Bellefonte, Pleasant Gap, Centre Hall, and Other Nearby Towns (Harrisburg: homes, school districts)

[t16skyhopper]

Hello,

I have read all of the message boards on Bellefonte, Pleasant Gap, Centre Hall, and other nearby towns, and looked at the rental, job, and other major aspects. Specifically for these three towns mentioned, would you tell more?

A lot is said about points of pride and confidence, the affordability, parades, alluring nature, and so on--which are fantastic. What else? What are the pros and cons? What do you favor most and least? How do you think the areas will grow? What are the sights and sounds from a local's point of view, most importantly, and the transplant's?

I am a New Yorker who doesn't sound or look like one and who lets go of advertising New York.

Thank you so much.

[ki0eh]

The source of jobs and excitement in all three is the same - State College, and The Pennsylvania State University. (With some spinoffs.)

Bellefonte and Pleasant Gap are in Nittany Valley, NW side of Nittany Mountain. On I-99 and close to I-80. Plans for an enhanced I-99/I-80 interchange at Bellefonte are well in the works. Towns both a bit larger already, and more growth oriented. Much discussion nowadays about SCI Rockview giving up some of its land along I-99, and whether that will be preserved or raw material for large scale development.

Centre Hall, and such neighbors as Millheim, Spring Mills, Coburn, and Woodward are in Penns Valley, the headwaters of Penns Creek that then flows through the mountains and out into another valley on the other side without a road following. Smaller towns already, less emphasis on or infrastructure for large scale development. US 322 is still two lane heading into S.C., now the only missing link in the expressway to S.C. from Harrisburg, and certainly PA 45 will always be. Outsiders largely move into existing homes here, more emphasis on preservation and likely more of a "drawbridge mentality" of I'm the last in. Newer businesses are more on the small scale cute side, such as Elk Creek Cafe + Aleworks - Home at the (note emphasis on "the") traffic light in Millheim.

[BevoInPA]

Depending on what you do for a living you need to think this through very carefully. Centre County is a college town with some tech. I went to Penn State. I love the town. I would even live there but I work in finance but there is NOTHING there. Yeah, housing is cheaper, State College School District is outstanding, but I know a lot of people I graduated with that decided to set down roots and, in my opinion, made too many compromises professionally.

I would look further south in Harrisburg. There are Fortune 500 Companies (Rite Aid, Select Medical, Tyco, Harsco, Hershey, Blue Cross, IBM), housing is about the same price, there are several good school districts, and it is safe.

[t16skyhopper]

Thanks ki0eh and BevoInPA for the valleys and highway info, and cautionary thoughtfulness.