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Blair County Planning Commission members on Thursday gave a positive review to the Curry Building development plan on 11th Avenue.
The plan calls for renovation and restoration of the former Vipond Building at 1425 11th Ave., now to be known as the Curry Building. The project consists of the construction of a small building addition to contain an elevator and stairway, and construction of a small pocket park, which will include a pavilion, park benches, an outdoor seating area, concrete walkways, landscaping and other improvements.
Proposed uses of the renovated building include offices, education and education administrative offices.
Required parking for the site is 117 spaces, however, no parking is proposed as part of the plan. The developer has included an assurance letter from the Altoona Parking Authority stating that 125 public parking spaces are available in close proximity to the site.
It does not appear that any bicycle parking facilities will be provided as part of this proposal.
"We recommend that the developer include bicycle parking, preferably near an entrance to the building in order to comply with Altoona's bicycle parking requirements," Regional Planner Jamie L. Klink wrote in his review.
While the proposed renovations have the potential to increase vehicle traffic in the immediate area, "we are not expecting any significant increases in vehicle trips over the previous usage of the building," Klink wrote. "Regardless, we recommend that the developer consults with the city to address any potential negative impacts on the local transportation system as a result of this proposal."