in midtown. In December, Diletto Bakery opened on Bradford Street also near the midtown bridge. The bakery spent years building a fanbase by plugging away at the Gainesville Farmers Market on Fridays.

While Diletto is in midtown, the business offering on South American flavors is finding itself well placed to fill the space left by Midland Coffee Co.s exit from downtown in 2019.

And then theres the skate park and new pond coming to the Midtown Greenway deeper into midtown. Not far from the park, Let There Be Rock School got rolling on Main Street, and has stayed rolling, in 2019. The Inked Pig is rolling out a new menu item smoked sausages. The sausages are ground, stuffed and smoked at the restaurant on Main Street. - photo by Nick Bowman

Midtown has also been the new, trendy home for home decor shops and one of Gainesvilles most interesting new restaurants: The Inked Pig.

That gravel lot downtown

If you thought you read a lot about midtown in 2019, how about the fourth side of the square in downtown Gainesville?

With retired Coca Cola Co. CEO Doug Ivester buying into the project after developer Tim Knights plans collapsed in 2019, this could be the year work begins on something, anything, in Gainesvilles favorite parking lot at the corner of Main and Spring streets.

Here is the original post:
Midtown, downtown, South Hall and wine: Four cool things we're watching in 2020 - Gainesville Times

Bob Perry slings vinyl at Cheapo Records in Central Square, and every sale in his Cambridge shop is critical.

Perry hustles to stay ahead as he watches more and more of the city's funky shops shut down.

"Every year, when the rents go up and the workers want a little bit more money, it gets a little bit harder," Perry said.

Retailers like Perry are feeling the squeeze from soaring rents, disruptive construction projects and the growth of online shopping.

Not all survive; in greater Boston, about 10 percent of storefronts are now empty.

The numbers are better in Cambridge, but in busy places like Harvard Square, they're seeing more than twice as many vacancies as in the rest of the city.

Harvard Square has been losing spots its eclectic identity was built on: The World's Only Curious George Store, John Harvard's Brew House, Tealuxe, Black Ink. Eye-popping rents helped force many out, and the city is reckoning with how to stem the tide.

"You always want somewhere to feel active and vibrant," said Pardis Saffari, the city's senior economic development manager.

Data from November 2019.

Saffari said when storefronts are dark, city officials worry about vandalism, blight and the toll shuttered stores take on other businesses.

"It can maybe make people not stop and shop or explore the neighborhood," Saffari said.

So city leaders got creative, employing strategies like paying local artists to exhibit artwork in vacant buildings to help liven up the spaces.

"So instead of seeing something maybe dark or empty, you now see some wonderful artwork to hopefully brighten up your day," Saffari said.

Cambridge also helped facilitate pop-up stores in vacant buildings. For example, a group of vintage clothing sellers is paying month-to-month to rent a former mattress store in Cambridge that sat empty for years.

Perry, the record store owner, filled another vacant storefront with vintage rock 'n' roll gear. Perry wants to gauge demand in the neighborhood, and the arrangement allows him to dip his toe in the water without a lot of risk.

"This is a real store in a real space on Mass. Ave in this neighborhood with the clientele that walks around here," he said.

Cultivating an invested clientele is important, particularly for a place like Harvard Square, which took another hit when the iconic Out of Town News newsstand shut down after 60 years in business.

"It was a place where Joan Baez came and played her music, and where Julia Child would get her cookbooks from," explained Aaron Greiner, director of CultureHouse, a nonprofit that filled the empty building where Out of Town News was located.

Hoping to maintain that community feel while they figure out what to do with the building, the city provided the space to CultureHouse, which functions as a community gathering spot open for anyone to hang out as long as they like.

Many visitors patronize other businesses in the area, Greiner said.

"The businesses that are still open, [visitors] are going to go and buy a coffee there, buy a lunch there," Greiner said.

And the benefits of filling the empty space aren't solely economic, he said.

"We're seeing increased problems of loneliness in cities, of isolation, which is a bit ironic because we think of cities as places that are full of people, yet people are feeling more and more disconnected," he said.

CultureHouse aims to be a community living room, for everything from book clubs and brainstorming sessions to ping pong tournaments.

"People can come in and read a book. They can come in and bring a coffee, bring their lunch. They can use the space as they like. They can meet a friend. They can meet someone new," Greiner said.

