Bellefonte Borough Purchases Land Next to Talleyrand Park

BELLEFONTE/CENTRE COUNTY, Pa — The borough has been set on making some improvements to downtown Bellefonte. This small property has the potential to make a big impact on that.

This Subway restaurant closed last year as a result of the COVID crisis. The land is right next to the neighboring Big Spring Run and Talleyrand Park.

Without a tenant stepping up to buy, the landowner approached the borough to try and broker a deal. The sale was recently finalized, and the buy gives the borough a chance to innovate in the area around the park.

Borough Manager Ralph Stewart says a decision of how to use the land will be made together as a community.

“What we plan to do is have a public meeting, whether its virtual or in person, where we take comments and ideas and then we put a design team together and start working out some designs, see what is the best use of that property, how we can incorporate it into the park,” he said.

Though the decision will be left in the hands of Bellefonte residents, Stewart has an idea for the land that would help groups of people access the park easier.

“I think parking is a concern," he said. "Any larger vehicles like a tour bus, you know, there’s really no current location or no place for really any large vehicle to park, even let people off, to go into the park, or to go into a performance that is in the park, anything of that nature.”

Stewart added that the borough is very excited to hear what ideas bellefonte residents have for the land.

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