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Developer outlines Dunlop Street easement plan; private maintenance, parking garage financing remain key
Summary
Bellefonte Waterfront Associates proposed vacating portions of Dunlop Street with reversion of halves of the right of way to adjacent owners, a recorded private maintenance agreement and gated parking to control use; developer said parking garage financing is the critical path for broader waterfront development.
Tom Songer, identified himself as a co‑partner in Bellefonte Waterfront Associates, presented the waterfront land‑development concept and a proposed approach for Dunlop Street. Songer said the developer would take ownership of paved portions of the right of way if the borough vacates them, and that ownership would be recorded with covenants and a private street maintenance agreement that would run with title and impose long‑term maintenance responsibility on the developer and property owners.
Songer told council that if the borough vacates portions of Dunlop Street, half of the public right of way would revert to three adjacent property owners and the remainder would revert to the waterfront property owners. He said Bellefonte Waterfront Associates would build and maintain the street (paving, pothole repair, snow removal) and install gates and parking control so short stays would not be charged but longer parking in the garage would be managed.
Council members and residents raised pedestrian and traffic safety concerns at the Dunlop/High Street corner, including sight‑distance constraints and whether a right‑in/right‑out restriction or signed routing would be required. Songer said the developer's traffic engineer, Doug Hill of Booster Associates, has reviewed options and PennDOT is currently reviewing Hill's recommendations; Songer said signage would be implemented and reviewed with borough staff and PennDOT before changes are made.
When pressed about project timing, Songer said financing the parking garage is the primary challenge; he said materials and interest rate shifts have complicated financing but he had met with his bank and the outlook was promising. Songer said the team hopes to start in spring, with a goal of completing the hotel and parking garage and then starting residential condo construction atop the garage once financing is in place.
No formal council action was taken at the work session; council members said further conversations are needed about sight distance, the process for vacating a public right of way, and the implications of private maintenance agreements. The item will return in future land‑development and council discussions.