Cities hope landlords will meet someone new, too: potential tenants to open their minds to creative solutions.

Read more:
In Cambridge, Artists and Nonprofits Liven Up the Retail Landscape - nbcboston.com

Amazon is expected to break ground on HQ2 in 2020.

Arlington County

Amazon's second headquarters in northern Virginia is taking shape.

Earlier this month, the company cleared the last hurdle to begin building its second headquarters, called HQ2, when its plans received unanimous approval from the Arlington County, Virginia board. Amazon now expects to break ground on the 2.1-million-square-foot development in early 2020 and construction is slated to be complete in 2023.

Amazon will transform a group of vacant warehouses in Arlington's Pentagon City neighborhood into two 22-story buildings. The towers will be part of a larger, mixed-use site, called Metropolitan Park, that's expected to house new retail, restaurants and a daycare center open to the public, as well as 2.5 acres of green spaces designed for dog parks, farmers markets and other uses.

The company expects HQ2 will add 25,000 jobs over the next decade, with half of employees working out of the Metropolitan Park site. So far, Amazon said it has hired more than 400 employees to work out of leased offices in Crystal City, Virginia with some working on its cloud computing and Alexa teams.

Amazon submitted renderings to the Arlington County board that give a closer look into what the campus could look like when it's finished.

Here's a map showing how Metropolitan Park will be designed.

The development site, called Metropolitan Park, includes two 22-story towers, as well as new retail, restaurants and green space.

Arlington County

The 22-story towers will be built at S. Eads St. and 15th St. in Pentagon City.

This rendering shows suggested designs for public spaces in Metropolitan Park, taking inspiration from Amazon's Seattle headquarters.

Ground-floor space is allocated for retail shops and restaurants.

This rendering shows a 700-person-capacity indoor event space that will be available to the public.

An overview of all of the HQ2 developments in Arlington.

The final phase of Amazon's HQ2 includes another 2.1-million-square-foot development, located north of Metropolitan Park, at a 10-acre site called Pen Place.

Amazon is still putting together plans for the Pen Place development, a spokesperson said. The company expects to submit the plans to the Arlington County board next year.

See more here:
Amazon will break ground on HQ2 soon here's what it will look like - CNBC

In 2019, developmental pressures continued to dominate news headlines in St. Johns County.

The year featured a host of construction projects, a major land acquisition and other issues pertaining to the explosion in growth the county is experiencing. But other topics caused a stir as well.

Heres a look at some of the top stories of 2019:

GROWTH

As the decade drew to a close, the influx of more construction, more residents and more infrastructure began to near a boiling point, clashing with concerns about land preservation, traffic congestion and overcrowded schools.

The battle over Fish Island especially highlighted the issue of development pressures in St. Johns County.

Located on the Matanzas River adjacent to the State Road 312 bridge, Fish Island was once home to a sprawling citrus grove in Florida and had remained untouched since.

But when developers called for plans to build residential units in 2018, residents worked with nonprofit Matanzas Riverkeeper to fight the project.

In late-November, the North Florida Land Trust, in partnership with the State of Florida, negotiated to buy the property from the owners for $6.5 million. The state is now the owner of Fish Island, and the city of St. Augustine agreed to manage the property.

In July, local developer Chris Shee submitted an application with the county for a site off State Road 207 to build as many as 3,700 new homes, 3 million square feet of commercial space, 500,000 square feet of office space, another 500,000 square feet of industrial space, 600 hotel rooms and a new school site.

The most ambitious part of the Parrish Farms plan, which is still early in the approval process, involves constructing a new interchange on I-95 between S.R. 207 and State Road 206.

At the same time, established commercial and residential corridors in the county have become busier.

Parcel by parcel, over the last couple of decades State Road 16 has been filled in with development, including two outlet malls, numerous hotels, restaurants and other retail. More commercial projects are on the way.

Comparatively, S.R. 207 had remained less dense commercially. But that has begun to change. Over the last couple of years, several large residential communities have grabbed up land off 207, among them Treaty Oaks, Deerfield Preserve and the Arbor at Valencia.

A 256-unit, multi-family rental community called Brisa at St. Augustine fronting on S.R. 207 is under construction. Other plans in various stages of approval include two subdivisions west of I-95 on 207. Winding Oaks would encompass 250 homes, and another project called Black Gold would have 400 homes.

