PA Game Commission to build new regional office near Spring Creek Canyon in State College area

The Pennsylvania Game Commission plans to close its Jersey Shore office and build a new north-central regional office near Spring Creek Canyon in Center County's Benner Township, saying the new facilities will allow the agency to better serve the public.

Dave Gustafson, director of land management and wildlife habitat for the Pennsylvania Game Commission, said the current north-central Jersey Shore regional office is more than 50 years old and cost more than $300,000 in emergency repairs since 2016. He said that when the Game Commission was reviewing options for the office, the State College site stood out because of its location.

“When we looked at the needs for a new regional headquarters, we thought, Man, this would be the perfect location,” Gustafson said.

The site is near I-99 and I-80, State College and Spring Creek Canyon.

The canyon was part of the State Correctional Institution on Rockview grounds and was closed to the public. But under agreement and legislation, about 1,800 acres of land were transferred to the Pennsylvania Game Commission, with some going to the Fish and Boat Commission, Penn State and Benner Township. Of this total, approximately 1,200 were forwarded to the Gaming Commission. It was opened to the public in 2011.

Gustafson said the Game Commission consulted with members of the technical advisory group formed after the land was transferred about the construction project.

“We were very careful when planning the location of the building,” he said. “Because we didn’t want to impact the scenic or recreational values ​​of the canyon itself.” We knew that building a building in the canyon or interrupting this natural corridor was out of the question. We didn't intend to do that. We didn't want to remove wildlife habitats. »

The office will be built on Shiloh Road near I-99, where there is parking. The project will cost approximately $20 million and last 18 months. Gustafson said the Game Commission hopes to begin construction in 2025.

He said that as a state agency, the Gaming Commission is not subject to municipal regulatory oversight of the construction project, but goes through the land use planning review process .