Growth at the St. Augustine Shipyards off U.S. 1 near S.R. 207 and adjacent to the San Sebastian River could also bring more activity to that area of town.

A deal struck in November transferred ownership of the property to the Windward Marina Group, and the leadership team wants to establish more of a connection between the Shipyards and its operations across the river on Riberia Street in St. Augustine.

MOTHER NATURE

For over a week in early September, the threat of Hurricane Dorian put life on hold for residents, businesses, schools and emergency officials all waiting and watching its fickle path from the Caribbean up the Florida coast.

In the end, the storm shifted direction, producing gusty winds and rainfall for most, though some properties in St. Augustine received flood damage.

Employers who didnt want to put workers in the way of danger and hospitality businesses betting on cancellations closed down, erring on the side of caution.

While many were unscathed by Hurricane Dorian, the storm caused a breach in sand that fronts the Summer Haven river, which caused a small section of the waterway to get clogged and prompted St. Johns County government officials to get involved to repair the breach.

LOCAL GOVERNMENT

A couple of top local government officials left their positions, but for different reasons.

County Commissioners fired Michael Wanchick in November, ending his contract early after Commissioner Jeremiah Blocker said he had lost confidence in Wanchicks leadership.

Im making this motion because its my opinion that our county administrator is no longer able to execute the wishes and directions given by this board, Blocker said at the time.

Firing Wanchick early cost the county $161,080.29 in severance pay and accrued sick and vacation time as well as about $7,700 in estimated costs for continuing insurance coverage for Wanchick and his family, according to the county.

Hunter Conrad, former county clerk of court and comptroller, has taken over as interim county administrator. Commissioners plan to discuss the search for Wanchicks permanent replacement at their Jan. 21 meeting.

In other local leadership changes, Mayor Nancy Shaver resigned after having a stroke in February, and the Commission appointed former Mayor Tracy Upchurch as her replacement.

A major traffic project finally came to a close in 2019.

The intersection of May Street and San Marco Avenue, delayed long beyond its initial estimated finish date, opened in its final configuration.

The new, unique traffic pattern is a drastic departure from what was there before. The intersection is like a modified roundabout, though its not round.

Plans for a key intersection in St. Augustine were unveiled.

Barry Broudy and city officials announced a vision for the northwest corner of U.S. 1 and West King Street, the location of Broudys Liquors.

The plan would bring a pedestrian and bicyclist walkover across U.S. 1 and many new features to the Broudys lot: a parking garage, new police station, workforce housing and commercial space.

Commissioners voiced concerns about the height of the workforce housing buildings proposed at 50-55 feet and 60-65 feet high but supported allowing the city to keep exploring the idea.

The plan would need various city approvals and hasnt come back to the city for review.

Local government officials also tried to make the area a little greener this year, but the effort was met with challenges.

The city of St. Augustine Beach passed a ban on plastic bags and Styrofoam products but repealed the rules to avoid a lawsuit.

The city has pursued other initiatives as well, including designating cigarette butts as litter smokers face a $50 fine for leaving butts on the ground.

THINGS THAT GOT PEOPLE TALKING

St. Augustine Beach Police Chief Robert Hardwick and Chris Strickland, a former director with St. Johns County Sheriffs Office who resigned in 2016, filed to run for St. Johns County Sheriff. They will face each other in the Republican primary in August.

Tom Reynolds, a St. Augustine Beach resident, has filed to run with no party affiliation.

Investigations into allegations of inappropriate behavior by a teacher at R.J. Murray Middle School led to the resignation of the teacher and the reassignment of the principal, a series of events that came to light in 2019.

The Stanley Cup, professional hockeys top prize, made a stop at the Casa Monica Hotel in St. Augustine for public view and attracted hundreds of people.

Kelvin Bernie Blue was removed as Nease High School track and field coach. He had served as a teacher or coach at the school for 38 years. School Athletic Director Matt McCool said Blue had done a fabulous job but that the school had decided to go in a different direction.

After drawing national headlines as the alligator on the loose in Chicago, Chance the Snapper ended up making his home at the St. Augustine Alligator Farm Zoological Park. Hes now known as Chicago Chance and is featured in a coloring book about his adventures with his rescuer, Frank Robb.

St. Augustines famous carousel, which had been in Davenport Park, was removed after owner Jim Soules died. Because of his wishes, Soules family moved it to The Shell Factory and Nature Park in North Fort Myers. Plans are in the works to bring a new carousel to St. Augustine.

For more on these stories, go to staugustine.com.

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A look at the top stories of 2019 in St. Johns County - St. Augustine Record

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EVANSVILLE, Ind. As the calendar flips to 2020, several construction projects are nearing completion around Evansville. A couple other big ones will get going during the year, with finishing dates anticipated in 2021.

Here's an update of those projects:

Thisluxury apartment complex isin the heart of downtown and is a $40 million development. The project was announced in 2018 and is nearing completion.

The apartment has 144 units ranging from studios, one-bedrooms and two-bedrooms.Amenities include an elevated outdoor pool with a tanning shelf, fitness center, yoga room and a bike storage area with a repair center.

Their website currently shows availableunits and prices. In mid-January,they will have an on-site building manager to coordinate leasing.Construction is set to be completed inspring of 2020.

This historicbuilding is being renovated into a mixed-usefacility with apartments and a restaurant on the lower level at 401 NW Second St.Architectural Renovators is taking on the project, which is expected to be done by late spring.

Pictures of old Nabisco factory and rendering of new restaurant and apartments after renovations are complete(Photo: Architectural Renovations)

The apartments, which don't yethave a name,will consistof 23 one-bedroom and two-bedroom units. The architect wants to keepmany of the old elements intact as they add modern touches. All units will be equipped with modern appliances but historical features such as the original hardwood floors and brick walls that will still be part of the apartments. Leasing will begin in February.

The facility will also house a new restaurant from Pangea owner Randy Hobson. It hasn't been named yet but is expected to serve Asian street food and international pastries.

Construction has been going on since the groundbreaking for this project back in March of 2018.The more than $18 million, privately financed development will have 139 guest rooms.The developer is Kinship Hospitality LLC, founded locally in 2016.

Completionis now slated for late spring of 2020. There were various delays along the way due to utility-related issues and unforeseen issues with the foundation thatrequired aredesign.

Exterior work continues on the Hyatt Place hotel in Downtown Evansville, Ind., Wednesday, July 3, 2019. (Photo: MaCabe Brown / Courier & Press)

Deaconess Health System began construction of a new Downtown clinic in February. Itwill offerprimary and specialty care physiciansas well as aDeaconess Clinic EXPRESS, which will be open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. seven days a week.

The new building also will have10,000 feet of clinical research space to be used by students and staff of Indiana School of Medicine-Evansville, who study at the Stone Family Center for Health Sciences, nearby on Walnut Street. Construction is expected to be finished in spring.

Sheetmetal worker Brian Wagner descends the stairs at the construction site for the new Deaconess Clinic Downtown at Fifth and Walnut streets in Evansville on a rainy Monday afternoon. "Pretty much everyone we have on site are local contractors," said General Superintendent Joe Scheberle of the Barton Malow Company project, which he says will completed in May 2020.(Photo: Christiana Botic / Courier & Press)

Deaconess is also building a primary care clinic at Washington Avenue and South Green River Road, with a 2020 completion expected.

The warship's move to the riverfront is almost finished. Various city entities are coming together to pay for theproject with a total cost of $3.6 million. The city is contributing $2.2million, $1million is comingfrom Tropicana and$175,000 each from the Evansville Visitors Bureau and LST.

The ship is moving from Inland Marina to a Downtown site, across Riverside Drive from Tropicana Evansville. City officials are hopeful the ship will see increased visitation at the busier riverfront spot.

LST officials anticipate completing the ship's move by April, with a grand opening in early May. There were several steps to prepare for the move and three different contractors were hiredto handle the work.

The area of the river where the ship will be moored hadto be dredged, avisitors centerwhich will have the LSTs gift shop and offices is under construction andtwo barges were built.

Ground recently broke for Deaconess Aquatic Centerin Garvin Park. The new state-of-the-art facility will have stadium seating for 800 people, a four-lane teaching and leisure pool, a new 50-meter stretch pooland an outdoor spray park.

US Olympian Lilly King, third from right, turns dirt during the groundbreaking of the Deaconess Aquatic Center in Evansville, Ind., Wednesday afternoon, Dec. 11, 2019. (Photo: MaCabe Brown / Courier & Press)

Construction began in December andthe current timeline shows it's projected to open in late summer of 2021.

Owner George Yerolemou has been working to renovate what used to be theold Riverhouse Hotel, located at Walnut and First streets, into an upscaleboutique hotel.

Construction has been ongoing for almost three years. Yerolemou plans to finish by mid-April of 2020. The hotel will have 79 rooms, and there are plans to add an open rooftop bar to the hotel.

This tower, at 420 Main St.,used to be the headquarters for Old National Bank and at 18 stories, it is the tallest building within 120 miles. Domo Development Co. of Carmel, Indiana, obtained ownership and plan a redevelopment project with restaurant and retail spaces on the ground level and offices and apartments on the upper floors.

A rendering of the proposed redevelopment at the 18-story tower at 420 Main St. A private company has obtained ownership and plans a major project with restaurant and retail spaces on the ground level, and offices and apartments on upper floors.(Photo: Furnished)

Domo officials said construction on the $25 million to $30 million projectwill start in spring 2020 and last about 18 months. Thetower turns 50 years old next year. Renderings show the renovated building is to have walls of glass and a new sheath on the parking area.

The exhibit at Mesker Park Zoo & Botanic Garden will feature Humboldt penguins, which are warm-weather penguins native to Peru.

The cost of the entire project will be between $6-$7 million, and it will be a combination of public funds and private donations. It will be near the zoo's front entrance.

Construction is slated to begin early next year with a projected opening in2021.

Rendering of the Penguins of Patagonia exhibit planned for Mesker Park Zoo & Botanic Garden.(Photo: Mesker Park Zoo & Botanic Garden)

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Some big projects in Evansville are poised for 2020 completion; others about to start - Courier & Press

TIM WEIGHT/FOR THE EXPRESSThe landscape of downtown Bellefonte will be changing in 2020, as the borough looks to add a boutique hotel along with parking and new shops. Groundbreaking is expected to be done soon and the project completed by spring of 2021.

BELLEFONTE 2019 certainly was an interesting year for Bellefonte and the Centre Region. And there are going to be plenty of changes on the horizon in Bellefonte and the Centre Region in 2020.

With that in mind, lets take a closer look at some things to watch as we flip the calendar to 2020.

CENTRE COUNTY

GOVERNMENT

In 2019, Centre County rolled out its new voting machines. It also installed special netting to prevent black vultures from tearing up the roof of the countys Willowbank Building.

CHRIS MORELLI/THE EXPRESSThe construction of a Rutters convenience store along the Benner Pike in Bellefonte is picking up steam. The new store will be sandwiched between a pair of Sheetz stores in Bellefonte and State College and will likely provide some much-needed competition in the Centre Region.

All three Centre County commissioners Steve Dershem, Mark Higgins and Michael Pipe earned re-election in November. In 2019, they signed off on renovations to the historic Centre County courthouse.

Pipe, chair of the Centre County Board of Commissioners, looked ahead to 2020 and said that big things are on the horizon in the county.

This upcoming year will be full of opportunities to start anew with family, friends, and ourselves. County government is no different. As a team, we will work on important issues that impact our community such as mental health, infrastructure, elections and so much more, he said.

Also, we will wrap up the current phase of the renovations at the courthouse and the construction of a solar panel project at our correctional facility. The new year will see fresh initiatives such as Census 2020 and planning for the reuse of the Centre Crest facility. While a lot of work is in front of us, we celebrate the accomplishments the Centre County Government team achieved in 2019 and are hopeful for our future, Pipe said.

OPENINGS AND

CLOSINGS

Several businesses closed their doors in 2019.

In downtown Bellefonte, Dam Donuts said farewell. The popular donut-coffee shop closed its doors in February. The shop was in business for three years and had become a staple for fans of unique, freshly-made donuts. To pick up the slack, Dunkin Donuts opened its shop along the Benner Pike in Bellefonte.

Also along the Benner Pike, construction picked up just across the street from the Centre County Correctional Facility, where a Rutters is quickly taking shape. It is expected to open sometime in 2020, according to the Rutters website. Further out the Benner Pike, a new-and-improved Sheetz opened its doors just in time for Penn States football season. It also sells alcohol, something new for the location.

Back in Bellefonte, Wendys opened its doors along Buckaroo Lane, just across from Weis Markets. It joined Burger King as Bellefontes second fast food restaurant. Elsewhere, after closing his old restaurant and bar location in December of 2019, Bonfattos owner David Letterman brought the Bonanza subs back to downtown Bellefonte at the new and improved Bonfattos Italian Market and Corner Cafe near Talleyrand Park.

Also in April, Red Horse Tavern owners Justin Leiter and Courtney Confer announced plans to open Sammis at the old Bonfattos location. Sammis features cheesesteaks and a variety of sandwiches, French fries and salads.

Axemann Brewery announced plans to start construction at the former Cerro Metal Plant in Bellefonte. No timetable has been announced for its opening, although it is expected sometime in 2020.

Centre Care broke ground along the Benner Pike for its new facility. It will replace Centre Crest in Bellefonte when it opens.

COMING SOON:

BELLEFONTE

There are big things happening in Bellefonte.

The Bellefonte Waterfront project will aim to bring a hotel, restaurant, condominiums and retail space to the property that was formerly home to the historic Bush House. After years of sitting vacant, the property has a new owner. At a recent Bellefonte Borough Council meeting, members from Bellefonte Waterfront Associates spoke and said that construction could begin as soon as spring of 2020.

BWA is led by Torron Groups Tom Songer II and Hospitality Asset Management Companys Mark Morath. BWA entered into an agreement with Bellefonte Borough and Bellefonte Area Industrial Development Authority to buy and develop the four acres along Water Street between High and Lamb streets in August of 2018. The land is the former home of the historic Bush House, which burned down in 2006. Since then, the land has sat vacant.

There has been a lot of talk about developing that land. Now, it is coming to fruition.

According to Songer and Morath, the vision statement for the project says it is hoping to begin construction of the hotel and parking garage in a few months and the retail and condominium building next to Lamb Street in the spring of 2021.

Plans for the project include a promenade along Spring Creek from High to Lamb Street that will serve as a pedestrian walkway and gathering space. Plans also call for the reconstruction of Dunlap Street into a two-way street and will connect High Street to Lamb Street, adjacent to the existing Bellefonte mill race that fed water to the historic Gamble Mill.

The proposed five-story hotel will include approximately 80 guest rooms, along with meeting and banquet rooms and a restaurant. The hotel will be constructed at High and Dunlap streets with the main entrance on Dunlap Street, where a parking area with a covered patio is expected to be constructed. There are also plans for a pedestrian entrance from High Street.

The hotel would provide another location in Centre County for Penn State football fans to stay during the season, as there is always a need for hotel rooms from August through November in the Centre Region.

The project is just one of many big things happening in Bellefonte. Developers are looking to re-open the Gamble Mill, a once-popular historic restaurant that has sat vacant for several years.

Bellefonte mayor Tom Wilson agreed that big things are happening in the county seat.

Bellefonte is, and has been, on a positive trajectory. Much of the credit for the towns continued forward movement should be given to an influx of young professionals that have embraced this community and have invested their time and talents to help the Fonte become a go to place,' Wilson said. We still have plenty of work to do in this area. Our wish list includes the building of a proper band shell in Tallyrand Park. The building of the multi-purpose greenway trail between Bellefonte and Milesburg. Plus, the development and implementation of an artistic initiative called Water Fire along the waterfront.

According to Wilson, its important that Bellefontes history is preserved as areas of the town are re-developed.

Historic preservation is always important in a town such as Bellefonte, he noted. We will endeavor to preserve our historic structures while also keeping in touch with projects that will high light our natural assets. Much of the economic future of Bellefonte lies in the area of outdoor recreation tourism fishing, boating, biking and hiking.

ROGERS STADIUM

The finishing touches were put on Rogers Stadium just in time for fall sports season at Bellefonte Area High School. The football team along with the boys and girls soccer teams played their seasons there. The new-and-improved version of Rogers Stadium features state of the art turf, locker rooms, new restrooms, two concession stands, new press box and ticket booth. The stadium was packed most Friday nights during the football season as fans watched the Red Raiders steamroll opponents on their way to a District 6 championship and an appearance in the PIAA State Playoffs.

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Downtown Bellefonte may look different by the end of 2020 | News, Sports, Jobs - Lock Haven Express